About Jodi Kaplan

How to Stand Out From Your Competition

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image by bosela via sxc.hu

You hear a lot about having a “unique selling proposition,” or something that makes you different from all the other software developers, web designers, and online marketers in the world.

Easy to say, but how do you actually stand out from your competition? What can you say or do that will make you different (and memorable)? And what if you’re just starting your business?

No experience, no awards, no problem

My mom is about to start a new career in real estate. We looked at the other agents’ bios and they all listed years of experience, awards won, and commitments to personal service.

For mom, highlighting years of experience won’t work — because she doesn’t have any. She hasn’t won any awards or set any sales records either.

A commitment to personal service is fine, but it’s so overused that it’s virtually meaningless. Who advertises a lack of commitment to their clients? Nobody.

Stand out from the competition

So, after talking to her about her problem, I decided to take a completely different approach. There was one thing all the other bios had in common. and it was offered a great way for my mom to stand out. They were all self-centered. The bios focused on the real estate agent, instead of focusing on the buyer or seller. So, I decided to turn that around.

Instead of emphasizing her credentials and prizes, I wrote her a bio that talked directly to her potential clients and focused on their needs (rather than hers).

It’s got a section for buyers, and one for sellers: directing people to the information that’s relevant for them.

Tell stories

Accolades, number of properties sold, or sales records are great, but what most buyers (or sellers) want to know isn’t what you did for other people. They want to know how you can help them.

So, that’s what her bio does. It doesn’t list facts and figures, it tells stories instead.

The buyers section starts by saying that the first thing she’ll do is ask you what you need. The last thing she’ll do is to cook dinner for you and deliver it the day you move in.

Her background emphasizes the memorable things she’s done, like being commodore of the yacht club, running a catering business, and teaching knitting at a women’s prison.

Think she’ll stand out? Will she be worth talking about? It’s not only more interesting, it’s a better story. At least, I think so (I am, of course, totally objective).

Is this a great new marketing tool?

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

A friend in Colorado (where apparently, this is common) stopped at the grocery store the other day to buy gas. There’s a speaker next to the pump.

As she started to pump the gas, a voice from the speaker immediately started urging her to buy some fuel additive! An additive she didn’t want or need.

All she wanted was to get some gas and then go home.

Grocery spam

She hit the button to make it stop. It kept going… and going. She stood there muttering at the thing, ‘Didn’t I just tell you to shut up? Stop it! Be quiet!”

Congratulations, gas company. You’ve just invented “grocery spam.”

Just because you can use technology to talk directly to people doesn’t mean you should – or that they want to hear what you’re saying.

That’s not permission marketing. That’s old-fashioned spam. It’s spam regardless of whether it’s at a gas pump, the grocery store, or an email inbox.

Ask permission first

Before you send your newsletter to someone, ask if they’re interested. If they already get your newsletter A, ask before you start sending newsletter B.

Cell phone text marketing can be effective for sales and coupons (particularly if it’s combined with location tracking). Don’t send them to people who didn’t specifically request them. It’s not only annoying, it’s illegal in the US.

Captive audience isn’t your audience

My personal least favorite: captive marketing: ads in elevators, ads in restroom stalls, ads on line at the grocers. Don’t invent new and different kinds of spam.

The Surprising Connection Between Apple Computer, the Kremlin, and Ketchup

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image via Wikipedia

Ever notice Apple’s new product marketing strategy? How they build anticipation for every new product roll out? They’ll announce a date for an event, but the reason is deliberately kept ambiguous. They tease that something is going to happen, but won’t say precisely what it is.It’s like the Kremlin back in the days of the Soviet Union. Their system is closed, and highly secretive, but information (or is it disinformation) leaks out anyway.

The thrill of discovery

Apple has legions of fans carefully checking patent applications, digging into orders for parts, poring through shipping manifests, and devoting hours to building or reading websites devoted to rumors, half-truths, leaks, and maybes. Once they find something, they gleefully spread it.

During the cold war, US officials would carefully scrutinize photos of Kremlin officials. They wanted to see who was standing closest to the premier, who was far away, and who had been airbrushed out. They looked for clues to see who was in power, and who had been purged.

Inside information

Some complain about Apple’s secrecy, but that’s really part of their marketing plan. The secrecy helps to build anticipation, which makes cracking the code that much more fun. The thrill of discovery, and exclusivity, drives people to spend time doing things that may not seem terribly rational.

Heinz ketchup once ran ads with a song called “Anticipation” by Carole King playing in the background – waiting, and waiting and waiting for the ketchup to come out of the bottle.

Build anticipation for the product roll out

You may not have as many raving fans as Apple, but you can do this too. If you’re working on a new product, casually mention it in your blog or newsletter before you launch. And write about whatever topic it covers.

Offer an inside peek or a discount to your subscribers or your blog visitors. People want to be first (ever notice all the comments on blogs – First!).

Then, sit in front of your (Apple) computer and have some fries. Put ketchup on them. Singing the Internationale is optional.

A Lesson in Marketing Strategies From My Cat

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

What’s a cat got to do with marketing strategies for your business?

You wouldn’t think cats and marketing would have much in common. Cats are, after all, famous for wanting what they want and being completely unfazed or bothered by what anyone else wants.

It turns out that’s not true. In fact, my cat, Paris, has some very definite ideas on the subject.

Meow! Meow!

When he wants something, he asks for it. He doesn’t think about it, wonder if it’s OK, or he’s causing too much bother. He just asks.

Lesson: if you want someone to do something, ask them.

Meowing, leg rubbing, jumping on the keyboard

If meowing doesn’t work, he tries rubbing against me, or jumping on the keyboard. If I ever type www1111111qqqqqq on this blog, you’ll know why. Use multiple methods to reach your prospects and interact with them. Some people prefer email, others like videos or podcasts.

Lesson: use more than one marketing tactic

Nap regularly

Take a break every once in a while. Look back at what you’ve done, and analyze what’s working. Especially if you’re a one-man (or woman) band, give your brain time to relax.

Lesson: you can’t be brilliant every day, all day

Feed me!

If he wants food, he’ll start meowing, then run right over to the food dish. It’s absolutely clear what he wants. Your instructions, and your marketing, should be clear too. Show people what you want them to do. If your search is broken, it’s hard to buy. If you can’t tell, have someone else test it. Use clear language too. If you don’t know your customers’ lingo, learn it – talk to them the way they talk, in terms they’ll understand (rank higher in Google, not WS3 compliant). As, you can see, Paris wants to reach Francophones.

Lesson: less friction means more sales

Squirrel!

It’s easy to get distracted when a squirrel crawls up the fire escape or a bird flies by. However, the cat is safely inside, and the squirrels are outside. No matter how hard he tries, he’ll never reach them through the double-paned windows. The latest trend or toy may work for you (or not). Don’t chase after it just because it’s new. Think about whether it fits into your business, your personality, and what your clients are doing.

Lesson: just because it’s bright and shiny doesn’t mean you should spend five hours a day on it

Create stories

Like most cats, Paris likes milk. He’s always trying to get at the little pitcher of milk for my morning tea. First, he jumped up on the desk, then he tried to put his nose in the pitcher. When it didn’t fit, he dipped his paw in the pitcher, tipped it over and lapped up the milk. Businesses need stories too. Show your personality in your writing and your marketing, rather than being a copycat (sorry, couldn’t resist).

(Note: he only did this once… and I let him because it was funny… once… now I put the milk where he can’t get it)

Lesson: say and do things that make you memorable

Plan your attack

If you see something you want to catch (a cat toy, a twist tie), approach it slowly. Calculate how far away it is, whether it’s likely to run, and the best angle of attack. If you’re marketing a product, make a plan. Put the cart and horse in the right order. Who will you approach? What will you do? How will you close the sale?

Lesson: know what you want and how to get it

Be picky

Cats are notoriously finicky. They’ll eat the stuff in the blue can, but not the green can. The pictures on the boxes both look fine to people, and the food does too. It’s the cat’s opinion that counts. When developing your marketing, pick a niche. Do what appeals to the people in that niche, not what appeals to everyone (or to you).

Lesson: market to your tribe (not everybody)

Photo credit: me

Should You Sell with Emotions or Logic?

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image via Wikipedia

When you’re trying to sell something, especially technology, it can be tempting to make long lists of facts and technical specs: the storage capacity, the number of years of development, the size of the programming team.

All those are useful, but they don’t really sell anything. Logic isn’t what sells.

What really works when you’re selling

The real “sales star” isn’t hard, cold facts. It’s something else entirely.

Something you may not have thought of.

Stories and emotions.

Stories, especially with an emotional punch, sell art. They sell books. And they sell your business too.

We’re hardwired for feelings and stories more than facts. The emotional charge people get from a story helps them remember you, think well of you, and like you.

The story of the painter and the leopard

For example, this one from Canvoo (Clint Watson, the author of the post, used to run an art gallery):

Richard Iams (one of the artists he represented), occasionally painted wildlife. Once, he hired a handler to bring in a leopard (for reference photos). However, the leopard had other ideas, broke away, and leaped on top of Richard. Luckily, he was a large fellow, managed to stay upright, and escaped without harm.

Clint says he sold a lot of paintings telling that story.

Why? Because it made his painting memorable. It also gave the buyers a great story to repeat to their friends.. That made them feel good too. And then those friends could pass the story on to their friends.

Inside the artist’s studio

Here’s another one from Clint’s post:

Brian Kleiwer started telling little stories (via email) to his “tribe” about each painting he created. He’d talk about what he was thinking, how he felt at the time, the music he liked to listen to – things that made a connection between himself, his painting, and his tribe. He sold 82 paintings in around 100 days.

Special delivery

Someone on Amazon bought a copy of a physics textbook. The copy he received had missing pages. He wrote a review on the site, complaining bitterly. The author saw the review, got on a plane (during the holiday season), and personally delivered a brand-new corrected copy of the book.

Emotions beat logic

I guarantee that the people who bought those paintings and the man who bought the textbook all told their friends, their families, and their colleagues the stories about the art and the book.

Were Richard’s paintings suddenly “better”? No, he sold more because the paintings and artwork now came with a good story, which buyers could pass on to their friends and be entertained by.

Brian didn’t suddenly get more talented either. Posting the videos and the behind-the-scenes thoughts created bond between himself and his buyers. People weren’t just buying from an artist, they were buying from a friend; a person they now had an emotional connection with.

Same with the physics textbook. That author went above and beyond any standard expectation of service. He now has a good story too. I bet he sold a lot more textbooks after that!

Telling a story is far more effective than reciting lists of tech specs or rational reasons to buy something (even with tech-oriented businesses). People buy what makes them feel better.

What stories can you tell about your business? And how are you making emotional connections with your clients?