In the hussle and bustle of trying to close out a quarter, I've been distracted from my posting. I know, terrible excuse, but it is what it is (check back next month for the lastest excuse for not posting...)
Anyway, something that one of my specialists mentioned the other day really kind of piqued my attention. We were talking about our factory and he said "It's like they try to market from an ivory tower." I wonder how many other businesses fall into this trap.
As marketers, we have to remember who we are marketing to. If we stay inside, behind a desk and computer, and rely on a couple market reports to try and understand what is going on, we will struggle to be successful. One of the biggest complaints that I hear is "how do they know without asking?"
Anecdotally we have a person that just started in a new position. He has been there three days and has already commented that the field doesn't know what they are doing or how to sell. I found this to be amazing insight from someone that has never spoken to anyone in the field, let alone a customer.
Ideally, a marketer needs to be out meeting customers, gaining insights, understanding what is wrong and how to fix it. We need to leave the ivory towers that we work in (ok, the carpet lined cubes, but whatever) and interact. Worst case we need to talk to the salespeople, the individuals that have developed relationships with customers.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
What's with Bing?
Ok, so granted I've only seen a couple commercials and read one article, but I'm already annoyed by Bing. Two reasons. One, the commercial doesn't make sense, you don't know what it's for, and it is borderline obnoxious. Thank goodness for Tivo. And two, what is Microsoft thinking? Rumor has it that they are going to drop $100 million on promoting this (rumor also has it that BING means Beacause It's Not Google). That's a lot of money to be the next best thing since Google, especially since Google didn't go anywhere.
Here's the thing, and I don't think Microsoft is alone. But how much sense does it make to be "as good as" the best? As a customer, if you have a choice between someone who is as good as the best or the best, what are you going to choose? As a company, if your goal is to be as good as the best or leader, then you have already failed. Because while you are working at being as good as the best, they are working at being better (and if they aren't well, that's a whole other story).
It's something that I see here every now and then. Aspirations to be 2nd best, or developing products to meet a current need as opposed to a future need. It's frustrating, and one thing that we aspire to push beyond.
There's no point in trying to be second best, or trying to be as good as the leader. The goal should always be the best. Two cliches, but the work... 1.) To be the best you have to beat (not tie) the best. 2.) Second place is the first loser.
Here's the thing, and I don't think Microsoft is alone. But how much sense does it make to be "as good as" the best? As a customer, if you have a choice between someone who is as good as the best or the best, what are you going to choose? As a company, if your goal is to be as good as the best or leader, then you have already failed. Because while you are working at being as good as the best, they are working at being better (and if they aren't well, that's a whole other story).
It's something that I see here every now and then. Aspirations to be 2nd best, or developing products to meet a current need as opposed to a future need. It's frustrating, and one thing that we aspire to push beyond.
There's no point in trying to be second best, or trying to be as good as the leader. The goal should always be the best. Two cliches, but the work... 1.) To be the best you have to beat (not tie) the best. 2.) Second place is the first loser.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Who can help me?
I'm stuck in quite the predicament with my internet provider, Clearwire right now. When I first made the switch from Comcast, I was excited about the new technology, and very optimistic. When the issues started, I was patient, trying to work through the glitches. Now, the problems have continued, the customer support has been terrible, and I've completely soured on Clearwire.
I've run through all of the troubleshooting steps at least five times because every time I chat or call, I get told to do the same thing (maybe they should consider keeping a record of things I've tried). Last time I was asked to try the modem in every room in the house, even though the nearest tower is to the SE and when in the second story SE window, I get virtually no signal. Putting it in the garage was a real good use of my time. So now, I want to cancel. I've been fighting for a year, and I'm tired of it. Unfortunately, I am locked into a two year contract. My opinion is that since Clearwire has failed miserably to uphold their service promise, and I have continually jumped through hoops to try and make it work, they should waive the termination fee. But who can actually help me with this?
When I ask the online chat person, they aren't able to do anything, and I have to call. When I try to send an e-mail because it is after the appropriate calling hours, I get a response that says I have to use the online chat. When I finally take time during my day to get ahold of someone on the phone, I have to do phone troubleshooting steps (this is challenging given the fact that I am at work during the day and can't troubleshoot my internet). Assuming I can ever get through those steps, I must then have a technician come out and look at my modem (apparently I'm uncapable of pointing it in SE direction, and am just making up problems because I get kicks out of talking to customer service and not being able to use my own internet). The technician though is only available from 9-4 Monday - Thursday (I'm not kidding, won't come early, won't come late because that might inconvenience the tech). This means I have to miss a half day of work because I have to wait for a tech, and I can't actually work at home because of the whole internet problem. So, do I horribly inconvenience myself to have a tech show up to tell me that it's not that bad for the five minutes that he is there, or do I pay an unrealistic cancellation fee to save myself the headache of continuing to have a modem that is as effective as a paperweight?
Why do companies do this? Rather than me being able to part ways, and chalk it up to it just didn't work for me, I am now so upset that I am telling everyone I know to stay away from Clearwire at all costs. Why is customer service so difficult? And it's not just Clearwire.
Companies spend so much time and effort on acquiring the customer that they have nothing left for their current customers. Current customers are a source of revenue and dollars. Non-customers are a source of expenses. Customer complaints should not be discouraged, dismissed, or thought of as frustrating. In fact, customer complaints should be seen as a great marketing opportunity. Handling a current customer's issue quickly and effectively is some of the best PR possible. All consumers know that there will be issues, nothing is perfect. It's how those issues are handled that really reflects on a company.
I've run through all of the troubleshooting steps at least five times because every time I chat or call, I get told to do the same thing (maybe they should consider keeping a record of things I've tried). Last time I was asked to try the modem in every room in the house, even though the nearest tower is to the SE and when in the second story SE window, I get virtually no signal. Putting it in the garage was a real good use of my time. So now, I want to cancel. I've been fighting for a year, and I'm tired of it. Unfortunately, I am locked into a two year contract. My opinion is that since Clearwire has failed miserably to uphold their service promise, and I have continually jumped through hoops to try and make it work, they should waive the termination fee. But who can actually help me with this?
When I ask the online chat person, they aren't able to do anything, and I have to call. When I try to send an e-mail because it is after the appropriate calling hours, I get a response that says I have to use the online chat. When I finally take time during my day to get ahold of someone on the phone, I have to do phone troubleshooting steps (this is challenging given the fact that I am at work during the day and can't troubleshoot my internet). Assuming I can ever get through those steps, I must then have a technician come out and look at my modem (apparently I'm uncapable of pointing it in SE direction, and am just making up problems because I get kicks out of talking to customer service and not being able to use my own internet). The technician though is only available from 9-4 Monday - Thursday (I'm not kidding, won't come early, won't come late because that might inconvenience the tech). This means I have to miss a half day of work because I have to wait for a tech, and I can't actually work at home because of the whole internet problem. So, do I horribly inconvenience myself to have a tech show up to tell me that it's not that bad for the five minutes that he is there, or do I pay an unrealistic cancellation fee to save myself the headache of continuing to have a modem that is as effective as a paperweight?
Why do companies do this? Rather than me being able to part ways, and chalk it up to it just didn't work for me, I am now so upset that I am telling everyone I know to stay away from Clearwire at all costs. Why is customer service so difficult? And it's not just Clearwire.
Companies spend so much time and effort on acquiring the customer that they have nothing left for their current customers. Current customers are a source of revenue and dollars. Non-customers are a source of expenses. Customer complaints should not be discouraged, dismissed, or thought of as frustrating. In fact, customer complaints should be seen as a great marketing opportunity. Handling a current customer's issue quickly and effectively is some of the best PR possible. All consumers know that there will be issues, nothing is perfect. It's how those issues are handled that really reflects on a company.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Marketing Budget Slashed? Time to get creative!
It's a fact that in the current business climate marketing budgets are getting slashed left and right. But there are two things one can do. Either complain, panic, fret, and ultimately just do less of what you usually do, or find creative new ways to market.
At one of my former employers, a reduced budget was a cause for panic. Whatever to do!? Rather than send a direct mail letter twice a month to every household in the state, they only send to 80% of the households. Rather than run an ad in the Sunday paper every weekend, they would run them only two weekends. Etc. etc. with all of the traditional marketing. And what happens? Overall response go down, they struggle to make their numbers, and then they ask for more money to send more mail. There are no thoughts about how to reach customers in a different way (and I'm not even touching on newspaper advertising in this post).
The current climate allows a marketer to explore so many different delivery vehicles, and be creative in how to reach a customer. Blogs, Facebook and even Twitter allow you a way to update your customers on what is going on at little to know costs. Podcasts are a unique and inexpensive way to provide short presentations to your customers and clients (by the way both of these can work for B2B and B2C businesses of all sizes). Limited budgets force marketers to be more targeted with messages in an effort to go after those potential customers that can buy. Messages need to be more tailored, more specific, and more unique.
Overall, I think that one of the best things to come out of this down turn will be a different type of marketing. A creative marketing, a more targeted marketing in general. Marketers have less money to get people that have less money to spend it. Those that are successful will really stand apart once we get through this downturn and move to the next profitable cycle.
Those marketers that throw up their hands and simply do less are missing a golden opportunity to try new and creative approaches.
At one of my former employers, a reduced budget was a cause for panic. Whatever to do!? Rather than send a direct mail letter twice a month to every household in the state, they only send to 80% of the households. Rather than run an ad in the Sunday paper every weekend, they would run them only two weekends. Etc. etc. with all of the traditional marketing. And what happens? Overall response go down, they struggle to make their numbers, and then they ask for more money to send more mail. There are no thoughts about how to reach customers in a different way (and I'm not even touching on newspaper advertising in this post).
The current climate allows a marketer to explore so many different delivery vehicles, and be creative in how to reach a customer. Blogs, Facebook and even Twitter allow you a way to update your customers on what is going on at little to know costs. Podcasts are a unique and inexpensive way to provide short presentations to your customers and clients (by the way both of these can work for B2B and B2C businesses of all sizes). Limited budgets force marketers to be more targeted with messages in an effort to go after those potential customers that can buy. Messages need to be more tailored, more specific, and more unique.
Overall, I think that one of the best things to come out of this down turn will be a different type of marketing. A creative marketing, a more targeted marketing in general. Marketers have less money to get people that have less money to spend it. Those that are successful will really stand apart once we get through this downturn and move to the next profitable cycle.
Those marketers that throw up their hands and simply do less are missing a golden opportunity to try new and creative approaches.
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