it used to be, before there were social networks, that chatting and having a conversation with colleagues or friends occurred in a hotel lobby, usually over drinks and usually before or after dinner. It was a pleasant time when people let their hair down and discussed both business and personal issues. It was a time when opinions were given, facts offered and disputed, beliefs expressed and non verbal communications displayed.
Today the "informal communication" is a social network phenomenon. Twitter, Facebook, My Space, old fashioned email and even this blog are the "new media"; the new way we communicate.
While this new media is both powerful and pervasive, it lacks the so called non verbal communication cues we, as humans, find so helpful in understanding the message.
So here's the tip: when using this new media, make sure that your communication tells a story; that it become a conversation that speaks to one person, like "talking in a hotel lobby" to a friend or business acquaintance.
For those of you that have a facebook page or a twitter account or even a regular old email, before you put your flier up on your page, try to tell a story about your center, your offer, and your benefits.
Make it personal. Because communication is always personal and is always created by the receiver.
Then maybe, just maybe I will read it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Value Inspired
We have been packaging open play products now for quite some time. Whether it be pizza and bowling, burgers and bowling or chicken wings and bowling (anybody for wing it n' fling it?), our customers have found great value in the bowling and food experience we present to them.
To hitchhike on these ideas, we created simple league programs like Party Animals where every team gets a pizza and a pitcher of beer during league play. Pricing is done to create a great value with the idea that one beer leads to two and that one "smallish" pizza leads to more food over a two and one half hour experience. More often than not, this is exactly what happens.
However, with league play still in a bit of a free fall, creating league programs that are more value inspired will become the norm.
For example, offering league bowlers a 3 game experience and their first drink for $x is a value experience and one where many young adults 21 to 34 would find attractive. The drinks we include are well drinks and domestic bottles or drafts. You are NOT giving the drink away; it is not FREE; you can ring up the drink at retail price and the remainder is rung up as lineage. Maybe this is an October start for you on second shift or a first shift fill. Run with it if you like.
What would you name this program? How would you market it?
To hitchhike on these ideas, we created simple league programs like Party Animals where every team gets a pizza and a pitcher of beer during league play. Pricing is done to create a great value with the idea that one beer leads to two and that one "smallish" pizza leads to more food over a two and one half hour experience. More often than not, this is exactly what happens.
However, with league play still in a bit of a free fall, creating league programs that are more value inspired will become the norm.
For example, offering league bowlers a 3 game experience and their first drink for $x is a value experience and one where many young adults 21 to 34 would find attractive. The drinks we include are well drinks and domestic bottles or drafts. You are NOT giving the drink away; it is not FREE; you can ring up the drink at retail price and the remainder is rung up as lineage. Maybe this is an October start for you on second shift or a first shift fill. Run with it if you like.
What would you name this program? How would you market it?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Strategy Vest
This internet stuff is pretty new to many of us.
Some of us have immersed ourselves in it. Others have given control to "the geeks, the gurus and the computer guys" We have taken to trust them to move us up on Google search; to build our sites; to send out the tweets; to update the face book pages and my space pages; to add coupons and to count clicks.
In many cases, we have turned our marketing efforts over to these new media manipulators, without considering the strategy behind the communications. Yes, these 21st century media mavericks know their stuff and they are no doubt good at what they do because people hire them. And they produce results; that is getting people to the site. Or getting people to surrender their email address and cell phone number.
New media is based upon the fact that you can track purchasing behavior and frequency and all the other good things about segmentation we can think of, but without the great offer and the emotional call to action, what are we doing?
In our quest for the magic pill,the miracle elixir, we continue to turn our future over to those who know less about our particular operation than we do. We rarely ask them to study our market or to define what our objectives should be or what we should expect. Why don't we demand this level of accountability?
The magic pill is only as good as the strategy behind it. The tactics must be based upon analytical, strategic conclusions garnered from empirical data. It is not about embedded images or invisible codes or anything else. All these machinations do is to get the prospect to your site more efficiently to see something that is not relevant to them. Duh!
But, if your offer sucks or is not on target, getting people to your web site is really counterproductive. After all, isn't that what "old media" used to do?
So before you hire Merlin to do "his internet thing", make sure your objectives and strategy are bullet proof. Now go put on your strategy vest.
Some of us have immersed ourselves in it. Others have given control to "the geeks, the gurus and the computer guys" We have taken to trust them to move us up on Google search; to build our sites; to send out the tweets; to update the face book pages and my space pages; to add coupons and to count clicks.
In many cases, we have turned our marketing efforts over to these new media manipulators, without considering the strategy behind the communications. Yes, these 21st century media mavericks know their stuff and they are no doubt good at what they do because people hire them. And they produce results; that is getting people to the site. Or getting people to surrender their email address and cell phone number.
New media is based upon the fact that you can track purchasing behavior and frequency and all the other good things about segmentation we can think of, but without the great offer and the emotional call to action, what are we doing?
In our quest for the magic pill,the miracle elixir, we continue to turn our future over to those who know less about our particular operation than we do. We rarely ask them to study our market or to define what our objectives should be or what we should expect. Why don't we demand this level of accountability?
The magic pill is only as good as the strategy behind it. The tactics must be based upon analytical, strategic conclusions garnered from empirical data. It is not about embedded images or invisible codes or anything else. All these machinations do is to get the prospect to your site more efficiently to see something that is not relevant to them. Duh!
But, if your offer sucks or is not on target, getting people to your web site is really counterproductive. After all, isn't that what "old media" used to do?
So before you hire Merlin to do "his internet thing", make sure your objectives and strategy are bullet proof. Now go put on your strategy vest.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Square One
Whenever you think you know it all, it’s probably time to go back to square one. What does it mean to go back to square one? Does it mean that everything up until that point has to be redone or can we take everything we have learned up to this point and move forward, only in a different direction?
I think we have to start over. The very thought process that brought us to this “NO Go decision” point assumed certain variables were in play. As the world turned and new events occurred to alter our perspective, these existing variables may still be the right ones, but the importance of each one may have changed, the weight we attach to each one may have changed and a new variable may be coming into play. Or maybe several new variables.
“What has changed”? That is the simple question. What variables will impact your business MORE (either negatively or positively) next week, next month, next year is the more complex question?.
But if you ask that question frequently enough, you will be able to find answers you cannot even imagine. And maybe some new opportunities
And that's a good thing.
I think we have to start over. The very thought process that brought us to this “NO Go decision” point assumed certain variables were in play. As the world turned and new events occurred to alter our perspective, these existing variables may still be the right ones, but the importance of each one may have changed, the weight we attach to each one may have changed and a new variable may be coming into play. Or maybe several new variables.
“What has changed”? That is the simple question. What variables will impact your business MORE (either negatively or positively) next week, next month, next year is the more complex question?.
But if you ask that question frequently enough, you will be able to find answers you cannot even imagine. And maybe some new opportunities
And that's a good thing.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Creativity
Same old, same old just doesn't sell anymore.
To make your marketing stand out, you need to get creative. Below are five tips designed to get your creative juices flowing.
Some tips may appeal to you more than others. My suggestion is to try them all. Even the ones you're not drawn to may still open some doors that wouldn't have opened any other way.
These tips will work whether you sell a product, a service or both.
1. Find the "second right answer." Roger von Oech talks about this in A Whack on the Side of the Head. Don't be content with the first good idea you come up with. Take the time to think of a second, or third or 50th idea. Quantity counts – the more ideas you have to choose from, the more likely you'll discover an excellent or even a brilliant one. Remember, Thomas Edison discovered thousands of ways a light bulb didn't work.
2. Change the question. If you change the question, you're probably going to get a different answer. You say you want to sell more games? What if you changed the question to how can you make more money? Well, there are other ways to make more money than to sell more games – maybe you invent new products that offer bonuses or rewards for performance and people pay for that. Hey, if you had www.bowlingrewards.com, you could reward people for strikes, spares, 3 6 9 games and a whole bunch of other competitive fun stuff. Now, you suddenly have new avenues to explore rather than just going down the same tired path.
3. Ask your product or service how it wants to be sold. Now we move into more intuitive techniques. OK, take a deep breath and say, "this is crazy, but who knows”? Take a few deep breaths or practice some relaxation techniques. Imagine your product or service in front of you. Now, ask it questions. I mean, if you were a game of bowling or an hour of bowling how would you like to be sold? Would you want to be wrapped up in a pretty box and get delivered to all the companies in town? Who do you want to be sold to? How do you want to be sold? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Who do you think you can help? Why do you want to help them?. Write down the question and answer. See what bubbles up onto the paper.
4. Paint a public relations campaign. No, not a press release with a paint by numbers image, but something that might get you remembered. I once sent one rose to 100 female HR directors to remind them that their employees would "love them" if they had a bowling party. Did pretty well too! What would a press release look like if you painted it? Or sculpted it? How would you paint FUN. What would the kids in the local school think about fun? Maybe you could sponsor a coloring contest and ask them to show what fun is in a bowling center or at a bowling birthday party. Take any part of your marketing that you are not happy with and turn it into a piece of art. By combining two dissimilar acts, you may discover your answer. Or you may not come up with anything at all, but just the act of "playing" and "creating" could break something loose. Hours or days later your idea may suddenly be staring you in your face!
5. Walk away from it. If nothing is working, then stop. You can literally walk away by taking a walk (or go for a run; it produces those good endorphins that make you feel better than two martinis), or just quit thinking about it. This is especially important if you find yourself getting frustrated or discouraged. Give your subconscious time to mull things over. The idea may just suddenly appear to you. Or, after a few days, try another exercise or two. That may be the catalyst you need.
The most important tip of all? Make sure you have a blast. Having fun is its own reward. But having fun that rings the cash register, ah that’s a whole other feeling. Being creative is not a struggle; it’s a process that will reward you with many opportunities. So Have Fun!
To make your marketing stand out, you need to get creative. Below are five tips designed to get your creative juices flowing.
Some tips may appeal to you more than others. My suggestion is to try them all. Even the ones you're not drawn to may still open some doors that wouldn't have opened any other way.
These tips will work whether you sell a product, a service or both.
1. Find the "second right answer." Roger von Oech talks about this in A Whack on the Side of the Head. Don't be content with the first good idea you come up with. Take the time to think of a second, or third or 50th idea. Quantity counts – the more ideas you have to choose from, the more likely you'll discover an excellent or even a brilliant one. Remember, Thomas Edison discovered thousands of ways a light bulb didn't work.
2. Change the question. If you change the question, you're probably going to get a different answer. You say you want to sell more games? What if you changed the question to how can you make more money? Well, there are other ways to make more money than to sell more games – maybe you invent new products that offer bonuses or rewards for performance and people pay for that. Hey, if you had www.bowlingrewards.com, you could reward people for strikes, spares, 3 6 9 games and a whole bunch of other competitive fun stuff. Now, you suddenly have new avenues to explore rather than just going down the same tired path.
3. Ask your product or service how it wants to be sold. Now we move into more intuitive techniques. OK, take a deep breath and say, "this is crazy, but who knows”? Take a few deep breaths or practice some relaxation techniques. Imagine your product or service in front of you. Now, ask it questions. I mean, if you were a game of bowling or an hour of bowling how would you like to be sold? Would you want to be wrapped up in a pretty box and get delivered to all the companies in town? Who do you want to be sold to? How do you want to be sold? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Who do you think you can help? Why do you want to help them?. Write down the question and answer. See what bubbles up onto the paper.
4. Paint a public relations campaign. No, not a press release with a paint by numbers image, but something that might get you remembered. I once sent one rose to 100 female HR directors to remind them that their employees would "love them" if they had a bowling party. Did pretty well too! What would a press release look like if you painted it? Or sculpted it? How would you paint FUN. What would the kids in the local school think about fun? Maybe you could sponsor a coloring contest and ask them to show what fun is in a bowling center or at a bowling birthday party. Take any part of your marketing that you are not happy with and turn it into a piece of art. By combining two dissimilar acts, you may discover your answer. Or you may not come up with anything at all, but just the act of "playing" and "creating" could break something loose. Hours or days later your idea may suddenly be staring you in your face!
5. Walk away from it. If nothing is working, then stop. You can literally walk away by taking a walk (or go for a run; it produces those good endorphins that make you feel better than two martinis), or just quit thinking about it. This is especially important if you find yourself getting frustrated or discouraged. Give your subconscious time to mull things over. The idea may just suddenly appear to you. Or, after a few days, try another exercise or two. That may be the catalyst you need.
The most important tip of all? Make sure you have a blast. Having fun is its own reward. But having fun that rings the cash register, ah that’s a whole other feeling. Being creative is not a struggle; it’s a process that will reward you with many opportunities. So Have Fun!
Friday, September 11, 2009
How To Compete
A friend of mine, Wood Foss, owner of Alley Katz lanes in Westerly RI who is also a client, passed along some interesting information about how we compete with other companies. It was in a blog by Chris Brogan, a very savvy internet marketer who speaks about the key differentiators that make one company unique from its competitors.
He makes the key point that being "helpful" is a great way to compete. He sights several companies that have built their business on being helpful. Zappos, the remarkable online shoe retailer built a billion dollar business based on making their customers buying experience unbelievably easy, seamless and enjoyable.
Craigslist built a 100 million dollar company around the idea that excellent service, combined with being a member of the community were his key differentiators
Here's a Brogan key differentiators can you solve a problem I don't know I have? Think Sony Walkman (who needed earphones strapped to their head?); and VirginUSA who solves the problem of "flying is kind of boring" Think Apple I-Phone and the bzillion applications you didn't know you need, but now you want it!
What problems do you think your entertainment customers don't know they have that you can solve?ts worth a comment back to us if you come up with something cool. And we'll publish it too.
Brogan goes through over 10 ways to compete, but saves the best for last. "Its a dodgy game to compete on price. Its always a race to the bottom", he says. I tend to agree. Just ask Caldor or Montgomery Wards or Woolworth or other big box guys that are GONE. They won the race to the bottom.
Oh, there are other ways to compete. But I suggest you go to www.chrisbrogan.com and see for yourself. Share it with your employees. They may just come up with a few differentiators of their own.
He makes the key point that being "helpful" is a great way to compete. He sights several companies that have built their business on being helpful. Zappos, the remarkable online shoe retailer built a billion dollar business based on making their customers buying experience unbelievably easy, seamless and enjoyable.
Craigslist built a 100 million dollar company around the idea that excellent service, combined with being a member of the community were his key differentiators
Here's a Brogan key differentiators can you solve a problem I don't know I have? Think Sony Walkman (who needed earphones strapped to their head?); and VirginUSA who solves the problem of "flying is kind of boring" Think Apple I-Phone and the bzillion applications you didn't know you need, but now you want it!
What problems do you think your entertainment customers don't know they have that you can solve?ts worth a comment back to us if you come up with something cool. And we'll publish it too.
Brogan goes through over 10 ways to compete, but saves the best for last. "Its a dodgy game to compete on price. Its always a race to the bottom", he says. I tend to agree. Just ask Caldor or Montgomery Wards or Woolworth or other big box guys that are GONE. They won the race to the bottom.
Oh, there are other ways to compete. But I suggest you go to www.chrisbrogan.com and see for yourself. Share it with your employees. They may just come up with a few differentiators of their own.
Monday, September 7, 2009
9.7%
9.7% unemployment is the new number.
Is it just a number? Or does it mean that some 13mm people are out of work (based on 132mm in the workforce)? Or does it mean that another 5mm have basically stopped looking? Who knows what the real numbers are or for that matter who is really helping your local customers to find jobs?
The people who got hurt the most are in the manufacturing and construction industries; however, there are thousands of white collar employees, especially between the ages of 35 to 54, who got bumped also. They are the "forgotten people", inside the unemployment number, currently in the news.
For those of you in hard hit communities, why not establish a "network night" and see if you can get local employers to set up a few tables on your concourse, at 930pm, and interview locals for jobs. Or can you get with some local politicos and ask for their help to establish a support group where locals can come and speak to other people who are in the same boat?
You can do something. And when the economy picks up, the community will remember what you did and reward you with loyalty and business.
If you care, do something. Just be authentic.
Is it just a number? Or does it mean that some 13mm people are out of work (based on 132mm in the workforce)? Or does it mean that another 5mm have basically stopped looking? Who knows what the real numbers are or for that matter who is really helping your local customers to find jobs?
The people who got hurt the most are in the manufacturing and construction industries; however, there are thousands of white collar employees, especially between the ages of 35 to 54, who got bumped also. They are the "forgotten people", inside the unemployment number, currently in the news.
For those of you in hard hit communities, why not establish a "network night" and see if you can get local employers to set up a few tables on your concourse, at 930pm, and interview locals for jobs. Or can you get with some local politicos and ask for their help to establish a support group where locals can come and speak to other people who are in the same boat?
You can do something. And when the economy picks up, the community will remember what you did and reward you with loyalty and business.
If you care, do something. Just be authentic.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The New "Multi Minded" Women
"Forget multi tasking - women like Varma - are 'multi minding', a newly coined phrase that describes the process of simultaneously thinking about various concepts."
Gogoi in Business Week - online
Pallavi Gogoi, for Business Week, wrote that "multitasking is passe and that multi minding- not tasking but MINDING - is the new process that today's women use to manage the complex aspects of mixing family, career, and decisions about self and the ability to switch from concept to concept without missing a beat".
Women now account for $3.3 trillion dollars in consumer spending (that's three times our current national debt!!!) and are responsible for 85% of ALL purchase decisions. They also take 50% of all business trips.
Women also account for 1 in 10 motorcycle riders and make up 1 in 8 Harley Davidson purchases. Are we breaking down the old stereotypes? We're talking purchasing power and decision making!
The Business Week reporter continues: "Today's woman may be appearing to relax in front of late night television, or reading a magazine at a pediatrician's office or tackling a complicated analytical project at work, but she could just as easily be thinking about the other dimensions of her life like her 401k program; plotting a garden, clipping coupons, working on an analytical problem and also thinking about a neck massage."
As Tom Peters and Marti Belleta say in their book "Re - Imagine!", "...we must wake up and smell the truth; women are the primary purchasers of...damn near everything."
So what is the secret ingredient that will motivate women to buy your product? There is no silver bullet or a one stop answer about how to more effectively engage women. But one hint to this answer is to read a great book called "Too Busy To Shop", marketing to multi minding women by Kelley Murray Skoloda.
You can choose to dwell on old stereotypes about today's women or you can choose to honestly try to connect and engage this powerful economic force that influences birthday party decisions, youth bowling, mixed league bowling,food purchases and even bar sales. Read the Book!
p.s. Hint, hint, hint: Think connection, networking, social networks and social issue marketing.
Gogoi in Business Week - online
Pallavi Gogoi, for Business Week, wrote that "multitasking is passe and that multi minding- not tasking but MINDING - is the new process that today's women use to manage the complex aspects of mixing family, career, and decisions about self and the ability to switch from concept to concept without missing a beat".
Women now account for $3.3 trillion dollars in consumer spending (that's three times our current national debt!!!) and are responsible for 85% of ALL purchase decisions. They also take 50% of all business trips.
Women also account for 1 in 10 motorcycle riders and make up 1 in 8 Harley Davidson purchases. Are we breaking down the old stereotypes? We're talking purchasing power and decision making!
The Business Week reporter continues: "Today's woman may be appearing to relax in front of late night television, or reading a magazine at a pediatrician's office or tackling a complicated analytical project at work, but she could just as easily be thinking about the other dimensions of her life like her 401k program; plotting a garden, clipping coupons, working on an analytical problem and also thinking about a neck massage."
As Tom Peters and Marti Belleta say in their book "Re - Imagine!", "...we must wake up and smell the truth; women are the primary purchasers of...damn near everything."
So what is the secret ingredient that will motivate women to buy your product? There is no silver bullet or a one stop answer about how to more effectively engage women. But one hint to this answer is to read a great book called "Too Busy To Shop", marketing to multi minding women by Kelley Murray Skoloda.
You can choose to dwell on old stereotypes about today's women or you can choose to honestly try to connect and engage this powerful economic force that influences birthday party decisions, youth bowling, mixed league bowling,food purchases and even bar sales. Read the Book!
p.s. Hint, hint, hint: Think connection, networking, social networks and social issue marketing.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Getting To Yes
Why is it when I go to some big box retailers and ask for some help in my buying decision there is nary a sales person present? And if I want an item gift wrapped after 6pm, the wrapping department is closed. Why is that? Is it because there are not enough "Yes Men" or Yes Women"? Have these people been trained to say, "we cannot solve this issue" as sweetly as possible; always smiling and saying "I wish I could help you, but the company says blah, blah, blah". Why is that?
Because they have no incentive to get to Yes.
In over 85% of the cases, they just don't care. The remaining 15% will try to help you, even working to gift wrap the packages themselves...under penalty of Big Brother and The Holding Company (Sorry Janis)
On the other hand, when I go to my local mom and pop retailer, they are almost killing themselves to wait on me, to sell me something, to gift wrap it,to thank me profusely for my business and to ask me to join their E-mailing list. Some will even deliver it to my home if it is too heavy. They get it. They get to Yes quickly and consistently.
If you find your employees are too busy apologizing to customers for lack of service or just lack the service skills they need to get to Yes, then send them to one of these big box retailers and let them ask for something out of the ordinary. They will soon understand the frustration your customer feels when your employees cannot get them to Yes.
If you find them saying that "the task is impossible or we don't do that here", ask them to go to the DMV or the Post office for a wonderful experience. "Can't mail that package; too heavy; box is too big; needs more wrapping and so on might be just some of the things they will hear at Uncle Sam's post office. UPS, Fed Ex and any of the "for profit" companies will gladly take your package and give you whatever you need to ship that puppy.
It doesn't matter if you are a small company, a big company, a government bureaucracy or a family entertainment center, ALL of your people need to get to Yes every time they interact with a customer. Every single time. With no exceptions.
If they don't believe how important this is or don't understand your insiistence on this issue, give them this sticker to put up on their refrigerator door: "Dear Customer; Thanks for the Food".
Maybe that will get them to Yes and get you to greater profitability.
Because they have no incentive to get to Yes.
In over 85% of the cases, they just don't care. The remaining 15% will try to help you, even working to gift wrap the packages themselves...under penalty of Big Brother and The Holding Company (Sorry Janis)
On the other hand, when I go to my local mom and pop retailer, they are almost killing themselves to wait on me, to sell me something, to gift wrap it,to thank me profusely for my business and to ask me to join their E-mailing list. Some will even deliver it to my home if it is too heavy. They get it. They get to Yes quickly and consistently.
If you find your employees are too busy apologizing to customers for lack of service or just lack the service skills they need to get to Yes, then send them to one of these big box retailers and let them ask for something out of the ordinary. They will soon understand the frustration your customer feels when your employees cannot get them to Yes.
If you find them saying that "the task is impossible or we don't do that here", ask them to go to the DMV or the Post office for a wonderful experience. "Can't mail that package; too heavy; box is too big; needs more wrapping and so on might be just some of the things they will hear at Uncle Sam's post office. UPS, Fed Ex and any of the "for profit" companies will gladly take your package and give you whatever you need to ship that puppy.
It doesn't matter if you are a small company, a big company, a government bureaucracy or a family entertainment center, ALL of your people need to get to Yes every time they interact with a customer. Every single time. With no exceptions.
If they don't believe how important this is or don't understand your insiistence on this issue, give them this sticker to put up on their refrigerator door: "Dear Customer; Thanks for the Food".
Maybe that will get them to Yes and get you to greater profitability.
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