Being Approach-able

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Scott Ginsberg has a calling. To be “That Nametag Guy”.

His mission is to help others be more approachable.  Why?  Because when you are, you are likely to be more successful.

Scott’s successful, too. Very, very successful!

What started out as a ‘happy accident’ — forgetting to remove his nametag after a meeting . . . has put him on a collision course with greatness.  The genius in his strategy was intentional, though.

If you’re seeking to understand the power of FOCUS . . . of dedication to a singular idea . . . check out Scott’s story below:

Lesson:

In a ‘me-too’ world, it pays to find a niche and . . . GO FOR IT!

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If Your Business SUCKS . . . Punt!

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I seriously doubt you’d want to promote the fact that your business was mediocre at best . . . and probably “Pretty sucky” at worst.

But that’s precisely what a hotel in Amsterdam, Holland is doing and . . . it’s doing quite well, thank-you-very-much!

“The WORST HOTEL IN THE WORLD”
If you’re in the hotel business, you’d think that’s got to be the worst review you could get, right?  WRONG!  It turns out the management of this hotel (The Hans Brinker Hotel) is delighted with that kind of review.

Why?  Excellent question.  And in the answer is a great lesson in marketing and positioning for YOU to apply to your business.

If You Can’t Be All Things To All People, Be Something Special to a Special Group
This is a fundamental truth in marketing your business or service.  Pick a niche.  Find a market segment.  FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!!!

hotelThe Hans Brinker Hotel is probably NOT the ‘worst’ hotel in the world but, as Seth Godin wrote in his book ‘Edgecrafting’, there’s real value in being seen to be at the extreme edge of whatever you do.  In tough times, bargain-priced items and luxury-priced items do well.  It’s the ‘middle ground’ items that seem to suffer the most.  I’d argue that anytime you have a position that isn’t ‘edgy’ you’re going to be seen as ‘vanilla’ and your competitors will be ‘chocolate chips’ — they’ll stand out . . . against your business or service as a nondescript background.

Now apply that to the way a business is positioned . . . is presented to be something and, at the same time, something it’s not ever going to be.

Realizing that it could never compete on common metrics of Amsterdam’s luxury hotels, it went to the extreme . . . in the opposite direction.  With rooms suggesting a military barracks more than a hotel in a top European city, The Hans Brinker Hotel went for the ‘gold’ . . . where the gold is not typically found.

Knowing they would most easily and likely appeal to a decidedly ‘low-cost’ traveler, by accepting themselves, they also uncovered their ‘ideal’ market.  Namely, youthful college kids traveling through Europe with a backpack and only a (relatively) few bucks or guilders to spend on their nightly accomodations.

“Tell The Truth . . . It’s Good For Your Soul . . . and Balance Sheet”
By being truthful . . . that it’s not the MOST luxurious hotel in Amsterdam, The Hans Brinker Hotel gained a bizarre benefit . . . it’s actually more rather than less attractive to the very market it’s best designed to attract!

Students seem to relish the ‘bragging’ rights they get simply by having actually stayed at the hotel.  Probably like getting a merit badge in the Scouts.  Only more roughing it, apparently!  This is an essential key to viral marketing of the hotel and, as proof of the efficacy of this, many of the hotel’s guests first learned about it from their friends and other youthful travelers they met during their travels while in Europe.

If You Set Expectations Appropriately . . . People Don’t Get Upset With You
Ok.  Let’s say you’re in the target demographic for this crazy hotel — you’re a college student on summer holiday with a backpack and yearning for memories you’ll tell your grandkids about one day.  You’ve heard you’re staying at the ‘worst’ hotel in the world when you get to Amersterdam. You’ve heard the rooms are spartan.  The food is allegedly only passable, the amenities are often lacking or missing entirely (one ad for the hotel reportedly says, “If you want toilet paper, bring your own!”).

Then, you arrive (no doubt with a roll of TP in your pack) only to find that . . . yes, it’s not the most upscale hotel you’ll ever be in but, y’know what . . . it’s not all THAT bad, either!  By helping to lower the prospects’ expectations, The Hans Brinker Hotel has managed to actually make you feel good about the schlock conditions of the place.  And, despite your worst fears, the food in the hotel canteen is actually ‘not too bad’.  You’re hooked.  You’ll tell others you meet in Cologne or Paris or . . . and the future of this little ‘shoddy’ hotel looks brighter and brighter.

The ironic thing is that this hotel’s been growing their guest count and revenues on a steady basis ever since the word started getting out with the help of an advertising man named Erik Kessels.  “It wasn’t too challenging . . . the only requirement the owner had was to help him stop the guests’ complaints”.  By embracing the very reason why people complained and RE-positioning the Hans Brinker Hotel around it . . . the very same weakness became the hotel’s #1 strength and market attractor!  That, is very, very cool.

The Extreme Experience . . . Became a Book!
the-worstThere’s now a book out that details the story of this benign little traveler’s hotel.  Yes, the story of the hotel is that much of an inspiration — even if the rooms and food and fellow guests are touted not to be so good.  Imagine.  Take an extreme position.  Find the angle to promote.  Promote it (uh, heads up folks . . . that still takes some funding to pull off!).  Enjoy the activity you generate as a result.  Amazing.  Amazing and true!

Lessons:

  1. Don’t try to all things to everyone  . . . BE YOURSELF — flaws and all — there’s a market for everyone . . . you just have to find it
  2. Once you’re clear about who / what YOU are . . . your ideal market will begin to be seen with increasing clarity
  3. However you position yourself, go for the EDGE . . . the EXTREME EDGE . . . to STAND OUT from the crowd of ‘me-too’ competitors
  4. If your MESSAGE is aligned with your MARKET . . . your MISSION will be ‘magical’ to the very prospects you want to attract

Until next time . . . All the best,

Bill

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Appreciation Marketing – The Book!

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I just had the pleasure of interviewing Curtis Lewsey for an upcoming article I’ll be writing for The National Networker.

Curtis is the co-author of a new book:  Appreciation Marketing

He makes a great point about marketing in general.

Most marketing is about ‘getting’ something from your prospect.  A response.  A sale.  A referral.

Curtis contends there is far more value in ‘giving’ someone something that demonstrates they are important to you.

A personal note to follow-up a connection.  A personalized gift reflecting a thoughtfulness that’s all too uncommon these days.

It’s not the magnitude of your action.  It’s the thoughtfulness behind it.

A good lesson.  A timely lesson.

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Learn more about Curtis’ new book Appreciation Marketing — you’ll thank me for letting you in on it!

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All Customers Are Loyal . . . But To What?

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There are two basic strategies for creating loyalty in your customers or clients.  Good pricing or good service.

Both will attract and keep customers.  But of the two, service is better.

People who are loyal to certain companies — e.g. WalMart — because of their low prices

Others are loyal to certain companies — e.g. Nordstrom’s — because of their excellent customer service.

The point is that if you choose to use low prices to build customer loyalty, you’re in a precarious position.  It’s easy to lose the ‘good price’ position in any marketplace.  Someone once said, “There’s always some idiot who’s willing to price themselves out of business faster than you are”.

I like that!  It’s also very true.

But if you position your business on ‘service’, that’s far more sustainable. It is also a safer strategy to differentiate your business or practice. And, it forces you to help people focus on the VALUE you provide rather than the PRICE you charge to enjoy it.

Let’s face it . . . if you focus on customers who want a ‘low price’ they will be loyal to your price, not you. If you focus on providing good service, customers will be loyal to you and challenges to your price will be few.

smilerBottom Line:
You can be the ‘low price’ leader . . . for a while.  Or, you can be known for ‘good service’ and ‘fair (not low) prices’.

Which approach you choose will have a huge impact on your ability to generate and sustain a profitable business operation.  THINK ABOUT IT!

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Smile & Move — The Movie

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There’s inspiration in every day and in the most (apparently) mundane actions.

But whatever ‘it’ may be, the ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ and appreciation for things that reflect core values of being human are central to us all.

Enjoy!

 

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The Redneck Bank

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picture-30OK, I kid you not . . . this is REAL!

Bank marketing — and the messaging that is a key part of it — may never be the same again.

Enter Redneck Bank.  They decided (wow!  a conscious decision and action!) not to be another ‘pretty face’ in the crowd of banks vying for customers’ deposits.  So they broke away and are using messaging that’s appropriate to their position.  

Years ago, AVIS rental cars chose a message to help differentiate them from HERTZ rental cars.  Remember?  “We’re number 2 . . . we (have to) try harder”.  Implication.  “Hertz . . . they’re number 1 . . . they could give a hoot about you”.  That was powerful then.  It’s powerful now.  So is what Redneck Bank is doing against all the “me-too” banks.

How can you use the power of a message to help you stand out from the crowd of your competitors?  Work on that one . . . and when you get an answer, run like you-know-what with it . . . all the way to YOUR bank . . . Redneck or not!

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“Pssst . . . Here’s What YOU GET . . .”

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In sales and marketing, “YOU GET . . .”  is a great phrase to use.

This is a banner . . . from Biznik — a popular online business networking website:

 

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“You Get . . .” 

  • addresses the un-asked question your prospect is always asking
  • forces you to focus on the BENEFICIAL DIFFERENCE you make in a client’s life
  • makes you less ego-centric and more client-centric in your marketing message

In my training as a writer, I was admonished to always seek to communicate what my reader / listener / viewer would gain IF. . . they bought whatever I was selling.

“You Get . . .” is a key concept to keep in mind if you want to create marketing messages that get response from a qualified prospect for whatever you’re selling.

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Honesty and Truth Go Together

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Implicit in any relationship that’s going to be productive is a high level of TRUST.

But what creates trust?  Try HONESTY.

Not the self-serving kind that’s designed to malign or hurt someone.  The kind of candor that, without prejudice, seeks purely to build trust by communicating that you are being honest and open with another person.

Here’s a brief clip that features Sydney Pollack, the famous director who’s on a panel addressing this very topic.

Enjoy!

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THIS is Alignment!

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I just discovered a business called Snip-Its.

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It’s a childrens hair salon designed to make getting your child’s hair cut a truly fun adventure.

It began when Joanna Meiseles, (the granddaughter of the famous Hollywood comedy star, Jack benny!) wanted to find a way to make getting a child’s hair cut something that won’t make you want to pull your hair out at the same time.

In The Marketing Club, we constantly seek to help you align the way you do business with the expectations of the market segment/s you want to attract as clients.  That’s ALIGNMENT.

In Joanna’s case, her target demographic is a child. And what do kids love more than anything else?  Yep.  Having fun!

So Joanna has created a themed environment that, from the moment you walk into it, screams ‘FUN’!

Her staff are trained specifically to be able to understand and respond to the unique needs of younger children.  Joanna also created a cast of characters who make getting your hair cut a truly fun experience.

Does this cause Snip-Its to stand out . . . to be differentiated . . . from any plain old hair salon?

What do you think?  (Of course it does!)

Click here . . . and see for yourself what a great example of ALIGNMENT looks like when it’s done well and with a passion!

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The Power of “Thank You”

My dear friend JoAnna Brandi — The Customer Care Lady™ just shared this . . . 

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It’s a brief talk on the power of appreciation.  Sincere.  Heart-felt appreciation.  And, of course, the immense power of expressing your appreciation in the form of “Thank You”.

I must express my appreciation to JoAnna . . . so, here goes:  “JoAnna, my dear friend, “Thank You” for sharing this . . . you make the world better for being in it!”

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