Results Revolution blog

Here today, gone tomorrow (but the buzz lingers)!

Block after block, empty storefronts can signal an economic decline--or a terrific opportunity!

I recently had the chance to participate in the execution of Target's first pop-up shop in the Midwest.  Designed by David Stark Production in NYC, the Bullseye Bazaar occupied an empty space along Chicago's Magnificent Mile. . .prime real estate! With the creative use of wall coverings, flooring, fixtures and signage, the space was transformed into the best of both worlds--Target products and Target prices in a fun, unique shopping experience.

 

So, what's the catch?  There are Target stores all across Chicagoland--what makes this location special?  

It was only in business for 3 DAYS!

I can't help but think that there are ways to reinterpret this approach . . . it needn't be an option only for big businesses in big cities (with big budgets!)

Consider the following possibilities--which of these could work for you?

• A limited-run gallery for area artists or students, perhaps as a working studio?

• A chance for a potential business to take a "test drive"?  Gauge traffic, customer interest, etc.

• A special occasion venue?  Who doesn't want to see and be seen?

• Rent or donate windows to market a specific promotions?  Breast Cancer Awareness in October, Back to School in August, etc. ? In these situations, full-size graphics applied to the glass eliminates any need to direct energy or attention to the inter.

Moving ahead, you will need to:

• Identify one key location--visible, desirable and user-friendly. 
• Establish occupancy parameters and timetables--I recommend one week limits. Tenants who linger, promotions past their expiration dates. . . avoid situations that erode the "gotta go there NOW" energy that you're working to establish.
• Clean, paint and light the facade, windows and interior.  Don't skimp on this! 
• Give it a name.  
• Post photos/floorplans of the space on your website. 
• Extend an invitation to your first occupant and be prepared to help offset the cost.

 

When the Bullseye Bazaar opened, the line of customers circled the block. Those customers could easily snag the same Mossimo shorts or lemonade pitchers at their Target but that wasn't the point--this was a "happening", a very limited run and couldn't be missed!  

 

It's Risky Business: The Failure to Embrace Social Media

How's that for a keyword rich title? Well, this has been bugging me a lot lately - the mediocrity and audacity of some people. People who own businesses or run organizations in particular.

It's my blog, so when it's one of those days, I can vent, right? Good.

Comments such as "I just cannot take on any more projects" or "I already spend too much time in front of the computer" or "I don't have enough time to do anything else." On and on the excuses go.

May I politely challenge those of you who are in positions of authority and influence in business districts or Chamber offices to consider this: Would you EVER knowingly put your business owner members at a disadvantage from competing businesses districts or communities? Would you ever knowingly withhold valuable information that could very possibly give them a financial and competitive advantage in your community or region?

Of course you wouldn't.

Except maybe you are - without even meaning to. I get it. There's a lot to get done in a day. It feels like fun and its entertaining even seeming child's play to chat with a shopper on Facebook or send out something called a "Tweet." But those silly social interactions - albeit online - are the telephone line and direct mail piece of the next decade. And they are at critical mass NOW. Your customers - your members' customers - are on Facebook. They're jumping on the Twitter train. A GREAT web site that gives them the information on which to act is not optional - its critical!

You don't have to understand it to embrace it - to take the first step towards it. You are not expected to be an expert on everything. It's okay to be nervous - but it's NOT okay to avoid improvement in your organizational use of web, e-mail and social media to the direct harm to your businesses in the process.

63% of customers check out a local business on-line before they visit the store in person.
Yet a whopping EIGHTY PERCENT of business owners reported spending LESS THAN 10% of their marketing budget on web-based marketing.

Source: USA Today Snapshots (print edition), March 5, 2009 - cited Neilson Online/Web Visible survey of small business owners.

There are more than 200 million ACTIVE users on Facebook. Their fastest growing demographic is those 35 and older. More than 2/3 of users are outside of college. Source: Facebook.

Don't fail to act. Start by participating and watching and bragging about your businesses and seeking out sources of education. It's risky business if you fail to embrace the inevitable source of future business success - the web and social media.

The very best e-mail marketing solution ever.

Here is an e-mail that we sent out to a prospective client a little bit ago - I was so amazed at how much value we can offer on this CADILLAC of marketing measurement products that I just had to post it here. I mean, I do NOT recommend something that I'm not entirely sold on myself and totally passionate about.

SO...check this out! We are moving all of our existing customers to this product by month's end, including my own Team HALO e-mail blasts (which have been almost non-existent lately due to my frustration with our existing solution). We have about five customers that have been using it for a number of months with great success, so now it's time to pull the plug and move the masses. Will you join us and enjoy your own renewed e-mail marketing super-success? Here's the e-mail I sent:

Dear Larry -

We recommend the Interspire E-Mail Marketer. You can take a tour and read a LOT about it on their web site:

http://www.interspire.com/emailmarketer/

The pricing listed on their web site is NOT the pricing we can offer through Fox Web co. The price we offer includes the software license, setup on hosting, design and integration of a custom branded stationery. On their site, you would pay $1285 total for all of this - not including the hosting. We can offer just $395 for all of this plus a minimal monthly usage fee (similar to other providers).

Also, remember, this also is a web-based customer relationship management system in the same e-mail marketing package.

For those familiar with Constant Contact - this is not a competitor - it blows them and their amateur game out of the water. This program produces REAL results and REAL measurement on many, many levels to help you make wise business decisions.

Ok, enough of my pitch - check it out for yourself and then call us for a demo with Andy to give you his perspective with your specific business needs in mind.

Cheers!
Marianna

Are you operating without a Market Analysis?

Too often businesses spend thousands starting a new business, sustaining a business, investing in new product development or new product lines or just marketing their product/business without any real market information.

Although the quality of the products and business experience is critical, your development of the best product on the market will not necessarily correlate with the most sales.

Up to 50 percent of a product's price can be for marketing. The company who wins the marketing game generally will capture the larger share of the market.

How will you win the marketing game? And how do you know you will win? You can know - it's called a market analysis. Make sure you have all of the information you need to create a doable plan for success - and measure its effectiveness over time.

Blogging isn't just a viable marketing tool - it's growing in importance.

To the best of my recollection, I've been blogging for about seven years now. Maybe longer. I guess I could look, but I do know that the number of posts written on small business marketing number in the hundreds... So, sometimes I wonder in my "always wanting the next big thing" mind, is this really still important? Yep, it really still is... So, if you've been blogging for a while and are getting a little ADD about it, don't. Add some widgets, study your metrics in new and better ways - look for ways to improve. But don't quit.

And if you haven't yet started blogging - it's not too late. And you, too, can join the conversation. The important thing is to GET started.

Here's a link from my friend Mandy's recent article about how to blog successfully written for OneCoast's Advisor e-newsletter. Mandy is one of the smartest and most successful retailers that I know, but she also doesn't really like to write. You'll appreciate her recommendations for blogging success.

Here's a link and excerpt from the eMarketer article today that cites the stats that prove why blogging is and will continue to be critical to our marketing toolboxes:

Blogging Has Come a Long Way, Baby - eMarketer. Even more important than the number of bloggers, though, is the number of blog readers. eMarketer estimates that in 2009 96.6 million US Internet users will read a blog at least once per month. By 2013, 128.2 million people, or 58% of all US users, will do the same. “Blog sites now touch tens of millions of people in the US, and the numbers of blog readers and creators are projected to continue growing,” says Mr. Verna. The numbers tell the tale—or long tail, if you prefer. “Blogging activity presents new opportunities for marketers to monitor and influence conversations relevant to their businesses,” says Mr. Verna. “Opportunities no marketer should ignore."

Don't delay - get started with blogging immediately!!

This is what the National Retail Federation calls "Big Think"?

So, it seems that the National Retail Federation got together for its sixth annual "Big Think" to "examine the industry through the prism of the economic crisis." There was "remarkable consensus around some major theme."

STORES - April: Velocity of Change. Customer experience. There is growing acknowledgment that retailers need to be relevant, authentic and transparent. They need to focus on improving the customer experience through a better-trained workforce, greater efficiencies or better customer communication. For example, more grocers are investing in self-checkout; other retailers are spending money on social networking. Fashion designer Tory Burch has created a new social community, “Talk with Tory,” that allows her customers to connect directly with her and with each other.

Really? "A growing acknowledgment?" Customer experience is important? You think?

Here at Team HALO, we've only been teaching the critical importance of the "experience economy" for ten years - and dabbling in customer relationships with ideas like "better customer communication" and gimmicks like "Talk with Tory" are basically a slap in the face of the consumer - in my opinion. Sounds like more "brilliant" ideas from the corner office at a traditional advertising agency that still doesn't get it.

Last time I checked an experience affected five senses and required a consistent replication of a CERTAIN experience over and over again. That means that a business would have to know what experience or feeling they were selling, then bring that "experience" to life in concrete, defined ways, and market it through real relationships in order to persuade the customer.

Small businesses of the world - it looks like the big boxes aren't even close to being a real threat in this economy. You have a tremendous opportunity. Here's your homework for the day - define the business that you are in by the experience that you are selling:

• Take time today to stop and ask customers how they "feel" about your business. Take notes. Listen to your customers and prospects. Then, write down what you want them to say.
• How do you want them to feel? Define it in a single word or phrase.
• Then, make a list of concrete ways that you can help create that feeling across all of the senses.

For me, today, I want to make you feel successful. How can I make you taste success, hear success, see success, touch success, smell success? It's a big job, but it's one step further away from mediocrity and towards business success for me - and for you. 

Update on our abandonment of mediocrity... Yep, we're getting a new web site.

But not just any web site.

Here's how our day looked (this all to prove that we're doing this stuff while doing normal business operations):

America's Main Street marketing experts said rise and shine. No orange juice in the house. Andy runs out of coffee almost immediately. This is not the best way for us to start the day. I'm not gonna lie to you. However, not to be sidetracked by such, I went for a glass of ice water and got right to work.

I sent some invoices for work that was completed yesterday - two pretty major web site updates, some hosting stuff for Fox Web co. and a few more housekeeping things like that. I took care of some details for our upcoming trip to Clare, Michigan with my friends at the National Main Street Center (can't wait to see y'all next week!), sorted my e-mails for the day and made some quick appointments for later in the week. Took a break to hang out on Twitter. I read this amazing article about the new gold rush in California and the FBI's surveillance of all of the Tea Parties. Yeah, seriously. Checked the mail. And bought groceries. The day started improving drastically at that point - food, coffee, Cokes - the windows up and the sun shining... the afternoon was staged for success.

Andy kept working on a shopping cart project for a client in Tennessee and a pretty major dealer/expert network database we're custom building for a sporting goods client out of Starkville, Miss. He also worked on his usual afternoon routine of calling a few folks to network and trying to sell some stuff. I did the same - reconnecting with some Main Street contacts around the country and even wrote a proposal.

But I also setup the PayPal account, so that you (our loyal customer) will now be able to (once this site is finished) purchase coaching credits on demand and a few other goodies that we have in store.

The Fox dream team got to work on the web site - loading the database and installing the content management system. They've been customizing it, and I've been adding content ever since. Here's where we are on the new site at midnight on Day 2 (keeping in mind that Day 1 was cut short by two hours of 24):
- Team is onboard with great zeal for the project. We are going to set the standard for revolutionary.
- PayPal is setup to take on-line purchases.
- Hosting for new site is setup with database installed.
- Content management system installed.
- Navigation built and working nicely.
- New blog system setup (but not imported - that is five years of stuff to import - a sorta BIG job I'm told).
- Twitter integrated.
- YouTube integration tested and working.
- Featured articles on home page tested and working.

- Images are starting to rotate on the home page - love seeing these fun places we've visited all over again!
- Custom design well underway - we're going to make orange cool again.

I think that's it for today. I have a feeling our greatest hurdle will be getting this blog moved... But it's time for it to move, so I'm praying that the team is smarter and more patient than me and will find success in this aspect of the task.

Tomorrow, I'm going to work on pimping out the Team HALO Facebook page with some advance tricks that I've been testing and learning. And I'm going to write the rest of my Marketing with Facebook personal workshop curriculum in the process. I'll probably write some new blog content, check up on all of our projects and clients and a few other things before I get back to work on the new web site. Oh, and I have a great consultation with one of my favorite clients, too! Should be a fab day.

Small business marketing tip... don't let a day go by without reaching out, innovating and taking care of your existing customers. It's a winning formula for real success!

Sick and tired of mediocrity.

For some reason this recession is breeding mediocrity at a rate I've never seen before. I mean, really? That's the best you can do? Is this the best I can do? I don't think so. No settling here...

So, I'm taking the economic "situation" as my own personal "Dip." (Read Seth's book by the same name.) And, I'll admit, I'm bored. Or exhausted from watching the news. Or distracted by life. Whatever the reason, it's time to shake things up...a LOT.

I hate mediocrity. It upsets my case in a big way.

I'm inspired by Seth's words (which I can now more fully appreciate thanks to the Seth Godin action figure that my buddy Darrin sent me) in The Dip that say:

You're astonishing.

How dare you waste it.

You and your organization have the power to change everything. To create remarkable products and services. To over deliver. To be the best in the world.

How dare you settle for mediocre just because you're busy coping with too many things on your agenda, racing against the clock to get it all done.

(For the rest of this inspiring rant, I guess you'll have to read the book or Seth might get upset with me for giving away his brilliant book ending.)

Seriously: how dare you??? Don't waste a good thing. Hey, Mr. Main Street manager... quit wasting time on the same old same old and do something remarkable to change your local world. Hey, Miss retail store owner, be the winds of change in your community. Quit griping and letting life get in your way. This is life at its best. Be the success story that paves the way for others. Do something different. Don't just use Facebook, innovate with Facebook. Don't just be on Twitter, reinvent your business with it. Don't just have a web site... blow minds with it. Be the best in your world. If you must advertise in the local newspaper, get attention. Don't wonder if it got attention - make sure it does. Go the extra mile to over deliver on promises, to amaze customers, to be the most memorable thing that happened in their life today...and tomorrow.

Me? My mission is to inspire you to be revolutionary. "Passion" is an overused term. But I have a zeal, a passion, a burning, unceasing desire for you - yes you blog reader - to be the best in the world. Do you have that desire? Does it burn in your belly? Do you stay up at night trying to figure out how to make it happen? I want that for you. And I want you to sink your toes into the beaches of Costa Rica in a few years and laugh with the simplicity of it all. It's so simple...

Revolution: a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.

Be that. Be a focused, laser-intentional revolutionary.

Around here, we're shaking the cob webs off and leaning into our revolutionary thinking. We're eliminating wasteful ideas, work, habits and spending. We're getting rid of mediocre (or at least making a valiant attempt)... and we'll do it live this week on this blog just to prove that it can be done. Watch.

Thriving in the Recession

Last week, Andy and I re-read The Dip by Seth Godin, while driving several hours straight in the car. This quick read has a subtitle that says it's "A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick)." We thought it apt in times like these to consider these things and rejuvenate our wills to help others succeed in these times.

One of the things that Godin points out, and that I believe firmly, is that there are times to quit - and times not to quit. You can never invest too much into a business or mission that can be the best because the marketplace rewards the best - and handsomely.

Along those same tones, this article cited a similar recession-proof strategy for those with the cash position to do so... No matter how hard it is, now is the time to invest in your own business. It's definitely a competitive advantage.

These Companies Will Get Better in a Recession.

Investing in yourself -- especially when your competitors can't -- usually leads to a payoff down the road.

National Retail Federation says Mother's Day spending will be down.

National Retail Federation - Mother’s Day Spending Dips, According to NRF, But “Moms Will Understand”.

“Budget-friendly gift ideas will abound this Mother’s Day: discounted digital cameras, books and apparel still show mom how much she is appreciated.” The majority of people (66.8%) will buy flowers for mom, spending a total of $1.9 billion on those purchases. Slightly more than half (54.8%) will treat mom to a special outing such as dinner or brunch, for a total of $2.7 billion. People will also spend $2.3 billion on jewelry, $1.5 billion on gift cards, $1.2 billion on clothing or clothing accessories, and $1.1 million on personal services such as a day at the spa. In addition, consumers will spend $857 million on electronics or computer-related accessories, $587 million on housewares and gardening tools, and $487 million on books or CDs. In the search for the best bargains, one-third (30.2%) of Mother’s Day shoppers will purchase mom’s gift from discount stores, while 27.2 percent will search out their favorite department store. Others will head to specialty stores like florists, gift stores and electronics stores (33.0%) and specialty clothing stores (5.5%). As evidence that the internet continues to play an important role in the way people shop, 18.2 percent will shop online.