Marketing: Why You Must Continue To Change
5 years ago, marketing through online branding was considered far fetched at best. The concept was raw, and the number of companies using it scarce. Today though, blogs, social networking profiles and online advertisements have become almost standard practice when it comes to marketing. The question now becomes “what brought about the change?”
The answer to this lies within the question: Change.
We must always remember that although ‘change’ can be a frightening concept, ‘change’ has helped us improve our quality of living, helped us make new discoveries and in some cases, been a beacon for hope.
When it comes to marketing, change can be scary, exciting and rewarding. What’s important is that we always remember that change is inevitable. (more…)
How Will You Engage Your Community?
An important part of a companies brand is how they engage their community. Your community can help you climb to new heights, but can also bring you back down to earth. With consumers becoming less receptive to brands that market themselves through traditional forms of marketing such as television and print, companies have begun to embrace social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook as powerful tools for engagement. As the number of companies using social media continue to rise, companies must be prepared to answer the question “how will you engage your community?”
This past week I was able to listen and interact with some of the great minds in social media at the Social Media Marketing Strategies Conference. Some of the big names included keynote speakers MC Hammer and Ian Schafer, as well as Rohit Bhargava [Digital Strategy & Marketing, Ogilvy], Michael Bissell [President, Conquent ], Jun Loayza [President, SocialMediaMarketing.com], Brian Solis [Principal, PR2.0 & FutureWorks], and Shiv Singh [VP & Global Social Media Lead, Razorfish]. From the event I was able to learn about the direction of social media and more importantly, the growing role it will play in a companies success. (more…)
Life Without Lag: The Social Media Effect
Google maps says it takes 10 minutes to get from point A to point B. Unfortunately, 10 minutes ends up being more like 13 minutes. Although it’s just 3 minutes off, that’s 3 minutes lost. As the day continues, the minutes add up. How many minutes have you wasted? Whether it’s the time wasted in traffic or the time spent waiting in lines, it makes one wonder what life without lag would be like.
While no one would say they enjoy waiting in long lines or sitting in traffic, it has become a part of life. Just how brushing your teeth and tying your shoelaces have become second nature, so has living with ‘lag.’ We complain about it, but with no solution. The delays that we experience every day in our lives also occur because of uncontrollable events. From the snow storm that delays a flight home on the holidays to the rain that makes traffic seem twice as slow, we have accepted delay and lag as part of our lives. (more…)
I Own Seth Godin
Yes, it’s true. I now officially own the marketing guru himself Seth Godin. After spending just over $10, I now own Seth Godin along with a copy of “The Little Book of Marketing Secrets.” While I might never be able to read “The Little Book of Marketing Secrets” because of it being no bigger than my thumb, I already feel smarter and full of confidence. This is what a 5.375″ action figure of Seth Godin does to you. It makes you feel like a champ.
While I may never be as popular and famous as Seth Godin, when I saw his action figure starting at me while browsing through a local shop on vacation, I knew that I had to have it. Seth Godin would be pleased to know that he was in good company. To the left of him was an action figure of Jesus and to the right of him, Albert Einstein himself. While I hadn’t purchased an action figure since I was 10 years old, Seth should feel rest assured that he will be joining an elite crowd. He will joining the likes of Wolverine, Batman, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (more…)
How Services Marketing Can Save Your Business
Do you know your customer? That is the question that every business owner should ask themselves. If your response is something along the lines of “sort of” or “not really,” then now is the time to change that. With companies struggling to find new ways to attract customers, most businesses are missing an essential aspect to it all. Without fully understanding one’s customer, developing new products and marketing campaigns are futile. One cannot expect to be successful without being able to understand their target market.
While companies invest millions into their advertising and marketing campaigns, the biggest area that fails to receive appropriate attention is services marketing. Services marketing examines the relationship between the company and its customer as well as the quality and value that the customer experiences. While many may believe that this is just a small part of a larger picture, evidence shows that services marketing is playing a much larger role in the success and failure of companies. (more…)
Services Marketing: How Disney Got It Right
In the realm of services marketing, their are companies that don’t have any idea what they are doing, and then their are those that just get it and do a great job. Among those that got it right is Disney and the experience of guests at their parks. For the past 50 or so years, Disney has established itself as one of the leaders of the entertainment world. From their iconic “mouse ears” to their ability to crank out musical child stars such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Disney has always been associated with providing the best in entertainment.
But how does Disney do it?
Their are many reasons as to why Disney has become so successful, but among the major reasons for their success is their attention to services marketing. Disney believes in providing the customer or guest the best experience they can possibly have. For example, when entering a Disney theme park, guests are not just entering an amusement park, they are entering a ‘magical place’ as is the motto in the photo above. Disney believes in making every effort to make the guest feel like they are part of something special. Disney even addresses there workers as ‘cast members’ not employees.
Not only does Disney pay close attention to its customers, but Disney also does a great job with there servicescape.This is an important detail that all businesses should think of. When a customer is going to your store, the customers first interaction with your business does not start when they enter the store, but when they first see it. Having the appropriate setting and physical environment has a direct correlation to the experience the customer has. Looking at Disney, not only do they ’say’ that you will have a magical day, but the setting and decor make you feel like you are.
Going back to the role of the Disney cast members, they play one of the most vital roles in their parks. Not only are they necessary in the day to day operations of their parks, but cast members are important in the personal interactions with guests. Most guests would agree that they have had positive experiences with Disney cast members. One of the ways to assure that the quality of the service being provided by employees is at its best is to implement a good training program that will allow employees to not only learn basic operations but also to learn the company culture. Employees that understand the company culture will be able to better serve the customer.
While Disney is a great example of a company that understand the importance of services marketing, some companies still don’t. Many will tell you that it just costs too much to train and put in the time to make sure they are doing a good job. In all honesty, this is true. It is also true that it costs more money to acquire a new customer than to retain one. Also, that an angry or unsatisfied customer will tell on average 12 people negative things about your business and happy customers will tell 5 people positive things. In the end it may come down to a numbers game and what is most cost efficient, but companies should remember that while the motto “customers are always right” may not always be true, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and provide the best service possible.
Service Marketing: Georges at the Cove
From the simplistic marquee that adornes the entrance to the modern and stylish decor, Georges at the Cove in La Jolla, California offers an upscale experience in a contemporary setting.
Georges at the Cove offers guests three different dining expereinces, George’s California Modern, Ocean Terrace, and George’s Bar. While each are unique, all three are consistent in keeping up with George’s careful attention to the customers satisfaction and experience.
Attention to detail, and catering to the customers every need and desire has helped George’s develop the reputation of being at the top of its class. Winner of several restaurant awards, George’s has used a simple yet proven formula: Customer First.
When we look at successful restaurants and companies that provide a service, we can see that most, if not all share the common trait of having great relationships with there customers and doing everything to make sure that they walk away with a great experience.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel and resort chain is a great example of this. From the minute the guest walks through the revolving doors to the hotel, they are transformed from being the “average-Joe,” to something more: a guest. The difference between the “average-Joe” and “a guest” starts with the personalization of the service encounters with the Ritz Carlton and its staff. From the staff that cater to the ‘guests’ every request, to the ‘guests’ being addressed as “Mr.” and “Mrs.”, the Ritz-Carlton proves that putting there customers first equates to a good business.
With the service sector now accounting for more than 65% of the United States’ GDP, it is important that businesses get it right when it comes to its customers. Businesses providing a service must realize its consumers needs and address them accordingly. Having the proper customer protocols, management, as well as service quality should all be important points when running a business.
Georges at the Cove is just one of the prime examples of the result of having established good customer relations as well as quality service. From the contemporary dining setting, to the picturesque view of the Pacific ocean, Georges at the Cove makes there customers feel like ‘guests.’
—–
