New Brand Life
In its fifty years of business, Roberts Sand Company catered to the needs of contractors by providing rock, soil, sand and gravel for a variety of applications. Faced with a dramatic shift in their customer base because of the decline in construction projects, ALCOM was hired to create a marketing campaign that redefined the company's brand and focused on homeowners, especially older women. This TV ad presents the personal benefit of the products and demonstrates the involvement of the brand in their lifestyle.
We create opportunities for our clients to connect with an audience with whom we can confirm the value being offered and then convert their interest into further engagement.
Our video production division is a great example. Video that provides viewers with credible content is supported by a relaxed production style. Overly-produced video loses that level of concern. Here is a recent production we did for Truck N Car Concepts.
Connect, Confirm, Convert
Texting For Dollars
Truth is, there are more text transmissions sent daily than there are people on the planet. While this continues to add billions of dollars to the profits of telephone companies, what can it do for a local business wanting to tap into the flow. As in every case when it comes to marketing, it is always about balancing the effectiveness of the message with the efficiency of delivery. So, can text advertising, for all of its efficiency, be effective in motivating people to buy?
The strongest argument to be made is based upon the idea that the population of consumers likes the less-intrusive and less time-consuming aspects of text. On some imaginary scale showing the "degree of engagement", text messaging might be on one end of that scale while a lunch meeting would be on the other. In between these two would be, email, e-letters , written letters, and phone conversations.
A text message that can get the point across without requiring more of the recipient than a glance at their cell phone might be ideal if the content of the message is instrumental in nature. For example, one of our clients uses our TextMarket service to regularly send texts to his restaurant customers informing them of daily specials. "99 cent tacos, 4p to 11p dine-in only" might be the entire message. He has declared repeatedly how effective this strategy has been for his sales. "We get 30 per cent response rates, when our old printed coupons might bring 1 or 2 per cent for the same offer." And why does this work so well?
Think about the fact that this simple text message is being sent to an individual who has chosen to opt in to this special group of customers. They are a fan and this message reinforces that fact while rewarding them for their loyalty. And more so, it is immediate, simple, (and perhaps this is the most significant point) it fits into the time-flow of a person's daily activity without requiring unwanted engagement. No web site to visit, no print out required, no coupon to clip, and no response required other than showing up at the right time and showing the text message to the server. Pretty simple. Very effective. Brilliantly efficient.
The Intrigue Of Vulnerability
We live in a time and a society that suffers from massive paranoia at a meta-cultural level. It has infected the post-modern world. The root of this epidemic fear is in the loss of connection to self-awareness. We are afraid to look inward, and more so, afraid of others seeing who we are.
Morgan Sorne explores this tragic dilema in his art and music. Here is an example.
Morgan Sorne explores this tragic dilema in his art and music. Here is an example.
Golden Death Chant from Morgan Sorne on Vimeo.
The Tallahassee Food Challenge
ALCOM provides services to our clients within four major divisions: Communication Tools; Advertising Creation and Placement; Internet Solutions; Events and Promotions. This later category offers huge payoffs in public relations/image managment objectives.
The Tallahassee Food Challenge is a good example of one of these.
The Tallahassee Food Challenge is a good example of one of these.
The River
Feel overwhelmed with all of the technology choices that are now available? I have spent the last 32 years in advertising, media management, and marketing and on most days, I feel as though I am standing at the edge of the Mississippi River. The massive flow of information and technology that is growing exponentially every moment is staggering. The impact of the "nuclear age" in the 1950's pales in comparison to how this is redefining our world. What does it all mean?
Truth is, nobody knows. Nobody. What I can tell you is, there is a ship called Facebook that is big enough and open enough to carry all of us on this river. And, at least for now, each of us have the power to influence its direction and establish for ourselves a point of contact where we can do business, we can stay informed, and even direct others to various "Ports of Call".
You may not think so now, but get on board and you will find yourself being carried along into greater opportunity and greater understanding. The alternative is to simply stand and watch it all flow past you.
Don't Shoot The Messenger
When the results of our advertising efforts disappoint us, often times we blame the medium we have chosen to deliver our message. It's been my observation that the radio, TV, on-line, outdoor, direct-mail or whatever we've utilized has done just what it was designed to do. The problem lies with our unskillful, or unplanned use of it. A more lengthy discussion of this point can be found at "Another Urban Legend Foiled".
Here, I want us to consider "social media" as these are loosely referred to when talking about Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and the like. These more recently-developed on-line communication tools have empowered the population with unprecedented control. The problem remains, as with all media, how best to apply each one and in concert. We must also ask how these are best used in coordination with other media.
The good news is, there are not as many rules for social media as there are for traditional media. These are still emerging and like any virgin territory, this process is guided by those in power. But this time, those in power are those who comprise the populace of users. While certainly, the purveyors of the service still hold title to the "land" and have control over the general structure, it's much more like the fence around the school yard that defines the area but allows you to do what you will with the space.
Unlike the days when a generation ago we all sat around glowing television sets and waited for the three networks to tell us how it was going to be, now, we decide that with every interaction, every posting, every key stroke. It truly is revolutionary. Of course some people want to apply the rules of the prior to this new environment, but it doesn't work.
An example of this is illustrated in the comments I received from a friend who told me that someone else had complained to him about me promoting one of our clients by inviting my Facebook friends to patronize the client's restaurant. "He's just doing that to profit his own business" this person complained. Right. Of course I did. What this person doesn't understand is the position any of us, and all of us occupy within this medium: we are the programmers. We are the network. We decide. And my decision to invite my friends is no different than one of the television networks inviting its viewers to patronize one of its advertisers. As to credibility, my position as a Facebook user, is much more vulnerable than a TV broadcaster. It's my personal reputation that's on the line and that of my company. So, to me, this encourages a greater degree of socially responsible behavior. I can't hide behind a corporate veil or assume some third-party immunity. The forces of free-market enterprise will continue to be in play. If my attempts are unsuccessful, I will have to modify or suffer loss.
As we go forward through this unexplored opportunity for communication, I suggest we all relax and try to enjoy the ride. We will continue to discover ways to make it work even more efficiently and effectively. We will continue to invent unique applications that can be incorporated into our "play". This may be bad news for those who are stuck in a traditional frame of mind, but for the rest of us, it is the most exciting time of our marketing and advertising lives.
Up Your Sales
"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails."
-- John Maxwell The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Some years ago, my sons and I set off with a group of other dads and their sons for a wilderness adventure. The idea was to travel to a remote area, rent some canoes and spend the next three days in the wilderness of the West Florida panhandle, camping and canoing our way down the Blackcreek river. (I have to tell you that these kind of stories are full of parallel for me, so in the interest of your time and attention, I will spare you all of that and cut to the chase.)
One of these dads was my good friend Marvin. He had made the trip with two of his three sons, Justin and Jordan. And, to appreciate his significance in this tale, you need to know that Marvin is man of great precision. He plans his next move carefully and then executes that move accurately. What makes this particularly meaningful here is that he does all of this without hesitation. He adjusts quickly to the conditions in front of him, moment by moment. This ability has served him well in business and, I might add, has made him a formidable opponent in racket ball.
Upon this ocassion of our wilderness adventure, the difference in approach was remarkably clear. The rest of us dads did our best to negotiate the rocks, the shallows and the submerged logs that challenged us at every turn. Some of us did ok. A few got stuck and others flipped over more than once. Eventually, we all made it to our destination. But then, there was Marvin. True to his nature, he carefully selected each move, executed flawlessly and seemed to glide past the rest of us as we each struggled in our own way.
By now you see where I am going with this and I won't presume to suggest that you have not already thought of how you need to adjust your marketing and sales plans to better negotiate the shifting conditions of our current economy. What I am suggesting is that you keep an eye on emerging technologies and marketing tools that can help you make these adjustments. After all, the companies that are responsible for this innovation too are subject to these same conditions and are looking for novel solutions and new methodologies.
One example is Text Marketing. With the increasing reliance of mobile phone users on text messaging, this emerging communication tool is reaching new heights in efficiency, economy of scale and engagement. Recipients are getting alerted to special menu items, stock prices, MLS listing information, free seminars and weather forcasts. For our part, ALCOM has introduced TextMarket.com to provide our clients with this resource. It has already proven to be quite useful by increasing sales for one restaurant that notifies its VIP Club members of mid-week specials. They are adding significant sales each week with no incremental cost. At a time when ad costs have been prohibitive, Text Marketing is providing a remarkable solution.
Over the next hill
All of us are faced with a down market and an up supply no matter what we're selling. The last two decades of expansion, mobilization, radical technologies, the personalization of merchandising and a more sophisticated buying culture have brought us to an unprecedented level of product and service provision.
We offer one another more choices, faster delivery, more flexible terms and a depth of options unparalleled in our history. Look within your own industry. From law to consumer goods, have you ever witnessed the proliferation of specialization and innovation?
With our shelves, and warehouses full of consumer choices, consumers find themselves unable to buy. Restricted credit, limited cash, diminished equities, and the agony of a terribly uncertain future add up to consumer frustration. Just as the abundance of innovation has arrived, we are kept from acquiring it.
Sales professionals are trained to help buyers get pasted their objections by directing them to the ultimate core benefit of the product or service they are offering. But how do we satisfy an objection that is the size and nature of the culture within which we all live. The answer is, we have to redefine the problem.
We must see that our problem is not our problem. Our problem is that we think our problem is our problem and we must change that thought. We must focus on what is ahead; where our buyers will be within the next three to five years. Like being at the bottom of a big hill we are about to climb, we must focus on what we imagine is waiting for us just beyond.
As an example, our company now offers SMS text messaging to our clients who want to create a special relationship channel with their customers. One of these clients is a realtor who looks at those people now between twenty-five and thirty years old and knows that they are the next first-time home buyers. He also knows that they rely on text messaging, Facebook and web sites to stay connected and make buying decisions. He is looking beyond the current down market. We are helping capture these new buyers and prepare for what lies ahead.
Yes, we have a mountain of opportunity in front of us. As you adjust costs and inventories to maintain balance in the current culture, select marketing tools like these that will position you to make that climb
We offer one another more choices, faster delivery, more flexible terms and a depth of options unparalleled in our history. Look within your own industry. From law to consumer goods, have you ever witnessed the proliferation of specialization and innovation?
With our shelves, and warehouses full of consumer choices, consumers find themselves unable to buy. Restricted credit, limited cash, diminished equities, and the agony of a terribly uncertain future add up to consumer frustration. Just as the abundance of innovation has arrived, we are kept from acquiring it.
Sales professionals are trained to help buyers get pasted their objections by directing them to the ultimate core benefit of the product or service they are offering. But how do we satisfy an objection that is the size and nature of the culture within which we all live. The answer is, we have to redefine the problem.
We must see that our problem is not our problem. Our problem is that we think our problem is our problem and we must change that thought. We must focus on what is ahead; where our buyers will be within the next three to five years. Like being at the bottom of a big hill we are about to climb, we must focus on what we imagine is waiting for us just beyond.
As an example, our company now offers SMS text messaging to our clients who want to create a special relationship channel with their customers. One of these clients is a realtor who looks at those people now between twenty-five and thirty years old and knows that they are the next first-time home buyers. He also knows that they rely on text messaging, Facebook and web sites to stay connected and make buying decisions. He is looking beyond the current down market. We are helping capture these new buyers and prepare for what lies ahead.
Yes, we have a mountain of opportunity in front of us. As you adjust costs and inventories to maintain balance in the current culture, select marketing tools like these that will position you to make that climb
Marketing for a brave new world
While you are reading this article, the web is changing. And it will have changed again by this time tomorrow. The web is a powerfully dynamic phenomenon. While some saw the burst of the dot-com bubble in 2001 as evidence that the web was drastically over-rated, the shakeout has been in fact a re-definition and re-shaping of what the web really means. To quote Tim O'Reilly "the web [is] more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity." (What Is Web 2.0:Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software) by Tim O'Reilly 09/30/2005.
In fact, the web is constantly evolving, changing. And with it, so are we. The way we connect, we learn, we buy and sell, even the way we define who we are is evolving exponentially. It's not just that the old rules don't apply. There are no rules. It's not about 'thinking outside the box'. It's about continually re-defining how the box is made and how freely we can move in and out of it.
So my friends, we are the brave new world of web-connected opportunity. All of us. And one of the most exciting features of this new world is the empowerment of the individual to a level that is unprecedented. Not only do we have access on a global scale, we have an equal opportunity to invest in this world and shape it as it continues to grow.
For those who claim to know more about how to communicate and advertise in this world, we are only fellow passengers who remember passing this way before, but never at this speed and never when even the least experienced can quickly learn to navigate the mother ship we have boarded.
While we are making this journey, ALCOM represents a gathering of fellow passengers whose charge is the offering of assistance and instruction. We are here to help you chart your own path. We focus our knowledge and resources upon your growth objectives. We look forward to making your acquaintance. Happy travels.
In fact, the web is constantly evolving, changing. And with it, so are we. The way we connect, we learn, we buy and sell, even the way we define who we are is evolving exponentially. It's not just that the old rules don't apply. There are no rules. It's not about 'thinking outside the box'. It's about continually re-defining how the box is made and how freely we can move in and out of it.
So my friends, we are the brave new world of web-connected opportunity. All of us. And one of the most exciting features of this new world is the empowerment of the individual to a level that is unprecedented. Not only do we have access on a global scale, we have an equal opportunity to invest in this world and shape it as it continues to grow.For those who claim to know more about how to communicate and advertise in this world, we are only fellow passengers who remember passing this way before, but never at this speed and never when even the least experienced can quickly learn to navigate the mother ship we have boarded.
While we are making this journey, ALCOM represents a gathering of fellow passengers whose charge is the offering of assistance and instruction. We are here to help you chart your own path. We focus our knowledge and resources upon your growth objectives. We look forward to making your acquaintance. Happy travels.
Your Message In 30 Seconds Or Less
“Everybody experiences far more than he understands. Yet it is experience, rather than understanding, that influences behavior.”
Marshall McLuhan 1911-1980 Communications theorist
We live in a time when all of us are inundated with information on a daily basis at a rate that is unparalleled in history. In addition, all of us are “time poor”. More than ever, we are faced with managing personal, family, business, civic and religious activities, each of which are equally demanding.
For all of us, it means that in our communication with one another, we must be increasingly efficient, effective, and accurate. Our respective audience is unlikely to have much patience with us if we cannot get our point across within a short period of time. Likewise, we must be careful to use language that our audience easily comprehends in the manner we intend it to be understood. We must take into account the language of the day, of the sub-culture, even the individual group we are speaking to. If we are to be clearly understood, we must be concise, consistent, simple and direct.
Here are ten rules of communication that will help us in this endeavor*
1. Speak in simple terms avoiding big words when a small one will do.
2. Be brief. Use short sentences. Aim for thirty seconds or less.
3. Demonstrate credibility about your subject.
4. Be consistent in your message.
5. Offer a novel way of thinking about an old idea.
6. Observe the sound, tempo and texture of your voice.
7. Inspire others with your aspiration to deliver on a promise.
8. Use vivid words to help your audience visualize.
9. Ask questions more than giving answers.
10. Provide context. Explain why your message is important at the moment.
*adapted from “Words That Work” by Dr. Frank Luntz, 2007
Networking Clubs: sharing the wealth
(Quoting Bob Burg) “Alison Oliver, an account executive for a billboard company, was nervous about her brief luncheon appointment with a corporate buyer. He had been tough on the phone, and she was not looking forward to a battle over soup and salad.
‘We met for 1 hour and 15 minutes,’ Alison said, ‘even though it was obvious he had planned on a much shorter meeting. All I did was talk about his favorite subject---him! Within a week I made the sale and he personally called my boss to commend me on my selling skills.’ ” (Bob Burg, Endless Referrals, McGraw Hill, 1999.)
Networking is a marvelous thing. It is an effective means of advancing one’s marketing objectives in a simple, relatively low-cost manner. It lends itself well to any business category and can be managed with a simple contact management apparatus. Likewise, as my opening illustration demonstrates, it is unparalleled in providing you access to the buyer’s psyche.
As efficiencies go, here it lacks appeal. By its very nature, it is a more time-consuming activity for the individual than, let’s say, Outdoor advertising. Your direct contacts via networking may amount to 40 or 50 a day, if you are really working it. With one billboard you may be reaching 35,000 people a day. I only make the point to emphasize how important it is to make sure you are networking the right way. Since networking is relatively inefficient, you must make sure to approach every contact as effectively as you can. The incremental cost is simply too high to do otherwise.
Locally, there are many fine examples of networking groups and clubs. Here I refer to those organizations that meet for the express purpose of exchanging sales opportunities like TIPS Club, Tallahassee 100, and the Chamber’s many Leads groups. I am fortunate enough to belong to a couple of these and know first-hand the benefits of membership and the dynamics involved in effective participation.
For the uninitiated, pick up a copy of Bob Burg’s book and begin applying the generous directions he supplies the reader. Secondly, join a networking group. Join several if you can. Find what works for you in time and place, but just do it. Go in asking yourself the question: “How can I contribute to each one of these people.” To think more about what you can get out of it will decidedly work against you. Not only will it be clear to everyone else that you are self-oriented, but you will heighten your impatience over waiting to “score”. Bring to the table whatever skill, resource(s), contact information, professional opinion, you can offer. Find out what other folks need and in some way help fulfill it.
For those of us who have been at this awhile and especially for those who have been wondering if it is really worth it, consider your network of group members not just “sales associates”. These people are an able team of professionals to whom you can go for advice and to whom you can refer others in a reciprocal manner. Many times it may have little to do with making you money. Nothing affirms the self-esteem of another more than to be consulted for an opinion. Not only do we like to talk about ourselves, we like to share what we know. In so doing, we are building a bridge of confidence that we can travel frequently and at ease.
Recently, I had opportunity to consult a group member regarding a need for an item that this individual didn’t provide, but, I knew he would know someone who did. It worked. Within the same day, coincidentally, I received a call from a man in Tampa looking for a service in Tallahassee that our company doesn’t provide, but I gave him the names of two local companies that I felt certain would help him. He was referred to me by another club member.
Next time you attend a networking club meeting, look around you at the wealth of professional ability represented. Decide to go beyond sharing leads and contact information. Look for ways to apply what you do, or what you know. Offer yourself in the best way you can to benefit all.
‘We met for 1 hour and 15 minutes,’ Alison said, ‘even though it was obvious he had planned on a much shorter meeting. All I did was talk about his favorite subject---him! Within a week I made the sale and he personally called my boss to commend me on my selling skills.’ ” (Bob Burg, Endless Referrals, McGraw Hill, 1999.)
Networking is a marvelous thing. It is an effective means of advancing one’s marketing objectives in a simple, relatively low-cost manner. It lends itself well to any business category and can be managed with a simple contact management apparatus. Likewise, as my opening illustration demonstrates, it is unparalleled in providing you access to the buyer’s psyche.
As efficiencies go, here it lacks appeal. By its very nature, it is a more time-consuming activity for the individual than, let’s say, Outdoor advertising. Your direct contacts via networking may amount to 40 or 50 a day, if you are really working it. With one billboard you may be reaching 35,000 people a day. I only make the point to emphasize how important it is to make sure you are networking the right way. Since networking is relatively inefficient, you must make sure to approach every contact as effectively as you can. The incremental cost is simply too high to do otherwise.
Locally, there are many fine examples of networking groups and clubs. Here I refer to those organizations that meet for the express purpose of exchanging sales opportunities like TIPS Club, Tallahassee 100, and the Chamber’s many Leads groups. I am fortunate enough to belong to a couple of these and know first-hand the benefits of membership and the dynamics involved in effective participation.
For the uninitiated, pick up a copy of Bob Burg’s book and begin applying the generous directions he supplies the reader. Secondly, join a networking group. Join several if you can. Find what works for you in time and place, but just do it. Go in asking yourself the question: “How can I contribute to each one of these people.” To think more about what you can get out of it will decidedly work against you. Not only will it be clear to everyone else that you are self-oriented, but you will heighten your impatience over waiting to “score”. Bring to the table whatever skill, resource(s), contact information, professional opinion, you can offer. Find out what other folks need and in some way help fulfill it.
For those of us who have been at this awhile and especially for those who have been wondering if it is really worth it, consider your network of group members not just “sales associates”. These people are an able team of professionals to whom you can go for advice and to whom you can refer others in a reciprocal manner. Many times it may have little to do with making you money. Nothing affirms the self-esteem of another more than to be consulted for an opinion. Not only do we like to talk about ourselves, we like to share what we know. In so doing, we are building a bridge of confidence that we can travel frequently and at ease.
Recently, I had opportunity to consult a group member regarding a need for an item that this individual didn’t provide, but, I knew he would know someone who did. It worked. Within the same day, coincidentally, I received a call from a man in Tampa looking for a service in Tallahassee that our company doesn’t provide, but I gave him the names of two local companies that I felt certain would help him. He was referred to me by another club member.
Next time you attend a networking club meeting, look around you at the wealth of professional ability represented. Decide to go beyond sharing leads and contact information. Look for ways to apply what you do, or what you know. Offer yourself in the best way you can to benefit all.
Keeping your customer: the courtesy of telephone on-hold messaging.
“Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans”
Next time you are asked to “hold”, listen carefully. What you hear will tell you a great deal about the business you are dealing with and the people on the other end of the phone. To hear nothing, by today's electronic standards is ambiguous at best. Okay, maybe they are trying to respect your need for silence, or did they just cut you off? If you are confronted with one of the employee’s favorite rock stations, you may be lucky enough to enjoy the same music, but are these folks too cheap to give you something of greater value? What if you were to hear information that is responsive to your “need to know” and aimed at expanding your appreciation of all that this business has to offer you. What if the language was so well timed and well crafted that you didn’t feel patronized and you didn’t get bored. You might even wish to hold a bit longer just to finish up on what you’ve been learning. This is a business that is paying attention instead of ignoring the needs of its callers.
Perhaps the ultimate insult is to be simply ignored. It’s because we need to know we “count.” We spend our lives in search of significance. We seek out relationships that affirm our value. When someone confirms our belonging, it strengthens our sense of self-worth. To be disconfirmed is to be told we don’t exist. A responsive telephone on-hold message is a key ingredient in affirming our importance to the business.
A generation ago, this wisdom was evident in the institutions that we so highly value: our schools, our businesses, our families, religion, politics, and even our recreation. There was about us a sense of propriety; a kind of mutual respect for one another that was based in a mutual regard for ideals and ideas deemed larger than ourselves, and thought to be enduring well beyond our collectivity. This mutual respect was embodied in these institutions and carried out in everyday mundane activities: the white-gloved, uniformed doorman at the department store, the gas-station attendant who cleaned your windshields and checked your oil, the table manners, the respect for authority, and the value of giving one’s word of promise.
The coming of a new era that further declared the equality of all sought to rid us of stereotypic forms and bring needed relief from race, class, and gender-based divisions. At the same time, these sweeping changes swept aside the notion that to serve one another in any capacity is noble. As it is, we can’t even drive down the street without fighting for position. This drive for individualism has been fueled in no small way by the electronic technology that further liberates us from relying on one another. Now, we don’t even have to wait for the movie theater. We can demand video entertainment, when and where we want it. Almost half of our meals are handed to us by people we don’t know in places we only visit. In the process, we have ignored our mutual need for affirmation. We all have been so determined to declare our individual worth and liberty we have come to believe we are the best ones to do it. We have forgotten how to humble ourselves in these everyday transactions while each of us take turns affirming one another.
While many may see this movement as progressive, there is a growing discontent especially among the next generation based in what is considered by some a “service crisis”. We still need others to acknowledge us by affording us what once were considered “common courtesies” but these have gone to the wayside. The yearning is so great, that more businesses are restructuring their business model to include the broader needs of their customers rather than simply delivering a product more efficiently. And this is where our technology can be just as useful. Well-produced on-hold messages can easily address the broader needs and interests of callers and give them that additional courtesy and affirmation that so often goes missing.
With current technology, telephone on-hold messaging has the ability to seamlessly integrate timely information with a universe of available production music to suite any taste. With internet exchange, recordings can be updated quickly, frequently, and affordably when only a decade ago, such was reserved for only large companies with big marketing budgets. Now, every business can join the coming “service revolution” and seeking out telephone on-hold companies that provide such service is a great place to start.
Next time you are asked to “hold”, listen carefully. What you hear will tell you a great deal about the business you are dealing with and the people on the other end of the phone. To hear nothing, by today's electronic standards is ambiguous at best. Okay, maybe they are trying to respect your need for silence, or did they just cut you off? If you are confronted with one of the employee’s favorite rock stations, you may be lucky enough to enjoy the same music, but are these folks too cheap to give you something of greater value? What if you were to hear information that is responsive to your “need to know” and aimed at expanding your appreciation of all that this business has to offer you. What if the language was so well timed and well crafted that you didn’t feel patronized and you didn’t get bored. You might even wish to hold a bit longer just to finish up on what you’ve been learning. This is a business that is paying attention instead of ignoring the needs of its callers.
Perhaps the ultimate insult is to be simply ignored. It’s because we need to know we “count.” We spend our lives in search of significance. We seek out relationships that affirm our value. When someone confirms our belonging, it strengthens our sense of self-worth. To be disconfirmed is to be told we don’t exist. A responsive telephone on-hold message is a key ingredient in affirming our importance to the business.
A generation ago, this wisdom was evident in the institutions that we so highly value: our schools, our businesses, our families, religion, politics, and even our recreation. There was about us a sense of propriety; a kind of mutual respect for one another that was based in a mutual regard for ideals and ideas deemed larger than ourselves, and thought to be enduring well beyond our collectivity. This mutual respect was embodied in these institutions and carried out in everyday mundane activities: the white-gloved, uniformed doorman at the department store, the gas-station attendant who cleaned your windshields and checked your oil, the table manners, the respect for authority, and the value of giving one’s word of promise.
The coming of a new era that further declared the equality of all sought to rid us of stereotypic forms and bring needed relief from race, class, and gender-based divisions. At the same time, these sweeping changes swept aside the notion that to serve one another in any capacity is noble. As it is, we can’t even drive down the street without fighting for position. This drive for individualism has been fueled in no small way by the electronic technology that further liberates us from relying on one another. Now, we don’t even have to wait for the movie theater. We can demand video entertainment, when and where we want it. Almost half of our meals are handed to us by people we don’t know in places we only visit. In the process, we have ignored our mutual need for affirmation. We all have been so determined to declare our individual worth and liberty we have come to believe we are the best ones to do it. We have forgotten how to humble ourselves in these everyday transactions while each of us take turns affirming one another.
While many may see this movement as progressive, there is a growing discontent especially among the next generation based in what is considered by some a “service crisis”. We still need others to acknowledge us by affording us what once were considered “common courtesies” but these have gone to the wayside. The yearning is so great, that more businesses are restructuring their business model to include the broader needs of their customers rather than simply delivering a product more efficiently. And this is where our technology can be just as useful. Well-produced on-hold messages can easily address the broader needs and interests of callers and give them that additional courtesy and affirmation that so often goes missing.
With current technology, telephone on-hold messaging has the ability to seamlessly integrate timely information with a universe of available production music to suite any taste. With internet exchange, recordings can be updated quickly, frequently, and affordably when only a decade ago, such was reserved for only large companies with big marketing budgets. Now, every business can join the coming “service revolution” and seeking out telephone on-hold companies that provide such service is a great place to start.
The Sales Profession: a few points for sellers and buyers
“Everyone lives by selling something.”
Robert Louis Stevenson 1850-1895 Essayist, Poet, Novelist
When I was seven years old, I made my first sales call. My mother had sent me to the neighbor’s house two doors down to sell radishes she had grown. She grew a lot of things in that backyard garden; radishes, strawberries, pumpkins, peas, beans. Whenever she had more than we needed, she would sell the surplus around the neighborhood to help pay for gardening supplies. For me, it was a lesson in capitalism at its finest.
It was a quieter, safer time. Like all the kids in the neighborhood, I knew I would be alright walking to a neighbor’s house by myself. Honestly, my biggest fear was that I might drop this huge basket of radishes along the way. I kept a steady grip and made my way to their front door. This was it. I was ready to make my pitch. I pushed the doorbell and waited.
Mrs. Hill was a soft-spoken woman, rather plain, yet pretty. She looked at me with a bit of surprise, but after a moment she seemed to understand my mission and greeted me in her usual warm manner. “What do you have here?” she chimed. I looked at the many bunches of radishes in my basket, each neatly tied with white cotton string and laid bulb-side-up so that they showed off their bright-red freshness. (My mother was a savvy marketer). “Radishes”, I said with excitement. “Yes, and are you selling these radishes?” “Yes”, I squeaked. “Uh-huh, and how much are your radishes?” Like most buyers, Mrs. Hill liked to know the price before I had a chance to sell her the benefits.
Selling is a profession, no less than law, engineering, or medicine. Like every profession, it is governed by a set of applied practices, rules, technical procedures, and in general a methodology that is carefully maintained and passed on by those within the field. Unfortunately, most sales people are never given that sort of training. Most often, they are given a list of prospects, loaded up with sales material and sent out. Such was my situation at seven.
I could feel my hands trembling and my lip quivering as I struggled to give an answer to Mrs. Hill’s simple question: “How much are your radishes?” Unfortunately, I could not remember the price. It had a five in it. Was that five dollars, five cents, or maybe fifty cents. Red-faced and fumbling, I stammered a bit. Mrs. Hill was kind enough not to drag me through any further embarrassment and offered to call my mother.
Turned out, the radishes were five cents a bunch, not five dollars. Mrs. Hill bought two and I put the dime in my pocket. And while the lessons to be learned from such an early introduction are abundant, let me point to a couple of things that I want to emphasize:
$ Being fully prepared with the facts; knowing one’s product inside and out; paying attention to all of the details involved with the use, the consumption, the application of one’s product or service: these are fundamental. But, even more so, knowing what to do when the unexpected happens. This is professional.
$ Be prepared. Study your profession, not just your product or service. If management is not doing this for you, do it for yourself. Libraries and bookstores are good for this.
$ Know the answers. At least have the basic information in your head so that you can respond with more than a glazed stare. At seven this is understandable. As a professional it’s unforgivable.
$ Be honest. If you don’t know the answer to a question you have just been asked, just say: “I don’t know, but I can find out”. Can I tell you how often sales people will try to make up an answer for me in an attempt to cover their shortage of information?
$ Never follow-up a previous sales call unless you have something more to add to the dialogue, a price adjustment, additional value, a clarification of a benefit. Don’t be like the kid in the back seat droning “are we there yet.”
Now, for those who are on the buying side: remember Mrs. Hill. Be gracious enough to assume that the sales professional you are dealing with has something worthwhile to tell you. Here are few other ideas:
$ Treat the sales professional like a professional not your antagonist. Expect that she or he is well-prepared to answer all of your questions and willing to respond to your requests.
$ Return calls, even if this is delegated. Not to do so betrays your professionalism.
$ If you are not “sold” on the purchase being proposed, don’t say “I’m not interested”. Of course you’re not. That’s why the sales rep called you. Rather, ask a question or two, like: “What benefit will this bring my business?” Why should I buy it from you, and not your competitor?”
Brien R. Sörne
brien@alcommarketing.com
850.385.7762
Copyright 2004. ALCOM, Inc. All rights reserved.
Robert Louis Stevenson 1850-1895 Essayist, Poet, Novelist
When I was seven years old, I made my first sales call. My mother had sent me to the neighbor’s house two doors down to sell radishes she had grown. She grew a lot of things in that backyard garden; radishes, strawberries, pumpkins, peas, beans. Whenever she had more than we needed, she would sell the surplus around the neighborhood to help pay for gardening supplies. For me, it was a lesson in capitalism at its finest.
It was a quieter, safer time. Like all the kids in the neighborhood, I knew I would be alright walking to a neighbor’s house by myself. Honestly, my biggest fear was that I might drop this huge basket of radishes along the way. I kept a steady grip and made my way to their front door. This was it. I was ready to make my pitch. I pushed the doorbell and waited.
Mrs. Hill was a soft-spoken woman, rather plain, yet pretty. She looked at me with a bit of surprise, but after a moment she seemed to understand my mission and greeted me in her usual warm manner. “What do you have here?” she chimed. I looked at the many bunches of radishes in my basket, each neatly tied with white cotton string and laid bulb-side-up so that they showed off their bright-red freshness. (My mother was a savvy marketer). “Radishes”, I said with excitement. “Yes, and are you selling these radishes?” “Yes”, I squeaked. “Uh-huh, and how much are your radishes?” Like most buyers, Mrs. Hill liked to know the price before I had a chance to sell her the benefits.
Selling is a profession, no less than law, engineering, or medicine. Like every profession, it is governed by a set of applied practices, rules, technical procedures, and in general a methodology that is carefully maintained and passed on by those within the field. Unfortunately, most sales people are never given that sort of training. Most often, they are given a list of prospects, loaded up with sales material and sent out. Such was my situation at seven.
I could feel my hands trembling and my lip quivering as I struggled to give an answer to Mrs. Hill’s simple question: “How much are your radishes?” Unfortunately, I could not remember the price. It had a five in it. Was that five dollars, five cents, or maybe fifty cents. Red-faced and fumbling, I stammered a bit. Mrs. Hill was kind enough not to drag me through any further embarrassment and offered to call my mother.
Turned out, the radishes were five cents a bunch, not five dollars. Mrs. Hill bought two and I put the dime in my pocket. And while the lessons to be learned from such an early introduction are abundant, let me point to a couple of things that I want to emphasize:
$ Being fully prepared with the facts; knowing one’s product inside and out; paying attention to all of the details involved with the use, the consumption, the application of one’s product or service: these are fundamental. But, even more so, knowing what to do when the unexpected happens. This is professional.
$ Be prepared. Study your profession, not just your product or service. If management is not doing this for you, do it for yourself. Libraries and bookstores are good for this.
$ Know the answers. At least have the basic information in your head so that you can respond with more than a glazed stare. At seven this is understandable. As a professional it’s unforgivable.
$ Be honest. If you don’t know the answer to a question you have just been asked, just say: “I don’t know, but I can find out”. Can I tell you how often sales people will try to make up an answer for me in an attempt to cover their shortage of information?
$ Never follow-up a previous sales call unless you have something more to add to the dialogue, a price adjustment, additional value, a clarification of a benefit. Don’t be like the kid in the back seat droning “are we there yet.”
Now, for those who are on the buying side: remember Mrs. Hill. Be gracious enough to assume that the sales professional you are dealing with has something worthwhile to tell you. Here are few other ideas:
$ Treat the sales professional like a professional not your antagonist. Expect that she or he is well-prepared to answer all of your questions and willing to respond to your requests.
$ Return calls, even if this is delegated. Not to do so betrays your professionalism.
$ If you are not “sold” on the purchase being proposed, don’t say “I’m not interested”. Of course you’re not. That’s why the sales rep called you. Rather, ask a question or two, like: “What benefit will this bring my business?” Why should I buy it from you, and not your competitor?”
Brien R. Sörne
brien@alcommarketing.com
850.385.7762
Copyright 2004. ALCOM, Inc. All rights reserved.
Another urban legend foiled
Advertising: Which Half is Working?
Another urban legend foiled: not just half of your advertising is working—it’s all working! That is to say, it is being viewed or heard or read by someone, somewhere within the consuming audience of that medium. As such, it is “working” to create a lasting impression, or drive sales, or position the business name, or even boost company morale. That doesn’t mean it is working to achieve your particular objective. The manner in which you have chosen to advertise may not be the most effective and/or the most efficient for the message you’re trying to convey. The first step is to consider whether the content of your message matches the context of the medium you have chosen.
Perhaps you have said this: “We tried [radio, tv, newspaper, outdoor, etc] …it doesn’t work.” When I am presented with such a claim, I first review the content and the intention of the advertising. As I do so, I find it useful to apply Marshall McLuhan’s (1967) assertion: the “medium is the message”. Okay… but if that’s true shouldn’t we consider what is the medium saying? Further, are all media saying the same thing? And, is this “medium message”, or what some call the meta-message consistent with the content of our advertising, not to mention, our overall marketing objectives?
If you agree with any of this, permit me further to assert that each medium delivers one meta message unique to its domain and this must be the basis of our selection. Audience size, cost efficiency, geography, and demography, even ad composition all come after this consideration. That’s why you don’t see doctors and lawyers driving around with magnetic signs on their cars. We all know it intuitively. No matter how informative or how attractive, the message is all wrong.
Matching up your message, your target, and your objective with the right medium at the right time is fundamental to the game. For sure, if you are not doing this part right— and this part you do control, it is pointless to think that you can expect efficient, effective advertising results.
With good intentions, people run TV ads that amount to the announcer reading newspaper copy. Or vice versa, they place display ads in print that are intended to develop the “image” of the product or the business. TV ads best build image. Print ads best give the details. These folks are not using the meta-message of the medium to their advantage.
How many times have you heard a radio ad that gave you the phone number at the end. Like you’re supposed to remember this. With a few good exceptions, there aren’t too many phone numbers that have a “ring” to them (pardon the pun). Most radio listening is done while driving. So, I guess we’re supposed to cradle the cell phone and steer with our knees while we jot down the number. Radio is best used to convey urgency, not all the details. Get us excited! We’ll look up the number, or find it in the newspaper ad you just told us to be looking for!
A simple rule is to ask: “Why”, “When”, “How”, “Where”, and “Who”. Everyone who ever buys from you will have to answer each of these questions. Each advertising medium: TV, radio, newspaper, outdoor, and direct mail can be matched by their respective ability to answer each of these questions. If you are trying to get people to buy from you “now”, not “later”, use radio to drive your sales incentives. Radio personalities and voice actors are great at getting people pumped about your “event”.
When the objective is to help people find you, select a billboard near your location and give them simple instructions ( a couple of words!) and an arrow if possible. Likewise, Outdoor Advertising can also help to “locate” your business mentally. A billboard can increase awareness by saying figuratively “we are here!” i.e. “we are open and ready to do business”. Meanwhile, TV best answers the question “why” someone should do business with you by virtue of its ability to engage a person emotionally far more than any other medium.
Of course any of these media can be used to answer any of these questions, but, like using a screwdriver handle to drive a nail, though it may eventually get the job done, the time you’ve wasted, and the risk you took in actually doing damage can leave you wondering if any of it is worthwhile…whether any of your advertising is working. The truth is, all advertising works when it is worked in the right way and with respect for your message.
Another urban legend foiled: not just half of your advertising is working—it’s all working! That is to say, it is being viewed or heard or read by someone, somewhere within the consuming audience of that medium. As such, it is “working” to create a lasting impression, or drive sales, or position the business name, or even boost company morale. That doesn’t mean it is working to achieve your particular objective. The manner in which you have chosen to advertise may not be the most effective and/or the most efficient for the message you’re trying to convey. The first step is to consider whether the content of your message matches the context of the medium you have chosen.
Perhaps you have said this: “We tried [radio, tv, newspaper, outdoor, etc] …it doesn’t work.” When I am presented with such a claim, I first review the content and the intention of the advertising. As I do so, I find it useful to apply Marshall McLuhan’s (1967) assertion: the “medium is the message”. Okay… but if that’s true shouldn’t we consider what is the medium saying? Further, are all media saying the same thing? And, is this “medium message”, or what some call the meta-message consistent with the content of our advertising, not to mention, our overall marketing objectives?
If you agree with any of this, permit me further to assert that each medium delivers one meta message unique to its domain and this must be the basis of our selection. Audience size, cost efficiency, geography, and demography, even ad composition all come after this consideration. That’s why you don’t see doctors and lawyers driving around with magnetic signs on their cars. We all know it intuitively. No matter how informative or how attractive, the message is all wrong.
Matching up your message, your target, and your objective with the right medium at the right time is fundamental to the game. For sure, if you are not doing this part right— and this part you do control, it is pointless to think that you can expect efficient, effective advertising results.
With good intentions, people run TV ads that amount to the announcer reading newspaper copy. Or vice versa, they place display ads in print that are intended to develop the “image” of the product or the business. TV ads best build image. Print ads best give the details. These folks are not using the meta-message of the medium to their advantage.
How many times have you heard a radio ad that gave you the phone number at the end. Like you’re supposed to remember this. With a few good exceptions, there aren’t too many phone numbers that have a “ring” to them (pardon the pun). Most radio listening is done while driving. So, I guess we’re supposed to cradle the cell phone and steer with our knees while we jot down the number. Radio is best used to convey urgency, not all the details. Get us excited! We’ll look up the number, or find it in the newspaper ad you just told us to be looking for!
A simple rule is to ask: “Why”, “When”, “How”, “Where”, and “Who”. Everyone who ever buys from you will have to answer each of these questions. Each advertising medium: TV, radio, newspaper, outdoor, and direct mail can be matched by their respective ability to answer each of these questions. If you are trying to get people to buy from you “now”, not “later”, use radio to drive your sales incentives. Radio personalities and voice actors are great at getting people pumped about your “event”.
When the objective is to help people find you, select a billboard near your location and give them simple instructions ( a couple of words!) and an arrow if possible. Likewise, Outdoor Advertising can also help to “locate” your business mentally. A billboard can increase awareness by saying figuratively “we are here!” i.e. “we are open and ready to do business”. Meanwhile, TV best answers the question “why” someone should do business with you by virtue of its ability to engage a person emotionally far more than any other medium.
Of course any of these media can be used to answer any of these questions, but, like using a screwdriver handle to drive a nail, though it may eventually get the job done, the time you’ve wasted, and the risk you took in actually doing damage can leave you wondering if any of it is worthwhile…whether any of your advertising is working. The truth is, all advertising works when it is worked in the right way and with respect for your message.
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