Posting pictures to my blog from my ipad has been a frustrating
experience so far.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Posting pictures to the blog - iPad only experiment
Discovery - Pics to my blog - iPad only experiment
OK iPad haters...I found out how to take a picture from my device to
my blog. I know that might be easy on a desktop or laptop but it took
some figuring out. So here's what I did. Please tell me if there's
anything you would do differently in your situation. (taking a cell
phone pic and putting it into WordPress post)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Size matters so sometimes keep it short.
Some of the best blog posts are also the shortest because they make one simple point that you can remember and then apply to help your business. Hopefully you can remember and then apply that.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Types of advertising - Part #1 - I'm not an idiot so stop talking to me like I am.
Old school Interrupters - Interrupt me using old media
The newspaper tried to interrupt my reading by using a full page advertisement but it takes me about 1 second to turn the page and avoid the ad. That was their business model. It doesn't work anymore because well, I don't get the paper. I can get all that news on their web site. Now they interrupt me with sliding banner ads that cover the content on their web page so I switched to get the RSS feed of the same stories. 
Are automobile sales people idiots or just tasteless? Or is the public that dumb? Why does every car sales commercial scream, have bold lettering and say "THIS WEEK ONLY!!" Maybe because it works and maybe b/c they're not creative at all. Maybe they're trying to get the impulsive buyer off his can and onto their parking lot. Maybe buying a new car is a bad decision 99% of the time so they have to shock and/or push you into visiting the lot. Whatever the reason most people ignore those commercials now b/c they're all the same. 
So what about you? Is your business growing? Is your advertising bringing in measurable results? Have you thought about or tried social media but been frustrated because it doesn't seem to give you the return you want on your time and/or investment? Listen, I didn't ask my wife to marry me when she knocked on my apartment door to introduce herself 5 years ago and you shouldn't expect me (your potential customer) to marry your product just because you introduced yourself. Old school interrupters do two things wrong...they assume that they can woo me in 30 seconds or a full page ad. Secondly, the only value they add is a "great price". I'm not buying it...literally, so I ignore all their messages. 
Technology isn't the answer to every advertising issue so maybe I can't help you. Building relationships with your customers IS the answer to long term success so find someone to help you do that. If I can help let me know. If you want to get my ATTENTION... 1. Talk to me like I'm a human
2. Don't try to talk about price so much. I'll pay more if you're more human. Old school interrupters, your days are numbered because of the DVR and RSS feeds. Use social media, print ads, mailers, whatever you want...just stop talking to me like I'm an idiot and start asking for my opinions or add some value to my life. I love my family for a million reasons but the most selfish is that they bring me so much joy. When's the last time you brought a customer joy? Stop trying to interrupt your customers and start dating them. They might just marry your product and wouldn't that be a beautiful union?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Be more like a pawn shop...
In the world of pawn shops...
- Good economy = more people buy
- Bad economy = more people sell
- Great margins
- Both sides (seller/buyer) like you
- Low overhead
- You can be human and flex on prices...everyone loves a great deal
- You can give your customers what they want
- Relationships matter
Step back from your desk...look at the computer and ask yourself these questions:
1. Is this business ready for good and bad economies?
2. How good are my margins and how can I make them even better?
3. Do my customers like me after they buy from me?
4. Do I spend money on things that don't help my customers?
5. Am I losing customers b/c of my pricing structure?
6. Do I have something that people with $50 and $5000 can buy?
7. Do I have relationships with my customers?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Girls Scouts and Used Cars
Last week the Traub family became proud owners of Blueberry. She had some frostbite and lost a bit of her ears this winter b/c of some neglect but she's a keeper. We just dropped a few hundred bucks getting her back to health but based on my kid's reactions it was a good investment. On our way to the Humane Society we stopped by Wal-Mart to get the basics, food, litter box, a few toys etc. As I unloaded my son from the car I heard a little girl screaming at the top of her lungs. She wasn't being hit by a car, she was selling Girl Scout cookies.
I'm a Thin Mint guy myself, the wife is a Carmel Delight fan. We had just purchased four boxes of cookies that morning after a friend of my wife posted on her Facebook page that they would be camped out at the local grocery store hawking their treats. But, I would have bought more cookies from the little screaming girl IF she hadn't scared me away. Here's what her sales pitch sounded like.
"GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!! GET YOUR GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!"
one second pause...
"GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!! GET YOUR GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!"
Hey, I know she's not a marketing genius or anything but this is a BAD way to sell something. Funny thing happened when I heard her screaming. That "pay attention to me because I'm the loudest" tone reminded me of so many marketers who try to be the loudest in order to get attention. There's a hot dog restaurant in my town (yeah, all they sell is hot dogs) and their marketing revolves around making "below the belt" innuendos to hot dogs. Their "loud" is being crude. No thanks guys. How about being the best instead of being the most immature.
Back to Wal-Mart... I wanted to be critical but maybe she learned it from car commercials that ALL do the same thing. Be loud = sales? Girls scouts and car commercials have it wrong. It's not about the item...it's about the result of the item for the consumer. So here are the best lines to sell girl scout cookies.
"College prices are ridiculous! Send a girl scout to college!"
"Stop feeling guilty, just buy a box!"
"Supply and demand at it's finest. Cookies only available for two weeks. Buy some cookies!" You get the idea.
- Tell the truth when you talk about your product.
- Talk about feelings that we all know are real.
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