Leading Results

A recent experience got me thinking about the challenges of communicating a new product or service. Not externally to potential customers – most businesses have a process for that (in marketing, PR, signage, etc) – but rather internally, to the people that have to perform the service or sell the product.

There is little that is more frustrating to a potential customer then when they know more about the product/service/price/offering then the sales person they are talking too. This has happened to me twice in the last 2 months, and both times set me back a step.

The first was with AT&T and the new iPhone that just came out. I knew more about the trade in and trade up programs then the sales person working at the AT&T kiosk. I had done my homework before going in to talk with him. His employer had not done their job in getting him ready for that conversation.

The second time, this past week, was at a Dunkin Donuts. Not the most high-end place on the planet, but they have spent a ton of money to introduce their frozen cappuccino (which I like better than a coolatta, because its not as sweet). However, 2 of the past 3 shops I stopped into to get one of these, had no idea how to make them and had to find a manager or get on a phone to ask for help. Needless to say, none of the 3 have tasted the same… So much for franchise consistency.

So, if you are rolling out a new product, or service, or marketing message, take the time to make sure your staff – all your staff – understands what you are doing and how to answer the questions or meet the needs of your customers or prospective customers.

I’ve written a couple times on asking for referrals.  One of the easiest ways to do that is to always have your business card handy, even with associates or business “friends” that see somewhat regularly.  Then, when you are saying goodbye, give them one of your card while specificly saying – “I know you have all my contact info, but could you do me a favor and pass my card along to someone you meet in the next week that you think I could be helpful to?”.

This is an easy way to ask for help without making the other person uncomfortable about saying no or thinking of someone on the spot.  If they really don’t want to refer, all they need to do is to toss your card when you’re no longer around.   And if they do pass it on, odds are, they’ll tell who they gave it to.

Moments of truth.  Those times when the future hinges on what happens next.  Some are big – like a marriage proposal – some are small – like certain questions in a sales call. The one thing I know for sure is that in the current economic environment, you can’t waste a single moment of truth in your business.

Inexperienced sales people sometimes won’t ask a question because they are afraid of the answer.  If a prospect says “no, I am not going to make a decision this week/month/year”, then the sales person has to either follow up to understand why (and see if there is an opening to provide more info) or accept the answer and move onto someone else.  Either way, it means more work for the sales person.

But don’t you want to know where  you stand?  I know I would.  That way I have a realistic pipeline and forecast rather than a hopeful one.  Ask the question. Get the understanding.  Find out where you really stand and what is really going on with your prospects.  Time is the only part of your sales process that is truly in your control.  And in today’s new business reality, you need that time to find prospects and customers that really have a need that they want fulfilled.  Don’t waste your time. Don’t waste a moment of truth.

What do you think?  Let me know your thoughts on time wasters and moments of truth.

Just a quick post to recommend you read this entry from my friend Tim.  He has a great story about mission and being able to easily define why you do what you do – something I wrote around in 2 previous posts – 7 minutes and why do you do what you do.  Take a minute and read – its worth the time.  Read about mission at Insights Four51

Do you sell a business related product or services through a channel? By a channel I mean some other party that is in place between you and the ultimate end customer or consumer. It could be retailers, or dealers, or even multi-level with distributors involved.

If so, then do you know what prospective customers for your products are really saying?  Why are they not purchasing now?  What other solutions to their problem or need are they looking at?  What is causing their fud (fear, uncertainty and doubt)?

If not, here’s an idea.  Invite them to dinner.  Find four to six of your prospective customers in a city and have them join you for dinner for a frank conversation about what they are seeing in their business.  And what their view of the future is.  This is NOT a sales call. Just you and them talking.  This is about listening to what they see happening and giving them a chance to interact with their peers at other companies.  And take good notes.  Later – 1 on 1 – you or your channel can follow up with them to address their specific issues.

Great information. Specific issues. All for the cost dinner (and you’ve got to eat anyway).

(if you do this, leave me a comment back on how it went)

Challenging economic environments should bring out the creativity in your marketing team – and I don’t mean graghics, logos or pictures.   When new customer acquisition is harder, and it seems no one is spending money, you should be looking at your value chain for new business or new sources of revenue.

What’s a value chain?  It’s all those customers you have sold to in the past. Its the suppliers you buy from. Its the former employees that you parted on good terms with. Its the dealers or distributors that take your product to market.  In other words, its everyone that you have had a financial transaction with.

The question you and your marketing and sales teams should be asking go beyond the obvious – how do we sell more (or sell to) this group.  It should be about how you partner with them to drive new revenue for both your firms.  Can you cross sell to their customers and they to yours?  Can you put a complimentary product or service in the marketplace at little incremental cost to either firm?  Can you and a value chain partner go after a completely new market/ segment/ geography together in a way that neither of you could do alone?

You should only do business with people that want to do business with you, but when you find them, figure out how you do more, and do new, more effectively together.

Economic times are difficult – or so the press and the numbers keep repeating.  But many of the small business owners I have been talking with say business is steady – its just the fluff – the inquiries that never amount to anything – that have dropped off.  For them, this means they have an easier time focusing on the customers and prospects that really want to do something and spend money with them.

But that drumbeat from the news is still in the background – and your reaction as a business owner may be to cut back – conserve cash.  Here is some contrary advice – cut back if you must, but don’t cut your marketing budget.  Why not?  Well, because everyone else is!  Huh? you say?

Marketing is about reaching the people who will want your product or service with some level of frequency.  It means cutting through the clutter and getting their attention.  Well, if everyone else is cutting back on marketing, it means there is less clutter for you to cut through.  Media and marketing services are more negotiable in tough times – so you can get more for your money – more frequency.

So there it is in a nutshell – cut back where you have to – cut out the fluff or the fat – but marketing is the meat that will drive your business and there is no time like a down-time to spend at a steady rate and get more for your investment.  Let me know what you think!

I had to relay this story from a recent airline trip.  I was sitting on a Southwest flight during a Chicago stopover.  The flight attendant and the guy in the seat next to me where chatting about the laptop he was using.  The flight attendant commented that she was in the market for a new Laptop and liked his because it was so small.  What a perfect set up for good word of mouth PR.  So what did he say?

He looked right at her and said “buy a mac”.  She kind of looked at him and said why and his answer was simply that it was too hard to find a new pc without Vista on it.  And then the audience chimed in.  The guy on the other side of the aisle said that he had a PC for work but was all Mac at home.   The woman behind said she swears by her Mac, another commented on how much he hates Vista and I had to chime in with my wife’s comment on her Mac (versus my PC) – she always says ” it just works”. 

So the Mac guys – actually, the Mac people were right there on the plane, and no amount of “I’m a PC” advertising was going to overcome the bad press that Microsoft has had with Vista (at least in that audience).  The lessons from a former boss were ringing in my ears ” you never have to recover from a great start”.

Please don’t read me wrong (or slam me in mac vs PC comments) - my career is built on Windows (XP) – and with a great IT department behind me and all the remote access and complex software I run, it is a lifeline.  But for the personal user – the home user, do you think the Mac ads are having an effect?  You betcha!

How do you deal with a really frustrated customer?  Do you just hope they’ll go away?  or do you make you best efforts to try to satisfy them with a mutually agreeable outcome?  The internet, and especially blogs like this one, have given consumers a voice that you, as a vendor, can not compete with.

Large companies are getting smart about getting community feedback, and companies like Communispace are giving them ways to get customer feedback real time and in the market research phase. So they are being pro-active.

But what about you?  How will you react when a customer gets mad and posts information about their experience with you?  How will you avoid the situation in the first place.  Make sure you know the answer before it happens.  Because it will.

I’ve been a bit delayed in writing this – computer crash – need to set up a new system, etc, etc.. anyway, I wanted to put up a note about a very cool event in Harwichport MA I went to this summer.  The downtown merchants all got together – I assume throught he chamber of commerce – and set up a music stroll through the downtown area on a Wednesday nite.  (I understand this is an annual event).

Talk about a great way to drive traffic during slow times – the downtown main street was PACKED.  5 different bands of different styles, playing at intervals along the street.  The shops stayed open.  And people were buying.  Not just food and drink, but all kinds of items.

The shopping mall has replace the main street as our place to stroll, shop and get entertainment.  The merchants of Harwichport did a great job of bring the entertainment of the mall to the downtown – likely a little cost and great benefit.  What does your community do to support your local commerce?  What can you learn from this?