According to July 2008’s PM Network,
sales of Quaker’s oatmeal bars
jumped 38%
the year following
their name change from
Breakfast Squares
to
Oatmeal To Go.
Why?
Because consumers responded better
to a name mirroring the convenience
of the product.
When you can,
take the guesswork out of
what your product does.
Put the benefit in the name.
Most executives are demanding
but there aren’t many
who are impossible to please.
Why?
Because if you are impossible to please,
people stop trying to please you.
If you are always unhappy with results,
then it doesn’t matter what results you are given.
Dr. Robert F. Hurley and James Ryman
found that the number one reason
managers don’t reach the executive level
is because of perfectionist tendencies.
These managers are challenging to work for
and find it impossible to delegate.
Of course,
you should strive for perfection
but don’t expect it from others
and ensure that you reward less.
Montgomery Gentry has signed autographs
for friends
(they consider their followers friends, not fans)
until 4:30 in the morning.
They stayed until every last autograph was signed.
Over one hundred thousand.
Why?
Troy Gentry explains
“We’re going to take care of people
who take care of us.”
Do you work THAT hard
for your customers?
If you don’t, why not?
There was restructuring in the company
I’m now working with.
It didn’t touch my department.
The manager knew it wouldn’t
but didn’t communicate this
because, well, why should she?
Nothing was changing.
So without reassurance and
a story to believe in,
coworkers made up their own.
It was dark. It was dismal.
It had the entire department being shut down.
The talented, in demand people left
(even in a recession, there are jobs for those people).
The manager has less than half her staff
and those are the folks waiting for a package.
Good news, bad news, no news,
have a talk with your staff
(or they’ll have that talk without you).
A new author asked me
“Will being on Twitter
help me sell books?”
No, simply being there won’t sell books.
But being there and sharing the right message
to the right audience
WILL.
A recent Guerrilla Marketing tip
from Jay Conrad Levinson’s team reminds us
“Dynamic as it is,
technology is not the key to marketing success.
Marketing is about people, not things.”
Marketing is about people.
Technology is only a tool to reach out
and connect with those people.
It is a vessel for your message.
The message still has to add value to your prospect.
Academy Award organizers are asking
stars to skip the red carpet
and use a secret entrance
hoping this will boost show viewers.
This won’t happen.
Why?
Because no intelligent star would agree to it.
Stars are compensated more
for walking the red carpet
than they are for taking part in the show.
Designers give them free dresses,
jewellers lend them jewels,
and advertisers listen for their names to be mentioned.
The stars are there FOR the red carpet,
not for the ceremony.
There are other ways to increase viewership.
Don’t ask someone to work against their own interests.
There are no selling cost savings
during a recession,
not if you want to stay in business.
Just the opposite,
these expenses go up.
Salespeople are working harder to land deals.
They see more prospects.
They wine and dine these prospects more
before sealing any deals.
They relationship build more
(more ballgame tickets and business lunches).
After the deal is done,
they touch base more often
to ensure they get the repeat business.
And they need more motivation to do so.
That means hosting results based competitions
and incentive drives
for your salespeople
while you’re laying off other staff.
It may be unpopular
but it is necessary.
There are typos in Invisible.
Big, glaring (to me) typos.
Has it hurt sales?
Not much.
Has it hurt buzz?
Nope.
Because the rest of the product
is great enough
that readers forgive the typos.
Your product doesn’t have to be perfect
and
it likely will never be perfect.
All it has to be is great.
If it IS great,
stop tweaking and launch it.
If I was hosting an award show,
I would do anything within my power
to ensure Justin Timberlake was there.
At the last minute,
Rihanna pulled out of her Grammy performance.
Not only did Justin Timberlake
participate in an impromptu performance
with Al Green, Keith Urban and Boyz II Men,
but he also stalled for time
while it was being put together.
Firefighters are rare in any industry.
They are sought after
and given opportunities.
If you stay cool under pressure,
you WILL profit.
A fellow author is hosting a seminar.
She asked for donations.
I donated coupons
(glossy, with my cover and blurb)
for a free eBook.
One for each participant.
The author asked how I could afford it.
Easy.
Although all of the coupons will be looked at
(often in the dead moments before class),
very few will be redeemed.
The promotional win is in putting my cover
in front of the participant.
Redemption is not the true measurement
of a coupon’s success.
Awareness is.