July 22nd, 2010
Talk to just about anyone who flies for business or pleasure and almost to a person, they say, “I hate flying!” And then they usually launch into a laundry list of complaints.
And it doesn’t seem to be getting better, either. A recent news photo showed a couple that had just deplaned. Both were wearing facemasks to protect themselves from possible germ contamination. Not a pretty picture in more ways than one.
Sure, there’s Southwest Airline and Jet Blue, the low cost carriers. And that’s what makes this so interesting. Is it any accident that customers opt for the lowest possible price? Of course not. Why would anyone want to pay anything but a rock bottom price for flying when they hate the experience?
All this came to mind while reading a recent WSJ article, “The Golden Age of Flight,” which recalled earlier days when the service was impeccable and the planes were loud and less refined than they are today. Yet, people loved flying, even though it was pricey.
And that’s the point one airline consultant Stanley Plog makes about flying. He has conducted studies of airline comfort, and comments in the article, “I love to fly. But today I avoid it when I can.”
The message applies in many other sales situations. No one wants to pay for pain. Some customers order from Amazon.com, even if the price is higher than others. As one person said, “Yes, I paid more, but I know they will take care of me.”
Posted in Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, WSJ, airlines, flying, hate flying, sales, sales management | No Comments »
July 21st, 2010
John Graham, president of Graham Communications was recently interviewed by Central Valley Business Times on how sales people can turn the tide in their favor by following a few strategies to reinforce current customer relationships and garner the attention of new prospects.
Listen to the full interview: How to turn the sales tide in your favor
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 12th, 2010
Increased customer expectations require real-time responses. Seemingly innocent comments can send the wrong message. For example, “I’ll get that for you when I get back to the office” can make sales reps look like they’re out of sync with the times. Whatever else is happening, business today is a “no waiting zone.”
Although apparently surprising to some, the iPad’s appeal to the business community seems rather obvious as it provides continuous connectivity and its touch screen makes it seamless extension of the person using it. It keeps the attention focused on the person using it rather than on a piece of equipment, such as a laptop. And unlike a laptop, the iPad is uniquely designed for sharing. Whether these distinctions are actual or perceived makes no difference; the results are what count and that’s real-time responses.
An excerpt from Turning the Tide in Your Favor. (Click to view the full article.)
Posted in communicate, customer expectations, iPad, laptop, sales | No Comments »
July 7th, 2010
As everyone knows, the sales figures on the iPhone 4 are beyond imagination, as they are for all Apple products. Mac sales for Q1 of this year exceeded total sales in 2004. And for a gadget that many said would die a quick death, you can’t find an Apple store with one to sell. A total of 3 million sold in two months.
While the sales figures are staggering, it’s only exceeded by what we might call “The Apple Phenomenon.” Perhaps, it’s so complex that it defies description. Yet, at the heart, it seems to be that Apple products deliver life unifying simplicity when everyone is complaining (and rightly so) about a growing burden of complexity.
Beyond that, the products are participatory. The users define the use! Each iPhone is as unique as its owner and the technology never, ever gets in the way. It’s transparent. In the end, it’s the experience that’s so compelling, so exciting.
And the Apple stock ain’t so bad, either!
Posted in Apple, iPhone | 2 Comments »
July 7th, 2010
Or, at least that’s the way it seems, although it’s difficult to understand why it should be that way. The company is still a bit shaky, not to speak of the fact that all us good taxpayers own 61% of the carmaker. Yet, only bored folks would dream up a plan to eradicate one of the most beloved nicknames in the history of the American automobile. One that’s as American as apple pie.
It’s not as bad as it may seem. Only GM employees are no longer allowed to call their most popular car a “Chevy.” According to the company’s brain cleansing program, everyone must use the full name, “Chevrolet.” That’s a bummer, at best.
Why spend valuable dollars policing a proud name of a product with a wonderful history. And who in the world thinks they can get millions of us to dump a word that’s part of our DNA? What’s coming next? An ultimatum will come down from the GM C-suite that referring to a Cadillac as a “Caddy” demeans the brand. Tell that to a Texan!
Posted in Buick, Chevrolet, Chevy, GM, General Motors | 2 Comments »
April 12th, 2010
It was with some trepidation that I dialed the 800 number for Frontier Airlines. When asked if I wanted to speak to an agent, I said yes and two rings later, there was a helpful fellow on the line. It quickly became clear that he was not authorized to do what I requested so he willingly transferred me to Mike, his supervisor, clearly a bright, customer-oriented professional. When I explained my problem, Mike said he would take care of it––even though it went against their system. It all took less than five minutes.
Unfortunately, this was an unexpected experience––and clearly the exception. I was ready to do battle, but these two guys took the bluster out of my sails! It was a wonderful not feeling it was necessary to go to the mat to get someone to listen to your story––and to get something done. They listened and they responded by taking care of the customer. The big airlines might learn a lot from tiny Frontier. They deserve to succeed.
Posted in consumer mindset, customer service | No Comments »
February 11th, 2010
The radio ad rep sent an email stating that her station would be “a perfect fit” for one of our clients. “We have so many amazing opportunities” for them.
I responded by asking who she thought was this client’s target customer, including age group, that made her station such “a perfect fit. Her reply pointed out adults in a particular age range, a minimum income level and mostly families with children who own their own home. She wasn’t at all close. I then described the target customer, pointing out that based on her description, the station would not be “a good fit.” Then, came her final comment, “I still beg to differ.”
The ad rep failed to engage me and presumed to know the solution before asking questions. It might have been more successful if she had said something like, “Our station covers your client’s market area, but before going any further, I want to be sure there’s a good fit. Would you mind answering a couple of questions for me?”
With the basic information in hand, she might have identified programming that was a good fit or she could have come back with, “Thanks for the information. Frankly, I don’t think we’re the right station for your client.” If that had happened, I would have been impressed with her honesty and the next time she called, I would have confidence in her recommendations.
Tags: honesty, radio sales, sales
Posted in losing the sale, sales, sales management | No Comments »
January 24th, 2010
Recently, Randall Stross, a business professor, attacked marketing icon Ted Levitt’s contention that businesses disappear because of a lack of “marketing imagination. It was 50 years ago that his famous article, “Marketing Myopia,” appeared.
Mr. Levitt held that the railroads would have maintained their dominance if they had possessed sufficient imagination to see themselves in the transportation business rather than just in the railroad business.
Mr. Stross says that axle and lamp makers, as well as bicycle manufacturers were best prepared to transition into manufacturing automobiles, which seems to suggest that being in the right place at the right time with the right technology is more important than imagination when it comes to business success.
Yet, it can be argued that Ford Motor Company rose from near bankruptcy to a profitable, growing position because of imagination. It’s CEO, the former head of Boeing, couldn’t understand why so many types and sizes of vehicle doors were being produced, when Boeing had only one door for all its various planes, a strategy that reduced costs and facilitated replacement worldwide.
Ford calls its new Focus, a truly global vehicle. It is sold around the world with all the same parts, a move that clearly reflects it’s CEO’s imagination. In effect, the Focus is, perhaps the first global vehicle and it’s simplified and less costly to produce.
Ted Levitt’s “What business are you in?” question is as relevant as it was 60 years ago. Are you selling insurance, medical devices, shoes, clothing or are you selling something more?
Posted in Ford, imagination, marketing | 1 Comment »
January 3rd, 2010
Graham Communications conducted a FastFacts survey in late December 2009. A summary of the results follows:
While the economy stumbles through a fitful recovery, businesses struggle to find the right course for 2010. In our recent FactFacts survey, a responding 87.6% felt that the recession is not over and over two-thirds note that their marketing budget will remain the same.
Of the marketing tactic used in 2009, almost 50% found Email Marketing to be the most effective, followed closely by Direct Mail and Website. Looking ahead to 2010, our respondents see some shifts in their marketing budget. Most plan to increase spending on Email Marketing and their Website, but not on Direct Mail, which most will fund at the same level as 2009.
Reflecting the hype and cache of the social media phenomenon, over 42% plan to increase spending on social media. Not unexpectedly, the largest decrease in spending is planned in print advertising, followed by TV and radio. Tradeshows and telemarketing will be the same as 2009.
Given an unlimited marketing budget, almost 30% would put an ad on a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup and 15% an ad in the Wall Street Journal. No one opted for signage at Disney World and only one chose the Goodyear blimp. Some other great suggestions were to start a foundation and put a book together with industry big names as contributors.
Editorial Comment: The economic crisis coupled with cosmic growth in digital possibilities spells marketing challenges. Simply using new technology won’t bring success. While the economic crisis may mean paradigm change in some companies, the basic rules of marketing have not changed. Setting goals, understanding customers and prospects and determining how best to communicate with them are the core components of any marketing program. Marketing needs to be relevant, creative, engaging and brand building. A thoughtful, balanced mix of traditional and interactive media may be the best approach.
Posted in Uncategorized, business trends, economy, email marketing, marketing budget, state of economy | No Comments »
December 21st, 2009
It all started on October 8 and it’s never ended. On that day our company email lost control of its bodily functions. Messages to certain regular recipients began disappearing before they were received. Other originating from several clients never arrived. If an email happened to reach the right recipient, the response was lost in cyber space. Many emails, that had heretofore reached us, turned up in “junk” mail. As you might imagine, it was a nightmare for us and for our clients, who demonstrated inordinate and much appreciated patience.
Our loyal email provider went to work and over time isolated what seemed to be the problem. It was Comcast. Certain of our emails and those coming to us were going through Comcast servers and it appeared that they had ratcheted up their “spam” filters, sending our email hither-and-yon.
Armed with this information, our provider contacted the folks at Comcast to work out the knots. Rather than taking the request seriously, they referred our provider to something called “email clients hosting,” which appears to be their exchange server.
Thanks to an unresponsive Comcast, the problem persists, going on three months. As of now, no one at Comcast has even had the courtesy to try to understand our problem, let alone deal with it.
After having enjoyed Apple’s customer service for many years, there is no excuse for having to endure the way Comcast takes care of concern concerns.
Posted in Comcast, Uncategorized, customer service, email | No Comments »
