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Nice tip Jim. I love the red carpet photo. Smart little extra by DPAC.
You made a subtle, but meaningful point. People don't remember events, they remember moments of memorable experiences. Those moments (hat tip to Mastercard) are Priceless.
Best,
Stan
Around Town with Kids - DPAC
The Durham Performing Arts Center is one of the crown jewels of the Triangle area of North Carolina. The variety of top notch performers, comedians, musicians, plays, and musicals offers entertainment fit for almost anyone. After a handful of experiences here with my family, I would highly ...
It kind of looks like an Oscar, but I like the ring of the Golden Ronald.
Well deserved Jim. I look forward to seeing the many travels and exploits of you and GR over the next month.
Best,
Stan
Honored or Freaked Out?
I'm going to go with honored...in a freaky sort of way. The good folks at the Ronald McDonald House of Durham (click the link to "Like" on Facebook) bestowed upon me the "honor" of living with the Golden Ronald for 30 days. In order to receive said terrifying, creepy statuette, one must demo...
Repman,
Folks like Cisco and accenture have 80 to 90% of their staff telecommuting at least on a part time basis. And as a general rule, workplaces are leaning towards granting greater flexibility to employees. This is based on the following three assumptions or reasons:
1. The technology is available and the type of work being done is conducive for telecommuting.
2. It ultimately saves both parties in the long run. Companies save money on office space and employees save money/hassle of commuting.
3. Productivity improves and satisfaction increases.
Yet, when the reason stops, therefore should stop the RULE:
I can only imagine that #3 is out of whack at Yahoo. According to the leaked memo, the new policy calls for workers “physically being together.” Sometimes you need to take one step backward to take two steps forward. Here is a telling quote from the internal memo:
"We need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices… Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home.”
I applaud Marissa for shaking things up with this gutsy move. She was brought in to breathe new life into a stagnant culture. iPhones and free lunches are nice, but its time to get everyone off their remote island and back onto the boat. They is no gray in this decision, meaning no wiggle room or exceptions to the “no telecommuting” rule. It will be an interesting "all-hands-on-deck" summer at Yahoo! Will it be smooth sailing or feel more like shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic? I smell an iceberg.
Best,
Stan
Marissa Mayer digs herself an even deeper hole
In a typically muddled attempt to clarify her decision to ban telecommuting at Yahoo, CEO Marissa Mayer chose her April 18th keynote slot at The Great Place to Work Conference to set the record straight: “People are more productive when they're alone, but they're more collaborative and innova...
The rules have changed. The customer now has the conch. Your product or service and the custormer experience is ultimately your marketing. The big question is, "Are we giving them something to talk, tweet, blog and post to Facebook about?"
Best,
Stan
@9inchmarketing
'The longest and hardest nine inches in marketing... is the distance between the brain and the heart of your customer'
The CCO vs. CMO: Who wins? Hint: It better be the customer
Much has been written about the blurring of lines between advertising agencies, PR firms and interactive shops. Indeed, trade publications have made much of P&G’s recent decision to uncouple its traditional advertising spend in search of more cost-effective ways to reach consumers. And, GM’s la...
Thanks Anna. Really enjoyed our conversation. I truly believe that marketing should be more about the customer and less about the prospect. The little things can make a big difference.
Warmest regards,
Stan
@9inchmarketing
'The longest and hardest nine inches in marketing is the distance between the brain and the heart of your customer.'
Show 375 - How to Influence By Word of Mouth
This weeks The Engaging Brand podcast is ready! - The free audio podcast for business covering social media, managment and marketing. Stan Phelps who spends his days providing consumer experiences that are memorable, meaningful and on-brand, we love his mantra 'Driven by client objectives. Inspi...
Steve,
Nice post. I can already envision that 10 minute comedy set:
Do you know the definition of polygamy?
Answer: Having one wife too many.
How about the definition of monogamy?
Answer: Same thing. Having one wife too many.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend,
Stan
Tomorrow’s a latter-day
Having finally seen the runaway Broadway hit, ‘The Book of Mormon,’ I must say it lives up to the hype. As someone who does not enjoy musicals at all, I absolutely loved this one. Between the sets, the cast and the music, I was completely mesmerized (as, apparently, are all Mormons who buy int...
Great post Steve. Customer Experience is the new marketing and holy grail. Everyone wants to go heaven, but few are willing to pay the price.
Ex post facto customer service
Ask the average public relations executive if she understands customer service and employs it as part of an integrated communications solutions set and you'll receive a resounding, 'Absolutely!' She'll proudly point to her complete mastery of social media, cite endless examples of how she's us...
Joe,
I also caught the BA activation last week and entered the contest http://britishairways.promo.eprize.com/contest/gallery?id=366
Best,
Stan
PS - It's Grand Central Terminal, not Grand Central Station. The reason being that no trains pass through GCT, they either start or end there.
JJTV #114 on-the-go - British Airways brings back the Elevator Pitch
In an effort to woo small businesses and play up the importance of face-to-face communication in an otherwise Skype-led world operating during recessionary times, British Airways brought back the classic elevator pitch (literally) in Grand Central Station to offer 250 small businesses the opport...
Donna,
Superb post. I love Top 10 lists. You've hit the nail on the head with regard to customer expectations. Customers have champagne expectations and beer money.
I'm poaching the examples of HUB, Donna Spears and Bleu Salon for the 'Purple Goldfish Project'. The project is my goal of trying to find 1,001 examples of marketing lagniappe. Thanks for contributing.
Warmest regards,
Stan
Red Carpet Service in a Throw Rug Economy
If there ever was a time to pay attention to the experience you give your customers, it's now! We live in a world of commodity - people have many choices as to what to buy and who to buy it from. That, alone, is one great reason to deliver a service experience that will create customer loyalty...
David,
Very rarely do you find someone who has done the entire gamut of publishing. Your experience is almost akin to the ascent of a musical band. There is no one path, but as a general rule you have to grind to build your platform. PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE. Thanks for sharing and breaking it down in 8 tips.
Best,
Stan
@9inchmarketing
#PurpleGoldfishProject
8 tips to get your business book published
Many people ask me for advice about getting a business book published, so I wanted to blog it for all to see. See below for my 8 ideas if you are interested in doing a business book. But first, check out this short video interview shot by my friend Tim Street where I talk about publishing a bus...
Agency To Prospect: We look forward to coming back with some concepts. Can you provide some financial bumpers of what you would like to spend on the project?
Prospect to Agency: We don't want to constrain your thinking. If it's the right idea . . . we'll find the money. Come back with a variety of ideas and lay them out like a chinese menu.
[Child please . . . get your own beef with broccoli]
Best,
Stan
#PurpleGoldfishProject
Child, please
Controversial Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (nee Johnson) and his use of the phrase, 'Child, please' has received widespread attention of late. In fact, it's become his brand signature, if you will. (Note: This video is intended for mature audiences only.) A cursory glance...
From the post: "In these times of influencer marketing, having loyal customers isn’t good enough, we need brand advocates"
I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE
It cost 5 times the amount of $ to obtain a new customer than it does to keep a current one.
The problem is that most companies are so focused on the prospective customer (the two in the bush), that they neglect their strongest marketing asset (the one in hand) . . . their customers.
Imagine if you flip the traditional approach which focuses 80% on the purchase funnel (ie. prospects). What if you invested that 80% into your current customers. What if instead of meeting expectations, you went above and beyond to provide that little signature something extra. It's what I call a 'Purple Goldfish' and it the practice of marketing lagniappe. Here are some examples:
It might be the free peanuts or extra fries at 'Five Guys Burgers & Fries' or that fact that 'bags fly free' on Southwest. It could be the 'free penny arcade' change machine and weekend hours at TD Bank or the chocolate chip cookie when you check in at the Doubletree.
I'm on a quest to find 1,001 purple goldfish for charity in support of my upcoming book, 'In Search of Your Purple Goldfish. We're currently at 162 and I'm looking for help. Fisherman wanted.
For more information or to find out how you can leverage the original WOM stimulant to increase retention, generate loyalty and create evangelists, check out http://marketinglagniappe.com/blog/1001-examples-of-lagniappe
Best,
Stan
#PurpleGoldfishProject
The value of word-of-mouth marketing
Everyone that has used word-of-mouth marketing (WOM) knows that it can be a powerful marketing instrument, if prepared and executed well. Companies love customers who recommend them to friends, family, colleagues etc. In these times of influencer marketing having loyal customers isn’t good e...
Excellent takeaway Mark. Brands don't have to big things . . . if they can get the little things right.
Thanks again for providing a couple of examples for 'The Purple Goldfish Project'. http://marketinglagniappe.com/blog/1001-examples-of-lagniappe
Best,
Stan
Add a little, add a lot
This winter has been pretty rough for many folks across the country. A foot of snow, 20-degree temps and a gusty wind along a highway can make a routine trip to Grandma's a death-defying excursion. Take away the wind, but add bright sunshine, and you have a perfect day of sledding. Just ask my b...
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