Initially my plan was to respond in the comments section, but I think it’s worth addressing the questions my intital thoughts raised with another official post.

First, Rick, who says the Internet isn’t necessarily the final alternative to dumping the yellow pages. He’s right, Google and search engines are a bit of the Wild West right now, but for the sake of this argument, let me simply say while it’s not ideal, money placed with Google Ads is much wiser than any size ad in the yellow pages.

Next, James Edward Hicks III and Filobeto, who bring up valid questions:

• What do you do when the Internet isn’t easily accessible in your market?
• Or the majority of your prospects have molasses-in January dial-up speed on their computers?
• Or your business targets an older demo, not as versed in using the Internet?

For sake of argument, let’s jump into our imaginative time machines and go back twenty years before the time of Google and widespread Internet use. What would I recommend to businesses back then?

Don’t waste your money in the yellow pages.

Let me repeat, the yellow pages is a phone book full of phone numbers. If you own a business, and have a business phone line, you will be listed in both the white pages and the yellow pages. If I look you up in the white pages your business number will be there. If I look you up under the yellow pages, you will be there.

This brings us to the primary question that should be asked of any marketing plan or dollars to be spent. The question should never be, ‘Will it work?’ Or, ‘Is it a good use of my money?’ but, ‘Is it the best use of the money?’ If a business has a dominant presence on radio, on TV, in newspaper, in direct mail, on billboards, magazines, etc., and they want to dump money into the yellow pages, fine. But that’s ludicrous. No one has enough money to be dominant in all media at the same time. Media is more expensive than ever, and continues to fragment. Who has money to spend $$ that aren’t finely targeted?

And don’t you want to use your money to create new customers who don’t know about you or your business? Wouldn’t you like to be known BEFORE people get to the yellow pages?

What if I took my yellow page money and put it into a radio campaign? If a market is small enough to have weak Internet penetration, you can buy radio spots there for a song, and they’ll write and produce your commercial for free. Or how ’bout buying cable TV, which can be targeted to individual zip codes, just like direct mail? Or what about using that money you’d waste in the yellow pages to create a killer Web site, or a tantalizing blog?

By doing this, a business reaches potential customers before they even consider opening the yellow pages. So when/if customers go to the yellow pages, they look right past the big ads, because they already know about you. (By the way, I’ve had clients do exactly what I’m talking about and reap significant results.)

A nationwide yellow page study was done in the early part of this decade. It asked 1,500 people across the country, who had used a plumber in the past 12 months, how they found the plumber they ended up using. If there’s any category you’d believe has to be big and bold in the yellow pages, plumbing would have to be near the top.

Survey says … seventeen percent. Only 17% of the people used the yellow pages! The rest asked friends or family or already knew about a plumber to use. My guess is if other categories were surveyed, on average, they’d be be even lower.

So if you’re willing to spend 83% or more of every dollar to reach that elusive 1%-17% that will use the yellow pages to shop for your business, do it. Just know what your marketing dollars are buying, and what they are not buying because of it.

Tags: best use of ad dollars, He Blogs She Blogs, Marketing, Yellow pages waste

Have you heard about Derrie-Air, the new “green” luxury airline? They tout themselves as “the only airline that plants trees to offset every pound of carbon that our planes release into the atmosphere.”

They expect their passengers to help protect the environment, too. Because it takes more fuel (i.e., more carbon emissions) to haul heavy planes from point A to point B, Derrie-Air has developed unique, sliding scale ticket prices:

The more you weigh, the more you pay.

A ticket from Philly to L.A. costs $2.25/lb. So, for instance, if you (and your luggage) weigh a total of 150 pounds, you’ll pay $337.50 for a ticket. Weigh in at 200 pounds, and you’ll pay $450.

If you’re a thin person, here’s more good news: every seat on Derrie-Air is first class! Some of the amenities include:

• Gorgeous air hosts and hostesses
• Golden-age Rat Pack films
• Top-shelf vodka Martinis
• On-demand video blackjack
• Spacious private washrooms outfitted with porcelain fixtures and gilded faucets
• Gourmet snacks
• On-board masseuses
• Loofah scrubs
• Digital cable

Are you snickering yet, wondering if this is some elaborate hoax?

Well, you’re right. The hoax was perpetuated by Philadelphia Media Holdings. They, along with Gyro ad agency and the owners of The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, ran a one-day ad campaign Friday to test the results of their print and online advertising.

News of the prank was picked up by the Associated Press, and was splashed in media worldwide. Just goes to show that a bit of creative thinking can reap a heap of free publicity.

Tags: Advertising, Derrie-Air, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, hoaxes, Marketing, Philadelphia Media Holdings

In our last post, we discussed the importance of practicing your craft daily. But how do you stay motivated to practice?

Success magazine offers five tips:

1. Write out your goals and refer to them often.
2. Exercise – it revs up your energy level.
3. Imagine something you’d like to be doing when you finish your project and make the task a priority.
4. Keep a photo of your goal in a place where you will see it often.
5. Sleep – six to eight hours of sleep per night fuels inspiration, clarity, and helps maintain healthy eating.

Source:
Success magazine April/May 2008

In This Series:

• 10 Marketing Lessons from a 12-year-old Entrepreneur
• What’s Your Passion?
• 5 Tips for Becoming an Expert at Your Craft

Tags: becoming an expert, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing, motivation, Success magazine

Whenever people learn that I’ve written a couple of books, they respond, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to write a book about ________.” (fill in the blank with the topic you’ve dreamed of writing a book about)

I’ve heard that:

• 81 percent of Americans feel they have a book in them.
• 10 percent of that 81 percent actually write the book.
• 1 percent of that 10 percent work up the courage to pitch their book to literary agents and editors.
• 1 percent of the “pitchers” get offered a book contract.

Why do so few people pursue their dream of writing the next great American novel?

Simple. They’re not willing to practice the craft of writing.

They may think they are willing; they may say they are willing. But then they settle down in front of a computer screen and face that irritating, blinking cursor, they stare at it for a few minutes, then sigh and announce, “I have writer’s block.” Or… “I’m waiting for the muse to strike me.”

I believe this reluctance to practice one’s writing stems from our school days, when we slogged through countless English classes and were forced to write all those boring essays (I can claim this with assurance, because I used to be one of those rotten English teachers who assigned the boring essays). Most people with a high school diploma assume they can write as well as the next guy. Who needs to practice?

Imagine asking an athlete, “Why do you need to practice?”

They’d look at you as if you were crazy!

Of course athletes need to practice; many of them practice their sport several hours per day, seven days a week, year round.

Why should writers be any different? Why should roof builders and software developers and chefs be any different?

No matter what your passion, the only way you’re going to become an expert at it is to practice, practice, practice.

Here are five tips for building a habit of practicing:

1. Schedule daily time—whether it be 10 minutes or two hours—for practicing your craft.
2. Find a mentor. This person should be more advanced than you at your craft, and should be willing to encourage you, scold you, and hold you accountable.
3. Brainstorm fun ways to practice: attend a conference where you’ll meet others who share a mutual passion for your craft; enroll in a class where you can brush up on the latest techniques.
4. Set measurable, attainable goals. Instead of saying, “I’m going to write the next great American novel,” say, “I’m going to write 300 words per day for the next five days.” Remember, it takes about six weeks of regular practice to establish a habit.
5. Reward yourself for meeting your practice goals. After X hours of deliberate practice, allow yourself a special treat. Make sure that treat is something that highly motivates you to practice!

What craft are you going to commit to becoming an expert at? Make your public commitment right now, right here, and start practicing!

In this series:

• 10 Marketing Lessons from a 12-year-old Entrepreneur
• What’s Your Passion?

Tags: becoming an expert, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing, practice, Writing

As Laura points out in her post, “10 Marketing Lessons…”, our boy Daniel “recognized his gift/aptitude for working with wood.” Sounds obvious doesn’t it? Admit what you’re good at and go do it. The problem? Most people can’t remember what they’re good at, and most don’t go and do it.

We get so caught up in the life-river—jobs, relationships, paying the bills, catching a movie to dull the longing inside to do something relevant—that we bury our dreams and try not to admit they still exist. We end up surviving life instead of living it.

You want to rediscover your gifts? Your passions? These questions will give you a start:

1. If money wasn’t an obstacle (let’s pretend you just scored $10 million in the lottery) what would you do with your life?
2. What would you do with unlimited time?
3. What did you love to do as a kid?
4. If you had to list 25 things you want to do before you die, what actions would be on that list?

A friend of mine is very successful at a high paying job, but a vague dissatisfaction flits around him. Two weeks ago I asked what he’s passionate about. Without hesitation he said, “Travel.”

My friend has a great sense of humor, people warm to him immediately, he has a sharp business mind (i.e., he knows all the deals and tricks of travel) and he’s been all over the globe. And, get this, he has five weeks vacation a year.

Is it as obvious to you as it was to me? I suggested he put together travel groups four times a year, during his vacation weeks, and see what happens. My wife and I would join him on a tour in a second. I’m betting a lot of other people would too. Goodbye mundane job, hello passion.

A fundamental of marketing is having a true fervor for your product. We’d love to hear about how you discovered your passion, and what you’re doing about it.

In this series:

• 10 Marketing Lessons from a 12-year-old Entrepreneur
• 5 Tips for Becoming an Expert at Your Craft

Tags: Discovering your gifts and passions, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing

“My friend’s brother is in the newspaper—he’s even on the front page!”

My 15-year-old son handed me the paper. Sure enough, splashed right beneath the Sunday paper’s masthead, in full color, was a photo of the kid, with the headline, “12-year-old a Business Success.”

I turned to the “Money” section, where the story of Daniel Franklin, a sixth grader who carves and sells wood and acrylic pens, took up nearly the entire page.

As I read the story, I realized that young Daniel possesses business acumen we grownups can learn from:

1. He recognized his gift/aptitude for working with wood.
2. He practices his craft daily and has become an expert (he works every day after school).
3. He built his initial customer base by giving away his product (he gave the hand-crafted pens to his teachers as Christmas gifts).
4. He used grassroots marketing to get the word out about his product (his teachers told everyone they knew about the pens, and people started placing orders. Daniel also exhibits his pens at craft fairs).
5. He isn’t afraid to charge what his product is worth (Daniel sells his pens for $25-$40).
6. He markets his product (Daniel has business cards and a snazzy-looking Website – www.pensbydaniel.com – that includes a professional slideshow display of all his pens).
7. He makes it easy for customers to purchase his product (Daniel’s clean, easy-to-navigate site politely informs visitors exactly how to order).
8. He’s expanding his product line—but not too quickly. In addition to selling pens, Daniel offers a line of corkscrews and bottle stops, ornaments, and confetti lights. He’s considering branching out into bowls, vases, walking sticks, pepper mills, and pen kits
9. He’s investing his profits wisely (Daniel used his earnings to buy a lathe, and he plans to purchase more tools and maybe a computer).
10. He landed some great free publicity. A full-page article (accompanied by two gigantic color photos) in a metropolitan daily paper is most entrepreneurs’ dream. How’d he land such great publicity? Because (a) Daniel is unique, and (b) he’s the perfect subject for a feel-good feature. How many 12-year-olds do you know who handcraft high-quality wood pens? How often do you read a “good news” story that inspires people of all ages? This story offers both elements.
    1. What do I really enjoy doing?
    2. What special talents or aptitudes do I possess?
    3. What am I passionate about – what do I never tire of talking about it?

In the next few posts, we’re going to explore each of these 10 marketing lessons in more depth. We’ll provide you with strategies you can use to make the most of your unique talents and aptitudes.

Right now, ask yourself:

Quick, before you chicken out – tell us about it in the Comments area! It’s not bragging; it’s simply a matter of reaching deep into yourself and allowing your true desire to surface. Sharing your passion with another person is the first step of achieving your goal.

Source:
“Turning Out Something Special,” by Debra Smith, The Herald of Everett, WA, Sunday, April 20, 2008, p. E-1.

Tags: Daniel Franklin, Entrepreneur, Everett Herald, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing

Just like Laura, I’m a sucker for a coupon. My wife and I didn’t use our Entertainment Book, but we did find a coupon last week for a new Sushi restaurant in our town.

Did you see the movie Defending Your Life from the early 90s? Albert Brooks (the voice of Nemo’s father if 1993 means kindergarten to you) and Meryl Streep starred. Not a blockbuster but there were some fun moments. Like when Albert Brooks enters a Japanese restaurant and every employee in the place shouts a greeting—in Japanese—above ninety decibels. That’s how we were greeted as we walked through the door. Very fun. They had us.

The service? Excellent. The food? Even better.

The kicker is when we paid our bill. The cashier looks at our coupon, which gives us either 15% off our bill or a free plate with the purchase of five, and says, “In this case, the 15% will save you more money so we’ll ring it up that way.”

Think we’ll be back? Think we’ll tell other people about the place?

Marketing 101 says word of mouth, on average, affects 250 people. (That stat comes from the average attendance at a funeral or wedding, equating to your circle of influence.) So by the time I stop telling my fun Sushi restaurant story, I’ll have impacted 250 people, influencing them to go there.

And Laura will have impacted 250 people, telling them, “stay away.”

So Laura was right in her post. She just didn’t take it far enough. For $14, her restaurant lost her business, but it also lost out on as many as 250 other potential customers. Let’s see, 250 x $25 average bill = $6,250. Pretty pricey choice to get that extra $14.00 in their coffer.

Marketing, like life, is a ripple out proposition. What is your business rippling out?

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Related Post:
Marketplace Manners: Rules for Serving…and Being Served 

Tags: HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing, word of mouth advertising

Two friends and I dined at an ethnic restaurant this weekend. Since we’re penny-pinchers, we took along our Entertainment book. The Entertainment coupons allow you to receive a complimentary entrée when a second entrée of equal or greater value is purchased.

We ordered two $16.95 entrees and a small side salad (one member of our party wasn’t hungry). When it came time to pay the bill, our waitress saw our Entertainment card and immediately said, “Oh, I can’t honor your card. You have to order two drinks with your meal.”

I’ve been an Entertainment card holder for years and had never seen a “must order drinks” requirement in the book before, so we hauled the book out of the car to double check. Sure enough, it indicated we needed to order drinks.

“Can we order drinks now?” we asked.

The waitress said yes, so we ordered two cups of coffee (to go).

She then re-calculated our bill and returned to our table, stating flatly, “I can only take $4.95 off your bill. Since you ordered a salad, that counts as an entrée and the “free” item is the lowest priced entrée.

I pointed out that we had ordered two $16.95 entrées and that the offer states that were allowed to deduct up to $14.00 off for the second entrée. I also pointed out that the $4.95 salad was not listed as an entrée item on the menu, but was listed under “appetizers” or “side salads.”

In broken English, the waitress insisted, “No, since you are eating dinner the side salad ‘counts’ as a dinner entrée.”

I rarely argue with servers, but this obstinate waitress was really getting under my skin. “Do you mean to tell me,” I continued (just loud enough so the couples at the two adjacent tables could hear me) “that I spent $40 on an Entertainment book and came here because I saw your advertisement in the book… I ordered two $16.95 entrees—the most expensive items on the menu, by the way—and you’re now telling me that you’re not going to honor your offer?

“I get in trouble with my boss if I do this,” she replied.

“Let me get this straight. You’d rather take the chance of permanently losing my business (I’ve dined at this restaurant numerous times) and having me tell everyone I know not to come here because you’re unwilling to honor a simple coupon offer that’s going to set you back a grand total of $14?”

After a couple more minutes of heated debate, our server eventually decided to honor the coupon. After she slunk into the kitchen, another waitress, who’d calmly observed the entire scene from less than 10 feet away, announced to us, “You were right. You were entirely correct in saying that she should have deducted $14.00 from your bill.”

We exited the restaurant (with our to-go coffees in hand), feeling simultaneously elated and heart-poundingly queasy.

I learned a few lessons from this conflict:

1. Closely examine the fine print on coupons before using them.
2. Always inform the server up front when I’m using an Entertainment card or coupon. Ask which menu items it can and can’t be used for (once, my husband and I tried to use it on some obscure ‘holiday’ like Arbor Day and we were informed, “Nope. Can’t use it today. It’s a holiday.”)
3. If the server is having a hard time communicating, ask to see a higher-up. Our server barely spoke English, and the language barrier likely caused the majority of this conflict.
4. If you know you’re in the right, don’t get flustered and give up. Remain calm (as much as possible), but continue explaining your point.

As I reflected on our experience, I was reminded about the critical importance of gracious customer service.

Some service workers forget (or don’t care) that customers have long memories. Studies show that one negative comment counteracts 20 positive ones. In other words, we remember negative experiences 20 times longer than we remember positive experiences.

I know that service workers are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. I get that. But I also know they have chosen to do this job, at this particular juncture in their life. And no matter how lowly the job, service workers need to remember the adage, “The customer is always right.”

During my career as a business owner/manager, I have encountered numerous cranky, picky, unreasonable, demanding, high-maintenance (fill-in-the-blank) customers. Cranky customers are a fact of life. I make a point to be unwaveringly polite to them and I bend over backwards to meet their needs.

Yes, “making nice” may cost me some extra money, time, and a chunk of pride. But giving the customer the benefit of the doubt is almost always the right thing to do.

Had our waitress immediately and graciously agreed to honor our coupon, I’d be telling you a different story today. And I’d be making reservations to visit that restaurant again.
But, as things stand now, I won’t be recommending this restaurant to others. I will be telling them about how poorly I was treated.

Will I return to this restaurant?

Never.

And all over a $14 coupon.

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Whether you’re a manager or a server, please share your customer service nightmares and pointers in the Comments area.

Tags: customer service guidelines, HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, Marketing