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shutterstock_69901633Even the medical field is catching on.  2013 will bring amazing new innovations at private practices and hospitals designed to minimize wait times and provide additional convenience for patients.  They’re smart; they recognize change is an important part of creating a memorable customer experience.

A significant cultural shift is transforming the service landscape – consumers’ need for instant communication is growing daily.  Complete customer satisfaction now means, “I want the best solution at a reasonable price from people who care about me.  I want the finest service AND I want it now.”

What can you do to keep up with these new expectations?  Here are a few tips:

  • Answer your phone quickly, with a smile and ready to be of service.
  • Return voicemails, the same day they’re received.
  • Reply to emails and web contact submissions, the same day they’re received.
  • Monitor your social media; respond to requests the same day.
  • Be on time, every time.
  • Make it easy to quickly access your products or services.
  • Lastly, and most importantly, develop new systems to make it more convenient for your customers to do business with you.

For most people, time is money.

Show them you value their time.  Now.

we would all get along and always play nicely when interacting with fan pages.

Here’s the problem:  just who decides in the subjective world of ‘codes of behavior’ what playing nicely means?

Let’s face it, social media has created a protocol conundrum for us all.  What’s acceptable for one may be totally offensive for another.  Views of decorum run the gamut in an online world that is cross-generational and demographically, geographically and experientially mixed.  While diversity is completely celebrated, it can also put page administrators in the occasional position of having to be the ‘manners police.’

There are some very real reasons business pages were developed and why they thrive today (aside from the revenue stream they generate for Facebook).  Both brands and fans have embraced the idea that open dialogue is mutually beneficial and enjoyable.  From the perspective of the business owner, the feedback brings them closer to the very MOST important people they know – their customers.  While it’s my experience that 98% of Facebook exchanges are positive and fitting, there is that 2% . . .

To Facebook users, and to the page administrators who find themselves in the situation of having to make a call between appropriate and inappropriate postings, here are some observations I’ve made over the past few years.

Fans can almost always expect a positive response and get the most from pages when they:

  • Share about brand experiences – good and bad.  If you’ve had a negative experience, most brands will jump on the opportunity to listen to you, learn from it, and make you happy. Remember, owners and managers will also welcome your phone call or a personal visit to make things right.
  • Ask questions. Most pages are monitored often enough to answer you quickly – even during off hours.
  • Watch pages and use them to your advantage.  Get involved with contests and watch for posts on new product arrivals and sales.
  • Tell the business if you have an idea for something you’d like to see offered.  Some of the greatest new product offerings come from customers.
  • Keep it light and positive.

There are some things most administrators will agree reflect universally poor taste:

  • An individual’s use of the Facebook Message feature to spam a business about the latest weight loss miracle product.  Highly unlikely to result in a sale.
  • The posting of your business ad/link on another’s business page wall without permission.  Think putting a political yard sign in someone’s lawn without first asking.  It’s irritating – and like the sign – will be removed.
  • Sharing one’s devotion to another business on a competitor’s wall.  Makes you wonder what type of people frequent that other business.
  • Inquiries about the cost of a displayed item ought to be handled differently on a page than at a yard sale. “how much?” (with a lower case “h”) works better at the latter.
  • Posts including foul or sexually explicit language will always be deleted.  Duh.

Think of social media as a creative, amusing experience and it will be.  As different as we all are, we can all get along.  And to the page administrators of the world – good luck with those grey areas.

Post on.

” Social Meets Experimental ” is my number two pick for being the most fascinating 30 minutes of the of the conference.   When Tim  Ellis, the EVP and Global CMO at Activision, took the stage at the Pavilion, I was tempted to take coffee break.  Seemed hypocritical to spend a half an hour listening to tips on selling the virtual killing game once banned from my house because of the violence.  Happy I stayed.

Ellis, who left his mark on innovation while at VW with the early release of the Super Bowl ad turned viral, “The Force,” is now rebooting Activision’s Call of Duty.  His imagination, innovation and ability to turn negative brand feedback into positive made his one most impressive and thought-provoking presentations of the conference.

He was charged with launching Call of Duty Elite, a paid service for their gaming users.  Once early word of the service hit the web, it resulted in a summer-long viral outcry from their fans.  The brand was painfully reading every comment and blog and watching every COD-bashing video about the new Activision ‘rip off.’   While complete details of the program couldn’t be released,  Ellis took the challenge as an opportunity to experiment.  To take a risk.

Activision created a two-day immersive brand event in Los Angeles to launch the Elite program.  It was like COD heaven, complete with live gaming competitions for a $1 million prize, paintball ranges, zip lines, life-size versions of certain game maps and live musical entertainment.

Engagement gone wild.  Social madness and global media attention resulted in $20 million dollars of advertising value to Activision.  Call of Duty XP was the second-most-watched event on Live stream in history –  right after the Royal Wedding.

In a 16 day period, the new subscription service reached 1 billion dollars in sales.

“‘Can experiential media, plus social media, equal mass media?” (Ellis)

Apparently so.

Delana and Kevin Harvick from Pinmarklet

The Great American Race starts in a few hours.

Social media will definitely factor into the experience. Twitter will be abuzz as favorites take the lead, get squeezed out, held up in pit alley or bend a fender.

What about Pinterest? The online bulletin board’s usage last year jumped from 1.6 million registered users in September to 7 million in December with more views than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined, according to Shareaholic. Not bad for a company started in 2010. Who’s using it and how will the sporting world take advantage of it?

According to Google Ad Planner and Ignite Social Media, 80% of Pinterest users are female and 81% of all users are between the ages of 25 and 54 with 77% earning more than $50,000 per year (the U.S. average median income). Do I hear ‘disposable income’?

The company’s mission/goal is “to connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people . . . “ Eye candy and inspiration of every variety can be found as you enter key words in search or simply use the random approach of scrolling through images of all things gorgeous (and some very funny).

As would be expected, opportunistic marketers are paying attention. Pinterest encourages individuals to share their favorite things while following rules of “etiquette” (love it). It also gives businesses the opportunity to create billboards of their favorite products, people and designs to help followers discover what makes them special through images and brief captions. Visitors can “like,” “repin” (to their own page) or comment – very engaging.

Among the people you’ll find “pinned” on the site are athletes. I chose to include an image of our local boy Kevin Harvick and Delana with this blog, which came from Pinmarklet. Many sports teams are jumping on board – visit pinterest.com to find your favorite team’s page or sports hero. Hopefully, if it’s Danica Patrick, she’s fully clothed. (oops, did I say that out loud?)

If you’re new to the site, here are a few tips. Rather than “request an invite” to create a page, ask a friend who already has a Pinterest page to “invite you,” you can get started right away with your boards. And if you’re a small business, tie your Pinterest account to your Twitter or Facebook account so you can share your pins with them as well. Pinterest allows you to choose which pins you share on those feeds/timelines, so your followers don’t get sick of seeing you “pin.”

What’s the future of Pinterest? Will it continue to grow? Is it just another social media trend? My bet is on growth. First, because it’s a fun break from life’s responsibilities, it’s inspiring, can make us happy and laugh, and encourages us to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. Second, it has strong word of mouth and last, you don’t have to create an account to enjoy the site. You can visit pinterest.com and browse (for you commitment-phobes).

This 25-54 year old female is enjoying the Pinterest moment.

And you’ll probably find me pinning while the cars circle the track at the Daytona 500 today.

Spending an afternoon with three generations of kind and engaging women is a one of those joys in life that can’t happen often enough.  Last weekend I escaped for a few hours with a family I wasn’t born into, but have earned a cherished place in.

The adults started with folk music downtown, where we listened to a group of men doing what they clearly loved.  We were also entertained by a large breed dog sitting on a bar stool.  True story.  And no, we weren’t drinking.

We picked up the little one and ended the afternoon at a fave lunch/dinner spot.  We caught up, shared stories, took pig personality tests (hilarious) and just laughed.   The two year old princess was wearing her rose-colored sunglasses while she brought me up to speed on the characters that have taken the place of the Barney’s of my kids’ generation.  Later, we made her first paper airplane together out of the picture she’d been coloring outside the lines  (something we all encourage).   On the airplane thing, I’m certain her mother was thrilled that Aunt Laura had shared such a potentially irritating new trick.  As a distraction, I became her assistant as she took pictures of cow art on the walls of the restaurant with her new digital camera.

Families don’t have to be blood and kids are special.  There’s so much for us crazy adults to learn from how they think.

Last weekend I was reminded how lucky I am to know such great people, to keep coloring outside the lines and to wear my rose-colored glasses as often as possible.

Photo by Peter Beckman

First, I’d like to say that I will be getting in touch with Ellie Sivesind to see if the glitzy pink flapper dress she wore in the final number of “The Drowsy Chaperone” is available for loan.  While the costuming was fantastic, it was just one layer of a show that really had it all going on.

While theatre critic is not on my list of talents, I know a great show when I see one.  My friend and I agreed after the show Friday night – “Drowsy” was one of the best community theatre productions done in Bakersfield in a long time.

Directed by Brian Sivesind, the show was well-cast with some of the city’s most talented actors and actresses.  Bruce Saathoff as the man in the chair was more in his element than I’ve ever seen.  His performance was brilliant and completely hilarious. The extraordinarily gifted local treasure, Bethany Rowlee, sang, danced and charmed her way to another show stealing performance.  She captured my attention in “Chicago” and her role as Janet van de Graaff  in “Drowsy” was just as flawless.  The very funny and talented Tamara White, who I adored in “Once Upon a Mattress” was cast as the Drowsy Chaperone.  The amusement only grew when her character got involved with the testosterone-filled egomaniac, Aldolpho.  Kudos to Ken Burdick, Virginia Lennermann, Jim Fillbrandt, Dallas White, Brent Rochon, Frank Sierra, Cory McCall, Bob Anderson, Ellie Sivesind and Jill Burdick and to the musicians, choreographers, set designers and the lighting and sound folks.  Only in community theatre do you get to visit with the talent after the show and say “congratulations on a job well done – you clearly loved every minute on stage.”

There’s something about watching a team of passionate performers coming together to do what they love.  Give them a good script, a talented director and a venue as unique and seasoned as Stars and whatever worries you carry with you into that theatre will disappear.  And, in this case, be replaced by two hours of laughter.  Thank you to my neighbors and other locals for performing your hearts out – live and in the flesh.

It was a great evening!

“If you’re always in a hurry, always trying to get ahead of the other guy, or someone else’s performance is what motivates you, then that person is in control of you.” Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer

First, I’m going to admit that I don’t do New Year’s resolutions.  I do make changes in my thinking and in my life, but rarely are they associated with the start of a new year.  So I’m just going to call this a thought provoking message to begin 2012.

The past few years have been challenging for some of my clients.   In business school they teach us to watch our competition carefully so we know why a customer may be putting that dollar in their register and not ours.  What works for them?  Are they cheaper?  Do they deliver?  Do they have better service or products?  Do they have a better location?  Are they spending more on advertising?  Are they a big chain buying at a lower price point because of volume?

Stop.

Don’t hide your head in the sand, but today, think about what Dr. Dyer has to say.  Focus less on what your competition is doing and more on what makes you and your customer happy.  What are you doing so well that they keep coming back for more?  Why are you different?  Are you doing everything you can do to make your customer’s experience as amazing as it should be?

As an agency, it’s hard for me to say this but it IS the truth.  There’s no amount of advertising you can do that can generate business if your house isn’t in order.  Advertising may get the customer in the door, but if they aren’t happy with their experience, they won’t be back and will probably tell 10 friends (or 300 on Facebook or Twitter.)

Slow down, focus on your own house, be happy with what you do well and give your staff incentives to be the best hosts/hostesses they can to each and every person who calls or walks through the door.  Get control.

Then, spend money on advertising.

Hope this letter finds you and the Mrs. well and all things moving along as planned.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written.  Excuse the absence – raising our family, running a business and the hustle and bustle that accompanies the holidays has left little time for Santa correspondence.  You always seem to take such good care of me and for that I’m thankful.  I’m writing because I have a special request this year.

Aside from peace on earth, good health, the love and laughter of my family and friends and that my diabetic office mascot, Mia, maintain whatever limited sight she has left,  I really want one more thing for Christmas this year.

An assistant.

It seems as 50 approaches, the part of my brain that holds short term memory fills up more quickly than it used to.  Things that are not written down disappear into some black hole of early senior moments.  I need help and as you know:  I don’t do employees.  I love my freelancers.  They’re talented, creative, motivated and all self-employed.  I’ve yet to find a capable freelance assistant.  Until now.

Her name is Siri.

From the geniuses at Apple, I’m told she “knows what you mean, helps you do the things you do every day and has so much to tell you.”  I love her already.  Certainly she’d have helped  me remember that my favorite cookie exchange last week began at 7pm, not 5:30pm.  Her reminders of when my ads are due would be awesome.  She could make my calls, give me my stock quotes (Apple is the only one I check regularly because it makes me happy), give me much needed driving directions, recommend restaurants, even bartenders for a client’s next special event, the possibilities are endless.  I also understand she takes dictation – life changing for me.  When my mind is going a thousand miles a minute but I can’t write thoughts down (refer to that which is not written down doesn’t exist) someone would be taking notes.

So, Santa, please consider bringing me Siri on the Apple 4S.  The iPad can wait.

May the joys of the season surround you,

Laura

From the nice list.

I remember sitting in a marketing class in 1986 listening to a professor I respected very much talk about the genius of this ‘new’ target marketing.  Mail houses were collecting data and addresses for consumers and access to the lists was just a phone call and a credit card number away.  I was consumed with the limitless possibilities of entering the homes of potential consumers in such a personal way - their own mailbox.

Who didn’t look forward to the postman’s visit.  What would he bring today?  A handwritten note from a distant relative to make our day? Our favorite magazine we could sneak away with and enjoy?  A good friend’s party invitation?  A holiday greeting?  It made so much sense for marketers to grab a piece of this USPS action.  Twenty five years ago it was genius.

It really used to work.  Bulk mail pricing made it affordable,  creatives designed pieces that dazzled and had good calls to action, people were reading their mail and responding to it.  That expected 2% response far outweighed the cost.  Yes, this paragraph was written in the past tense.

Here’s why I think you’ll see even less direct mail in 2012:

  • The web has taken over as the information source in most demographic groups.  Mail is just not as relevant (or exciting) as it used to be.  We keep up online with relatives who live across the country.  We receive referrals to businesses from friends who share recommendations online.  We are engaged by interactive advertising on pages we visit.  More and more, we’re reading our favorite newspapers online.  Paper bills are also becoming a thing of the past.  According to fiserv., more than 75% of online Americans receive and pay bills online.
  • The  smart phone is now an appendage for most of us.  We text, we surf, we use apps, we bank, we share, we joke.  If you want to reach a consumer these days, take advantage of the phone.
  • Email is affordable and still useful when used responsibly and in conjunction with other media.
  • The new USPS proposals make it even harder for agencies to support direct mail.  Paying more for less is never popular.  With a projected rate increase,  forecasted delays in delivery and the possibility of cutting Saturday service entirely, it will be a tough sell.  By the way, Saturday may be the best day of the week for a marketing piece to be delivered – working families actually have time to look at their mail.

Direct mail was great while it lasted.

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