Doyle Marketing Blog

Getting it right

by Jeff Chenoweth on February 4, 2011

Commitment to customer satisfaction. In most scenarios, it’s not the size of the mistake you make that will affect your client relations; it’s the way you handle the aftermath.

In a business world comprised of automation, batching and technological tools that only a percentage of users are familiar with, mistakes both small and large are bound to happen. Often times, it’s not the errors themselves that drive clients away, but the way employees handle the situation afterwards. Even in the most dire situations, five steps can almost always turn a poor experience into a positive one.

Be upfront and honest. Don’t make excuses or sugarcoat the situation. Explaining what happened in a truthful timely manner is far easier than backpedaling on false promises and inaccuracies later on. Most people, even when steaming mad, will grow to appreciate your honesty.
Explain the issue in a way they understand. Tell your client what happened in terms they can relate to. Often times, there may be a communication issue on their end that lead to confusion. While still taking responsibility for your blunder(s), explain how they can help make sure there are no more in the future.
Explain or show how you plan to fix the issue. You’ve told them what happened. Now show them how you plan to make sure this is the last time it happens. The more confident and concise you are the better. Yes. You made a mistake, but you’ve learned from it and now have the hindsight to offer them and even better solution than before.
Fix the issue. Revise your methods and return to your client with the best product, service or solution you possibly can.
Follow-up. Make sure they’re happy with your work and remind them you’re willing to work with them to make sure all their needs are met.

Remember, mistakes are bound to happen and they don’t have to be completely negative. Show your clients your ability to weather the storm in a crisis situation, or run damage control when Chuck from IT breaks your server. These can be trust-building experiences, which demonstrate your dedication to your clients and your dedication to getting things right.

Blog if you do, blog if you don’t

by Jeff Chenoweth on February 2, 2011

Should I be blogging about my business? Will I benefit from blogging? Will it ever reach my target audience? Viable questions I hear from prospective and current clients on a daily basis. The answer(s) are quite simple; yes – and it depends.

Should I be blogging about my business?

Yes! You should be blogging about your business! And if you’re not, hire someone to do it! You should be blogging about the aspects of your work that you and others are passionate about. If you don’t know what these are, forget about blogging and find a new line of work!

Will I benefit from blogging?

Yes! You will benefit from blogging! Here’s why. Static or unchanging web pages speak at people instead of with them. Blogging allows you to increase the activity within and around your website by encouraging conversation and building relationships with your clients. You’ll also improve your search engine optimization (SEO) with every post.

A daily, weekly or monthly post will allow you to continually provide clients and users with a new and exciting reason to visit your site. Showcase your knowledge of the latest industry news and modern technology, and address specific questions, comments or concerns directed at your brand.

Will it ever reach my target audience?

Yes! Your blog will reach your target audience IF you take a few steps to ensure it will.

Do a little research about blogging software and figure out which platforms will suit your needs.
Write about the aspects of your business or the industry that you’re passionate about and address the common questions and concerns of those you want to read your blog.
Post continuously and consistently. Set a goal. If you’re goal is to blog once a month or once a week, make sure you’re doing it at least that much.
Build a repository of content to get you started before you leap into making your blog live. Remember, nothing happens overnight
Provide links to RSS Feeds and email subscription to ensure that your audience has easy access to your content.

There are countless online blogging resources to help you make a blog and share your content with the world. With the help of user-friendly CMSs like WordPress you can, not only publish your blog with ease, but almost effortlessly add tags, categories and other SEO options to your writing.

“A place for friends…”

by Jeff Chenoweth on January 28, 2011

There was a time when weekend plans were made by phoning someone and conversing – not by scanning recent updates on a mini-feed; when catching up meant phone calls, dinner or meeting for coffee – not browsing a profile page for status updates.

There aren’t many aspects of our social lives that Facebook hasn’t affected in some way. It’s changed day-to-day communication, how we spend our free time and how we view our personal relationships. So how did this happen and what can we learn from the genius behind this social network? A lot – but maybe one thing in particular.

Facebook has done one thing consistently since it began and that’s change.

Facebook’s continuous growth, accommodation and presence at the cutting edge of communication and digital technology has made it, not only the biggest social networking site, but the most widely used website in the entire world.

When we think about what’s appropriate for our own businesses and professional endeavors, we often stray away from best practices, web standards, usability and flexibility in an attempt to minimize effort and save time and money. Facebook has dedicated itself to accommodating its users by continuously integrating it with the things they want most. Developers are constantly rolling out new features and technology to build relationships between profile data and give users an ever-expanding amount of access to information.

Facebook knows all about what you want and what you’re doing. You answer its probing questions all the time without even knowing. It stores data about what you “Like,” who you talk to and what your interests are. Doing so enables it to make you aware of applications and options you’ll be interested in and probably want to take advantage of. Staying so in touch with you has also allowed Facebook to build notifications and reminders that always make things easy and accessible.

I just got an email that said, “Hi Jeff, you’ve been having trouble logging into your account.” Facebook is so on the ball that it knows when I stumble over my password… Kind of scary, but at the same time, receiving an email five minutes later with a link to an instant login based on my typing problems is not only smart, it’s damn good customer service.

So if you can’t figure out why your business isn’t taking off, it’s because it’s just not quite as sweet as Facebook. And honestly, it probably won’t be. But don’t let that discourage you! Take a page from their book (excuse the puns) and embrace the evolution of technology. Then take it a step further and forget about profit. Instead concentrate on making the absolute best product built to exceed the needs and desires of your clients. If you can commit, profit will come soon after. A lot of it.

Who knows – they might even make a movie about you.

Would you open it?

by Kerry Doyle on January 26, 2011

Successful Email Marketing begins with a single question. Would I open it? Whether you are a sophisticated email marketer or just trying to get someone to reply to a personal or business email, you will increase your changes of people opening by taking the time to do this 1 Easy, but Incredibly Crucial Step. Ready? Here it is –

STEP 1 in getting emails opened — Ask yourself “Would I open this email?”

Duh! Too easy huh? Well maybe this needs a little more context. “If I were the intended receiver of this email, would I open it?”

Put yourself in their shoes (or inbox). Think about your day and your email inbox. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, you need to perform “email triage” a few times a day. You’re going to scan your inbox and look for the most important and urgent emails to open. In my case, my first priority is usually my clients. If I get a direct request (or something that looks like a possible request) from a client who usually needs something when they email me, I open it first. Plain and simple. Everything else gets put as a distant second…..sorry, but I’m in a service business.

If I get Cc:d on an email from a client, I take a quick glance to see if anything is urgent or “actionable”…meaning something I need to take action on. If it doesn’t look urgent or actionable, it gets put into a folder to “get to later”. Usually I’ll get 6 – 10 more emails from other people hitting “reply all” when many times just hitting “reply” will do. Pile the folder a little bit higher. Next in line are co-workers, friends, family (unless there is a real emergency obviously, but there is usually a frantic phone call, not an email in this situation), then emails I subcribe to from email marketers….like myself.

After awhile you get to know the senders who tend to have clear, actionable requests vs. those who just like to send emails around. You know who they are. The problem with this type of triage, once in awhile a typical inbox clogger needs something urgent but you don’t believe “the sky is falling” and you do not make yourself aware that something important really does need your attention.

So what can you do? I’ve tried to read faster or scan faster. I’ve tried to check my email less, then more, then less again….and only at specific times. Checking email at specific times (a more “batched” approach) does help so you can focus on answering what is important, then close your email program for awhile so you can actually get something done.

But, what REALLY HELPS IS THIS – Commit this following statement to memory, tattoo it on your hand, put a post-it on your computer….whatever it takes -The responsibility is on the sender (you), not the receiver (me) to quickly give me a compelling reason to open your email.

I don’t mean for this to sound arrogant and too demanding. I need to take this same responsibility before I send an email, whether it is part of an email marketing program for a client or a direct email from me. I need to ask myself “Would I open this?” If the answer is no, I try to make the subject line more quick and compelling…and give the receiver a reason to open it. I’d like to think that my name on “from” is enough, but I know other people need to do the same thing I described above and perform their own email triage. People are just plain busy and bombarded with information from everywhere. Email is still a very effective form of communication….but like any, it needs to be done with respect. Talking does not ensure listening.

If your honest answer to this question (would I open this email?) is NO, it isn’t ready to send. Just because you can send it, doesn’t mean it will truly be received. ….and if you get a reputation for sending lots of irrelevant messages, none of them will ever be opened.

Don’t Say Too Much!

by Kerry Doyle on January 21, 2011

Focus on what is important to your customers and nothing else.

How many great brands are still around today as a result of trying to be everything to everyone? Not too many….maybe none. If they are, they’re in trouble and trying to focus (or re-focus) on what is important to them and to their customers.

On the flip side, look at the great brands today that have survived a few ups and downs in the economy and marketplace. Where are all of the PC clone companies from the 1980’s who criticized Apple for not selling out to the PC clone man? Whether you agree with it or not, their 1984 (Note: I will probably make other Orwellian references in this blog) Superbowl commercial introducing the Mac was completely “anti-status quo” and made fun of the drones who aimlessly followed the masses.

Granted, Apple has spent a lot of money on marketing over the years and hasn’t been dead right on everything, but for the most part they’ve stayed focused and consistent and true to their claims, their products and their customers. And guess what? They’re still around with a 10% (and growing) share of the huge personal computer market. They are also the leader with other products that revolutionized industries and markets – iTunes, iPod, iPhone and now the iPad.

They’ve done this with focusing on what is clearly important to their customers and ignoring the rest. Not only have they made their products easier to use (and pretty cool looking too), they’ve made buying decisions and the total buying process easier.

Have you been to an Apple store lately? Even if you’re a die hard PC person…..I was for 25+ years, you can’t help but drink some of the Apple “Kool Aid” there. Everything from the moment you walk in the store is different than what we’ve experienced everywhere else.

When I walked in there I felt like they were focused on the one thing they believe is the most important – me. I’ve been converted. I drank the Kool Aid and I’m gladly spreading my bias. My point isn’t that you should be an Apple fan (even though I believe you should be).

My point is you need to focus on what is important to your customers and nothing else. They don’t care about the rest regardless of how important you may think it is.

Marketing or Sales?

by Kerry Doyle on January 19, 2011

A business owner I have worked with over the past few years has repeatedly asked the question – “what’s more important – marketing or sales?” I keep repeating the same answer over in my head and out loud…but maybe not clearly enough.

In my mind they are not separate items. In fact they are inseparable. By textbook definition, sales is a part of the overall marketing process….more specifically it is part of promotion (one of the 4 Ps of marketing). In promotion we have personal selling and we have advertising, PR, etc….all of the pieces of the marketing communication puzzle necessary to and inform and persuade people that our product or service is a better choice for them over the other alternatives (i.e. competition).

I have worked with many different people in marketing (mostly marketing communications) over the years and have taught Marketing courses at the University level. People still ask this same question. Marketing or Sales? Usually they are referring to marketing communication as “marketing” and personal selling as “sales”. If we make that assumption then, what is more important? Short answer – BOTH.

The bottom line goal of all marketing efforts is eventually more sales. Otherwise, why bother.

However, your marketing communication efforts impact the ability for your salespeople to sell. You can have the greatest “sell ice cubes to an Eskimo” salesperson in the world, but if the marketing communications efforts do not set the proper tone or message, they are always fighting a futile battle. On the flip side of that, if you have great marketing communications, a mediocre salesperson can sell your product.

OK, so the long-winded rambling answer is this. You’ve gotta have great marketing communications first if you want anybody to consistently sell your products or services over the long haul. Relying on your salespeople to overcome your lack of good marketing communications will only lead to one thing. If the salesperson is good, they will be gone to a competitor with better marketing.

A Reflection on the Day

by Jeff Chenoweth on January 17, 2011

In the 1960’s, our nation found itself confronting some of the same deep-rooted racism that brought us to civil war and the brink of destruction a century earlier. Fueled by the strength, perseverance and bravery of civil rights activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the American Civil Rights Movement put an end to legal segregation and discrimination, furthering our nation’s progress in truly living up to its self-appointed status as ‘the land of the free.’

As Americans, it’s our duty and our prerogative to reflect on the truly remarkable work of Dr. King today, as well as the countless others that gave their tireless efforts to make equality a reality, rather than a concept. In doing so, I’ve tried to think about the cause he gave his life for in its simplest form, and apply it to my own life and work.

My work in marketing is a far cry from the Civil Rights Movement. Let’s face it; it’s far less important and reaches a far smaller audience, overall, having much less of an effect on our nation and its people. However, today I found myself asking whether or not my end goals should really be that much different from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s.

Dr. King fought for equality. He fought for people to be treated like people; to be able to sit, stand, shop, eat and live with the same rights their neighbors are allowed. At the very root of these ideals is the desire to make people’s lives better – to make people’s lives easier. When you look at it that way, the work I do for my clients should be done with the same outcomes in mind; to somehow make their lives better, to make the work they do easier. Imagine if we all held ourselves to the standards set by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at work everyday. We’d have to ask ourselves some very specific questions each morning:

Do I believe in what I’m doing here?
Is my work benefiting people (besides myself)?
Is my work making someone’s life better? Easier?
If not, how can I rethink my product or service?

Now, most of us aren’t staring down the monumental task of bringing equality to a nation each day we prepare for work. However, we should never shy away from holding ourselves to the high standards that those who have done so, and those who do so on a daily basis, have set for us. We could all benefit from asking ourselves the aforementioned questions from time to time and from holding ourselves to such a high standard.

Today is a day to reflect on the accomplishments of a great man and those that fought alongside him for a just cause. This isn’t limited to a mere 30 seconds of thought in between your first and second cup of morning coffee either. Though it may begin there, reflection is not nearly as powerful a tool if we don’t take the time to not only reflect, but also live by and act on our reflections.

Honesty and Social Media Marketing

by Kerry Doyle on January 14, 2011

Honesty and social media marketing. With social media and the web today, it is more important than ever to be honest in how you market yourself and your company. Actually, I believe that youshould always be honest, but now it is tougher for some “less than honest” marketers to get away with their BS.

Let’s start with a quick refresher on the 4Ps because they are still relevant today – Product, Price, Place, Promotion.

Product (or service) is what you offer to your customers to purchase. It is the actual utility of what you have to offer and the perceived benefits of that utility.
Price is somewhat self-explanatory. It is what someone is willing to pay for the perceived benefits and utility of your product (or service). The ultimate win-win in marketing is when you offer something that people believe is worth at least as much as it will cost them to purchase it.
Place is where people buy your product or service. Historically this has been in traditional places like a retail store, where location, location, location have been the most important criteria in defining place. Place may also be in the form of a telephone, catalog, personal salesperson, etc. Obviously the Web has really changed the entire place component AND dramatically influenced the other Ps.
Promotion is how you tell your customers (and prospective customers) about your product, why they should purchase it, etc. It is the communication part of the 4P equation where a lot of the BS used to be…..and still is. However, Social Media has changed the playing field.

So, why is it more important now to be honest in your marketing? Plain and simple – with Social Media, customers are more in control of the Promotion of products and services and that trend is just going to get stronger, not weaker. Plus, customers today have a very cynical BS meter ingrained in them. They filter out corporate marketing speak and try to validate the truth with actual experiences…either their own experiences or those of people they trust.

What is the take away here? If you have a product or service that isn’t as good as the competition’s, fix it, make it better or focus on a true benefit that you can back up. You better have a reason for it and be honest about it….maybe it is “almost as good” as theirs, but at a better price or in a more convenient place. The bottom line is be clear, be honest and be focused on building good old-fashioned trust with your customers….even if your product is less than perfect.

People would rather do business with honest, less than perfect companies than those who claim something that is “too good to be true”.

Are Meetings Killing Your Company?

by Jeff Chenoweth on January 12, 2011

Most of us have sat through a meeting or two long and pointless enough to make us lash out in primal fury. Some of us can probably even admit to being the conductors of meetings like this.

Not only do your employees have a million different things vying for their attention, but they’ve got remarkably short attention spans. Don’t waste your time, or your company’s time, with methods of communication that are ineffective. If you’re not reaching your employees with your message because they tune out or can’t comprehend the take away, you’re losing money and effectively reducing your productivity!

Keep these three things in mind for every meeting you have.

Set goals for your meeting
Set an agenda that caters to your goals
Stick to the agenda!

1. Set goals for your meeting.

Why are you having the meeting in the first place? What do you hope to accomplish? These are things that you should ask yourself right from the start. When you’re done, everyone should feel enlightened and more prepared than they were before the meeting happened, not more confused and less inspired.

It’s important to not attempt to tackle too much. It’s better to have a concise meeting that leaves participants informed and happy on a smaller amount of things than a superfluous meeting that leaves people confused or uninspired after too many topics are discussed. Remember to focus on what’s important. Follow-up on the things that can wait until afterwards.

2. Set an Agenda that caters to your goals.

If what you’re talking about doesn’t relate to the goals you’ve set for the meeting, you probably shouldn’t be talking about it. Save funny stories, irrelevant tangents or important, but unrelated material for after the meeting. Not only does this mean that those conducting the meeting must stay on track, but everyone should help reel-in those that take the discussion in unproductive directions.

Always aim to have meetings last 30 minutes or less if possible, but never go longer than an hour. Studies show that that the average person begins to lose interest in something they’re not continuously involved in after half an hour. For the love of God, please look around the room. If anyone is nodding off, drooling or looking at you like you’re wearing a suit of armor, it’s time to end the meeting. Allow enough time for your goals to be met, tasks to be assigned, questions to be answered and nothing more!

3. Stick to the agenda!

Remember, you’ve got a limited window to accomplish your goals before people start to tune out. Don’t ever spend too long on one thing when you’ve got a whole list to accomplish. If there’s something that’s becoming a road block, move on. Assign tasks to those that can work through the issue and follow-up with them later. If things have gone horribly astray, stand up and bring them back on track. Don’t let your meetings drag on and on. The longer that happens, the less productivity you’re getting out of your employees.

Also keep in mind that the problem isn’t just that people tune out. It’s that people become frustrated and tired when they receive an information overload. Going back to work and being productive aren’t the easiest things to do after sitting through an unorganized multiple hour meeting.

Why You Need Measured Marketing for ROI

by Kerry Doyle on January 7, 2011

As management guru Peter Drucker said, “what gets measured matters.” This applies to your marketing efforts, especially in today’s economy.

Doyle Marketing can help you measure your efforts.

On the flip side of that quote, what doesn’t get measured doesn’t matter. If you can’t measure it, don’t bother with it. If it doesn’t show a positive ROI (return on investment), STOP IT….period.

With so many ways to measure the success of marketing today, it blows me away that so many people still have no clue whether their marketing is working or not… yet they are still committing marketing dollars to the same things. Another favorite quote of mine is from Albert Einstein – “The definition of Insanity – doing the same things over and over again, yet expecting different results.” OK, the quote may not be verbatim, but you get the picture.

So, what is one sure way to save money and ensure a positive ROI on your marketing dollars? STOP (right now) spending any money on any effort that you positively, absolutely cannot prove is helping your bottom line. i.e. Is every dollar you are spending, bringing back to you at least a dollar plus in sales? Would you keep investing your money in the same financial investment year after year without some positive return? Of course you wouldn’t.

What are some things that are worth measuring?

Increased visits to your website – are you getting a measurable increase due to your marketing efforts?
Increased website conversions – are you converting these visitors into qualified prospects? Are you getting them to take action on a measurable, desired next step like downloading some free information or signing up for emails or updates on your blog?
Social media metrics – are people commenting on your blog posts? Retweeting, mentioning, liking, friending, following, etc.?
Increased qualified prospects in your marketing database, giving you permission to communicate with them and begin to build a trusting relationship with them.
Increased Sales – the ultimate measurement. Sometimes it is difficult to attribute some marketing efforts directly to sales in a “one-time” promotional program, but if your efforts are well integrated, focused and well-done, you should totally be able to measure an increase in sales over a given time period….or just DON’T DO IT.

Stop the insanity.

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