Solutions for Small Business Marketing Mistakes

What face does your business present to the world? Do you have a secret identity? You may think your business is straightforward: you may appear to be a mild-mannered animator, but what you’re really selling is memories, laughter, and happiness.

Kodak used to sell film and slide carousels - but they were really in the business of selling memories and nostalgia.

The average auto body shop looks like they’re in the car repair business, but they’re not really selling mufflers and tires, they’re selling peace of mind.

Water filter companies think they sell filters and pumps (it’s really safety).

Graphic designers think their business is colors and images (it’s really sales).

Are exhibit designers in the building and design business? No, they’re in the sales business too - to attract more customers, visitors, and attention at trade shows. They’re selling, buzz, excitement, and pizzazz.

Video producers sell engagement and attention (not words and pictures).

What business are you really in?

Photo:chanchan222

Darren Rowse kvetched, everybody wins. About a month ago, Darren (of ProBlogger, which I highly recommend you read to learn how to be a better blogger), suggested that it would be great if the posts that blog subscribers get via email included the title of the post, instead of just the name of the blog.

Well, apparently, Google/Feedburner listened. So, instead of just seeing “Fix Your Broken Marketing” the email subject line should include the title too; in this case “Emails: Now with Titles: Fix Your Broken Marketing”. This will give you a better idea of what’s in the email, and help you search through your saved emails to find a particular topic.

I also discovered that I can adjust the time of day that posts are delivered. From now on, they should be sent earlier in the morning (instead of late at night, which was the default).

Let me know if this works!

Remember yesterday’s post about the worst marketing email ever? The marketer who framed his pitch in terms of what he’d get (a great vacation) and offered his customers a measly $25 gift card in return for their referrals?

What if he’d built a community instead? According to Marketing Sherpa (7/2/09), creating a place where your customers can interact with each other (as well as with you) can have unexpected benefits.

Benefit #1: Better Customer Support

Depending on your business, you can offer additional documentation, a Q&A forum, or tips on how to use your product. Imagine a design studio that explained ways to save money on logo design costs, or a videographer who offered a checklist of the top ten questions you should ask before you hire her (or anyone else).

Benefit #2: Advance Community Input on New Products

The ability to ask community members to review early-stage new products, essentially building your own set of beta testers. You can match features with needs, and steer clear of offerings that nobody wants.

Benefit #3: Encourage Contributions

Allowing members to share how they use your product. Let members post their own questions (and answer them). You can also step in and offer helpful advice (skip the sales pitch, just solve problems).

Benefit #4: Look Good to Search Engines

Regular updates boost your site’s search engine ranking, and generate keyword-rich content.

Benefit #5: Fill the Sales Pipeline

The interaction allows prospects to learn more about your company and your products in a friendly environment. This will boost trust, increase your credibility, and generate leads.

Build the relationship first, then you can ask for the sale.

Photo:D’Arcy Norman

Yesterday, Mark posted this email that he received on June 19th:

“I know I have reached out to many of you before about this, but I wanted to make sure you all were aware of what I’m offering. Next Wednesday, June 24th is the end of XXXX fiscal year for 2009. Thursday, June 25th starts our new fiscal year (2010). As of today I am qualifying for our annual trip (XXXXXXXXXX) at XXXX which this year it’s in Ireland. I am 3 accounts away from making it happen. I am giving anyone who refers me a company (new or existing) that signs and starts XXXX by next Wednesday the following options:

· If you’re a client a FREE MONTH OF SERVICE
· If you’re a client or a prospect you’ll get a $25 Gift Card (to wherever you’d like) for a company that processes on a Monthly/Quarterly basis
· If you’re a client or a prospect you’ll get a $50 Gift Card (to wherever you’d like) for a company that processes on a Bi-weekly/Semi-Monthly
· If you’re a client or a prospect $100 Gift Card for a company that processes on a Weekly basis”

So, let’s see, the account exec gets a trip to Ireland, and the client gets… a $25 gift certificate. Whoever wrote this is completely focused on his own potential reward. If I received this email, not only would I not sign up, I think I’d unsubscribe, and cancel my account if I had one!

The purpose of a marketing email, or a Web site, or a brochure is to help your clients and prospects solve their problems, using your solution. You are there to help them save money or time or effort, and your marketing should reflect that.

I don’t know what this person was selling, but here are a few ideas for better ways to get referrals:

a) regularly offer discounts (or significant rewards) in return for referrals - not just when he wants something
b) remarkable products or services that lead to word of mouth marketing (which is free, permission-based, and relevant)
c) create a tribe of fans with outstanding service (we’ll fix your problem in 24 hours or your monthly service is free)
d) send regular updates on better ways to use his product (developing a relationship with his customers, instead of shouting at them).

What would you suggest?

What do these three companies have in common:

1) An environmental engineering firm that wants to put a cartoon frog on their site because it stands for a religious acronym.

2) A real estate broker who has filled his Web site with his religious beliefs.

3) A car company brochure for a new commuter truck emphasizing the “Duratec 2.0 liter dual overhead cam” and the “split-rear doors [which] open at a standard 180 degrees or an optional 255 degrees”. (The truck sounds great for deliveries, once you translate the features into benefits; more on that at The New York Times business blog)

What’s the connection? They’re all focusing on what THEY like, rather than what’s important to their customers.

The engineering firm’s clients probably aren’t interested in that poor, lost frog. They just want to know that the company can save them from worrying about water contamination, environmental hazards, and lawsuits.

The real estate broker’s customers want to find a home they can fall in love with (and afford), not a sermon or indoctrination in religious beliefs they may not share.

And, car buyers would undoubtedly prefer to be told what that overhead cam will do for them (it gives the truck extra pep, so it goes fast and handles well). The angle on the doors means that they swing out of your way, so its easier to load or unload the vehicle.

That ad for a coal sifter looks pretty silly in the 21st century, but if you click on it, you’ll see that it does have clear benefits to the consumer (save money and keep your clothes clean). Unfortunately, some modern-day companies have forgotten this.

People buy when you show them how your product helps them (not how it helps you).

Photo: Library of Congress