Welcome to Rick Segel's Blog

How to Motivate High Potential Employees

I recently received an email from a jewelry store outside of Los Angeles.

The owner posed an interesting question that she suggested would be a wonderful discussion question for my readers. I agreed that it would be a great question and I would get as many opinions as possible. So here goes:

Dear Rick,

I have an employee who has worked for me for 3 years. I own a smaller jewelry store outside of Los Angeles and employ 14 people who all work part-time. The business was originally started by my husband who passed away 9 years ago. I have been running it alone by myself since then. My children have graduated from college and have no interest in entering the business (one is an accountant, the other is an electrical engineer). Tracy, who is in her early 30’s is one of the most talented employees I have ever had. She outsells everyone in the store, including me, all of the other employees love working with her, and customers call to find out when she will be in.

Tracy is also one of the most honest and trustworthy people I know. So, what could be wrong? She really doesn’t want to work, and I don’t know what I have to do to motivate her. Most people are probably thinking by now that she doesn’t need the money. WRONG! She is a single mom with more debt than you can imagine. In her defense, her husband ran up a bunch of credit cards and took off. She has made payment arrangements with most of the credit card companies but she needs to honor her commitments. She has one 12 year old son.

Having said all of that, maybe you can start to share my frustration when I tell you she calls in sick or has an excuse why she cannot come in more than any other employee I have ever had. I can’t depend on her. We tell customers that she is scheduled to work on a specific day. They come in with pieces to have redesigned and/or buy something new, and Tracy is not there. I am particularly frustrated today because one poor couple have now come in three different times and left because she wasn’t there to take care of them. They will not return. I am guessing now, but it was probably a $5,000 lost sale.

Now to make matters worse. When I confronted Tracy, she felt terrible about her actions, and promised that she will make it up to me. And she did. They day I confronted her with this she felt so bad she made four $3,000 sales; one $12,000 sale, and helped two other people to have sales over $2,500 each.

The irony is the fact that the store wasn’t even busy that day. It’s as if she has the ability to just manufacture sales. She also refused to take her normal commission on $5,000 of those sales because of the sale that was lost.

The next day after she had $24,000 in sales, she felt so bad and apologized that it would never happen again. But she didn’t show up for work until 1:00 when she was scheduled to open at 10:00. At least she did call me to open and said she was running a little late. I have offered her more money, bigger bonuses, a flexible schedule, health insurance, and have even looked into help with her child. Rick, I just don’t know what to do. I really would love to sell her the business, and although I have mentioned it a few times, she has never responded to my suggestions. She is a combination of a daughter, sister, friend, colleague and business partner. I could never dream of firing her because I couldn’t do it.

I know she has a very active social life, but we don’t talk about it while sometimes I think I should. It is not as if she has even setting a bad example to the other employees because she openly admits she is wrong. Rick, what should I do? I am at my wit’s end. PLEASE HELP!

Sincerely,
Eunice K.

Eunice, I feel your frustration. I had a similar situation happen to me many years ago. Unfortunately, this employee left the store, but I always wondered what might have been.

Now here’s the challenge.

Write in at rick@ricksegel.com or coment below and share your opinion with any possible suggestions to make Eunice’s life less stressful and to help Tracy reach her full potential. I will leave you with just one idea, and I will be working on ideas all week long. And that would be to sit down with Tracy and draw up an agreement of do’s and don’ts or some type of contract between the two of them. I look forward to your responses and let’s see if we can help Eunice out.

Have a great week.

Seven Ways to Get Your Retail Website to Pop

Websites today can become exciting with simple techniques.  Having said that, we are focusing on the look of the site, the graphics as opposed to  the backend technical navigation and “mumbo jumbo” which is still the backbone to every website. It still amazes us that relatively basic looking sites can do exceptionally well because technically they work. The bottom line is we need the fun and exciting stuff along with the basics. 

1. Think USA Today: The reason for the success of USA Today is because it has lots of headlines, short stories with short paragraphs and graphics that support the story. This sounds simple enough to do and yet as you surf he web, you will see site after site with long paragraphs that no one will ever read.  
2. Think Headlines: Although we just mentioned the use of headlines when we refer to USA Today, spend some time writing a captivating headline that people want to learn more about.  
3. It’s About the Reader Not You: So many times when people write their websites, it is I, I, I or it is just focused on your company or yourself. Think in terms of benefits to the reader. Think in terms of the website that says “we have been in business a hundred years”. The owner of the business is very proud of that and uses the argument that because we have been in business, we must be good. The reader reads that and says “what does all that mean to me”.
4. Make it Personal: Always have an about us section and share pictures and your personal philosophy. On an award winning website, the owner of the company is pictured sitting on a stool, holding a beagle and beside that is a short message to the reader that has a script signature to make it appear as if it is a personalized signature. Within the body of the owner’s message, there is a click through to send her an email.  
5. The Use of Fonts: Generally speaking, homemade websites or less professional looking websites have a tendency of using overused fonts such as Arial or Times Roman. Select the font that you like which has the same feel and look of your company and stick with it. One of the biggest errors people make is they go font crazy and they begin to put three of four different fonts on the same page. You can use the same font but use the italicized version of it and/or all capitals.  
6. Color Contrast: So many times we will see sites that use colors that are beautiful but unfortunately not readable. I recently reviewed a site that was in gray with a darker gray lettering. I couldn’t read the site.  Mauve and gray are great for a living room, but not for a home page. Businesses that use all black backgrounds must be careful with the use of the color red. Red is a great accent color on a black and white site, but don’t use a red font consistently.  
7. The Convenience Factor: Websites are about convenience.  They allow us to save time and money by truly letting our fingers do the shopping. We block the convenience factor when we have Flash openings with words or images flying in from every direction and music blaring in the background. All of these sites have a button that says “skip intro”. 93% of the people who go to these sites, hit “skip intro”. That stuff is not necessary or as I like to put it, it is the graphic designer having an orgasm.  
8. The Bonus: I said the 7 steps, but I am giving more than expected. Make sure on your website you give more than the viewer expects. In New Orleans, they just call it “lagniappe”. What it means is a small gift to the customer by a merchant, such as the thirteenth donut. My extra point is this - use small graphic calls to action to interest your reader to stay on this site longer. After all, isn’t that what I did to have you read this?

What’s The Story Behind That Product?

Increase the Perceived Value by Sharing the Why of The Buy

Have you ever gone to a store, looked at a piece of merchandise, and not bought it because you thought it might be an inferior product?  That just happened to me.  I was shopping at a store in the Boston area that is known for everyday bargains.  It is the type of store that people rarely go to for a specific item.  It’s the type of store that you end up buying a bunch of stuff that you never knew you needed.  Their prices are extremely low and their advertising slogan is “don’t you just love a bargain?”

I affectionately refer to this store as an old fashioned five and dime store on steroids.  They sell lots of party products, kitchen items, gift items, books, packaged foods, cosmetics and probably another thousand categories.  It is a chain of 20 plus stores that is not necessarily the neatest and most organized, but no one really expects it to be either.  You get the feeling you are getting a great deal on everything you buy.

One of the reasons for some of the great values that they offer is that many of the time dated products will have closer expiration dates, which is perfectly OK as long as you aware of that.  The majority of the items are not this way.  What I am saying is you are looking for reasons why something might be such a great deal.  That was the case with me.  Let me explain.

Again, remember I went into the store not looking for anything in particular and just killing some time.  I did, however, have a shopping cart which I was filling up with a bunch of useless items I had to buy.  Then I came to the men’s personal item area and picked up a can of shaving cream and noticed a razor from Gillette.  I had never heard of this type of razor; it was a Fusion ProGlide Power Razor that was only $8.99 which seemed cheap enough to make me buy it.  BUT where I had never heard of this razor, I was afraid that it might be a discontinued item that Gillette had experimented with, didn’t work out, and were dumping the balance of the products into this discount store.  That was OK because I go through a lot of razors since I travel so much and I have a tendency of leaving them somewhere.  So, I figured since I probably wouldn’t be able to get the blades for this in the future, I would purchase the 8-pack of blades.  I was a bit surprised that the 8-pack of blades sold for $26.99, but I happened to need a razor so I bought it.  I want you to know I did have buyer’s remorse because I felt I had bought a discontinued product.  The reason why I felt that way is because these razors and blades were thrown into a bin.  Then two things happened to me.

First, I used the razor.  It was the most unbelievable shave I have ever received and with a bald head this is an area I am expert at.  I am still believing and questioning why they would be discontinuing such a great razor.

Then, I went to CVS to pick up a prescription where right there in front of me was this beautiful display on an end cap announcing the newest and greatest razor by Gillette, the Fusion ProGlide Power Razor.  It was selling for $12.99 and the blades were $29.99.  It is not a huge discount, but it is still a substantial discount, especially on a brand new product.  Here is the interesting part.  I happened to ask the cashier, who I believed was some type of manager or assistant, how those new Power Glide Razors were selling?  Her comment was “we keep them in stock”.

I will go as far as saying that CVS is doing a far superior job on selling these products than the store that is known for lower prices.  There is an old expression that says “its worth is what it looks like it’s worth”.  CVS increased the perceived value of the product by featuring it, signing it and supporting it with professionally prepared displays by the vendor.  The discount store didn’t even have a hand written 3 x 5 card saying “new product” or “great buy”.  It got so bad that even though I purchased the item, I actually considered returning it.

Are you doing the same thing in your store?  Are you making it easier for the customer to understand the products you are selling?  I was at an airport shop the other day that sold art by the artist, BRITTO.  The products were posters, framed art, t-shirts and ceramic pieces.  It was OK, however, the value of those products skyrocketed when I saw the artist pictured with various world leaders, including President Clinton and an announcement that he was selected to create a new stamp for the United Nations.  That’s credibility!  That’s the story behind the product.  Share the story and you will increase the value of your products.  Try it, it works!

The Three Types of Sales Associates

Which One Do You Employ?

I am sure there are more than three types of sales associates, but for the sake of discussion I have always looked at three main categories - the Weak Sales Associate, the Average Sales Associate and the Superstar. Let’s first define each of these categories.

The Weak Sales Associate: This employee can have many different attributes from being not trained and not knowledgeable to having a destructive attitude. Either way you look at it, both of these qualities can kill your business. The interesting aspect of this is that it’s not always that employee’s fault, but rather fault of management.

The weak sales associate: This category of sales associates is one who is not trained and knowledgeable is the easiest to improve. Duh! They require training and knowledge. The question is how are you going to train and make them more knowledgeable. There are many stores that have long detailed training programs for new employees, some of them are as simple as a two to five day training session. The topics which should be covered would be the history of the business, the philosophy of the business, a discussion of the mission or vision statement a business might have and all of this would come under a category that might be referred to as a new employee’s indoctrination. What you are attempting to do here is to start to have the employee understand why you do what you do.

The other two areas that you want to cover in the initial training would be product knowledge and why you buy what you buy and sell what you sell. The last section of any training program should be what the employee is expected to do and how to do it. In other words, we are going to teach them about our products, tell them what your expectations are and how to sell them.

The danger that many of us have in training employees is that we will assign an employee to follow another employee. That’s a great way of doing it, however, don’t just have the new employee follow just one person, rotate them. You don’t want an employee to pick up all of the bad habits from one. One last word on training, it is a constant and ongoing commitment. Understand that the new employee with a wonderful attitude who doesn’t understand the business, the products or how to perform is just as bad as the employee with the destructive behavior. Let’s talk about the employee with the destructive behavior. Generally speaking when we talk about bad behavior, it always comes down to they have a BAD ATTITUDE.

Attitude is comprised of three elements:

1. Facial expressions -- looks
2. Body language
3. Tone of their voice

All of these elements are easy to recognize and we seem to get a quick image when we mention any one of these factors with a bad attitude. Can’t you just picture the person who rolls their eyes or looks disgusted and you just know what their body language is going to be like. And don’t we all know the tone of their voice? One of the exercises that I will do in a live seminar is to ask people to say the phrase “good morning” but say it as if they are disgusted, aggravated, annoyed and then have them contrast it to happy, excited and positive. The facial expressions and the body language go with it naturally.

The bottom line, make your employees aware of what a bad attitude is, ways to improve it and if they do not, they must be terminated. It just flat hurts you and your business.

The Average Sales Associate: This is a category where the majority of our employees fall. What they do is whatever is asked of them, they generally have good attitudes, they are pleasant with customers and they will make a sale when the customer wants to buy. In short, the average salesperson rarely hears the expression “I had no intentions of buying, I just stopped in to say hello”.

The average sales associate are many times referred to as just an order taker. They rarely suggest multiple items and their Units Per Transaction will always be close to 1; as opposed to the superstar who will have Units Per Transaction of 3, 4, 5 or more. This average employee will have some customers request them, but not often. This associate can feel secure about their job, but should always worry about being compared to stronger employees. This is the employee who we should work with to improve their skills and encourage multiple sale transactions.

The Superstar: I believe there are two parts to the superstar. First, they are engaging with the customer, they have a belief that they are there to service the customer and help them to buy what they want and need. They don’t necessarily look at themselves as salespeople. Many times people get confused and think that the strongest salespeople are the most outgoing with a bubbly personality. That’s just not so. Many of these superstars do have outgoing personalities, but the one thing they all have in common is that they ask the customer questions and listen to their answers.

That is the reason why customers relate so well to them because the superstar is focused on that customer. I recently had a friend who went to Chico’s and raved about her experience because the salesperson befriended her by listening to her needs and wants and made suggestions that fulfilled those needs and wants and made maintained the attitude that “this is what we should do” as if to say “I am on your team”. That is why my friend bought more than she expected, spent more than she planned, left happy but realized when she got home she didn’t need a couple of the minor accessory pieces. Then felt so bad about returning it and didn’t want to return it when her superstar was there because she didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

BINGO! Guilt is a wonderful thing. Logically, she does not need those accessory pieces. Emotionally, she will probably keep them. The best part is she will go back to the store and ask for this superstar by name and even call in advance to make sure she is there.

Now the bad or dark side of the superstar -- many times they know it. The true superstar is NOT a prima Donna. They are team players, they help out weaker sales associates and they don’t ask for special favors. You can be as friendly to this employee as possible, but never at the risk or health of the business. True superstars don’t put management in comprising positions. They don’t ask for special favors and their focus is always in the best interest of the store first. Sales ability is great but sales ability with a strong team attitude makes the true superstars. That’s why every NBA team wants LeBron James because not only can he perform, he is a consummate team player and natural leader. Let’s learn something from basketball, when you find people like that go after them, recruit them and watch your business grow.

What Would You Do If Someone Said Negative Things About Your Business... to the WORLD

"Rick, PLEASE HELP!!!" One of my customers was so unhappy that I wouldn’t give her a refund on something she bought 6 months ago. She is destroying me on the internet. I don’t know what to do. Please help me.

"I believe in treating people fairly and honestly but this woman tried to return a $350 serving set that we sell mostly at Christmas time.  I did take it back but I gave her a gift card for $350, plus the tax she paid. She complained that she gets cash back everywhere she goes and she would never come back."

"Then this happened. As she was leaving the store, she noticed we had the exact same serving set in our clearance section. It happened to be marked down to $99. Yes, this woman bought and NOW she demanded the difference back in cash."

"We politely said no and that she would have to spend the balance. Again she opened a mouth and told us she would tell the world what horrible people we are and what a horrible business this was."

"Well, she did."

"She wrote posts on my blog, she sent out tweets, entries on Facebook and any social media networks you can imagine. Rick, what can I do and where do I go?"

Signed by Mary X, a Gift Shop Owner in the Midwest (The store owner wanted to remain anonymous but granted me permission to use this scenario.)

This is becoming a rapidly growing problem. The customer today has power over us like never before. We are almost at their mercy and it kills me to say that. Throw "FAIR" out the window. We are living in a world of FREE, have it your way, totally customized for you, type of world.

In a minute I will share what the experts on negative feedback say.  But I want you to consider two issues.

1. The cost of this negative publicity can be far more expensive than the return. Yes, I know it’s the principle BUT we can win a battle and lose a war. I once was almost involved in a lawsuit that I had a 100% chance of winning. But I chose NOT to sue because the cost of suing was more than the victory would have been.
2. We can be as nice as possible and still have a customer upset with us. So don’t beat yourself up and accept the new reality. Social media such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs and more are great tools to use to connect with customers. The great thing about social media is that you really put yourself out there. But with this openness, problems can occur.

But how do you deal with negative feedback?

• Create A Policy - Before you start having comments available whether it's through a blog or a Twitter conversation, make sure you clearly outline the organization's policy on commenting. I know it sounds excessive, but having some guidelines in place will ensure that you won't be caught off guard.
• Make sure it’s not libel - In the United States and in many countries around the world, truthful statements about another person are safe to publish. However, publishing outright lies with the intent to defame or injure the reputation of others is illegal.
• Don't Lash Out - It's easy to respond quickly when someone makes you mad. The best thing to do however is keep your cool, no matter what the situation. You will come off as the better person for it.
• Respond Publicly - If someone makes a negative comment, respond publicly to let others know how you've handled the situation. Maybe others were wondering the same thing, but didn't want to ask. Being able to handle the situation shows that you (and the organization) are in control.
• Respond Privately - This may seem the opposite to the point above, but let me explain. While some situations require a public response, others do not. If you are being harassed, you may not want the situation to play out over the blog. Also, if a negative situation is going back and forth many times, you should move that to a private conversation as to not interfere with your other posts/comments.
• Respond in a Timely Manner - If you take too long to reply, people may think that silence is your answer. Try to respond as quickly as you can, even if just to say that you will be able to provide an answer/opinion shortly. That way people know that you are involved.
• Be Clear and Concise - Nobody's going to read a response that's many paragraphs long. Keep your answers clear and concise and you will get your point across.

Mary, I hope this helps.

(A special thank you to the pros at Synthesis Communication and The Reputation Hawk for their contributions.)

Here Is a Simple Idea That Works

I just got an interesting job that I think could become a great business tool for you. This is so good a business model that I might even want to pursue it even further and use it for more than this one client.  But the best part is that anyone can do it and reap the rewards from this model.

I will be working for a distributor that has two major trade shows a year. All of the vendors he represents attend these buying shows. They offer 2 educational programs before the show begins and I will be doing one presentation for their sales reps and another one for their retailers.  

In addition to the presentations, the distributor asked me to do a rather interesting assignment that could become a major trend. What I will be doing is going from trade show booth to trade show booth, with a video camera and a microphone and asking the vendors sales/managers or sales reps a few simple but powerful questions:

1. What is HOT from your company?
2. Why is it HOT?
3. Why should the consumer buy it?
4. What’s new?
5. What are the advantages of doing business with your company?

When I edit the responses I will break the videos down to a 3 to 5 minute maximum.  They will be converted into YouTube and placed in a private section of YouTube.  Then the distributor will offer this library of videos for the retailers to use on their websites. FREE Content.  And the distributor will charge the vendor an advertising fee.  

What makes this important for you to do?  

One of the reasons that online sales have been strong is because of the amount of educational data, product reviews, customer feedback, and owner’s polls. When you think about it, an online merchant is able to beat the retailer at their own strength which has traditionally been customer service, expertise, and dependability of the specialty retailer to know and stand behind the product.

Things have changed and the difference is in the area of expertise and sharing that expertise. Having a website filled with instructional and informative short video makes your website one that people will return to again and again. Even if someone doesn’t buy from you, people will be talking about you and in time that will pay big dividends.

SO WHAT IS THE ACTION STEP?

First, ask every vendor you do business with if they have created short instructional, fun, or informational videos that you can use on your website. If not, start to bring a camera to trade shows, any point and shoot camera works since they all take movies today. Then, ask the questions I listed earlier. OR When a sales rep is in your store, take a video.  OR you can use SKYPE (it’s free or has a tiny charge) to capture a video recording right through your computer.

I have found someone to edit my videos. Trust me, there are plenty of people who do that work as a part time job. Then just have them up load it to YouTube (it’s really pretty simple- I even did 2 of them a month ago myself). Once they are on YouTube, you can easily add them to your website and Facebook site.  You can even use these videos in your store if you have a flat screen monitor.  You can use some of the smaller screens that are not very expensive.  

This is really a winner and it just enhances the shopping experience within your store. It also makes your website far more interesting and encourages your visitors to return again and again. 

It’s Time to Recoup, Refocus and Regrow

I just spent a long weekend at The International Humor & Creativity Conference sponsored by the Humor Project. It was located at a sprawling resort and conference center at Silver Bay on Lake George in New York. It was like going back in time a 100 years-- not only because the facility was 100 years old but for 3 days I was at a location that had limited telephone service (no phones in the rooms and one public phone to share with 20 guest rooms). Cell phones did not work at all and internet access was limited to only a few of the building in a 40+ building  facility. The term rustic was used many times but being in a facility like that, with all of the distractions of the world at bay, it clears the air and makes you think about who you are and what  you are doing with your life and career.

This was a very different audience for me because most of the groups I speak to are focused on  business issues, where this group consisted of doctors, medical professionals, educators, and just a whole bunch of really bright creative people who believe in the importance of fun, humor, and playful behavior. They are serious about their fun and the benefits both medically and emotionally.  

It was a place that lent itself for long philosophical discussions on the type of porch that we might have seen Roosevelt and Churchill discussing the politics of the day. This porch that overlooked the Lake accommodated over 50 old rocking chairs and was the right place with the right people and the right environment to truly make a difference on the world.  

So how did it affect me? The biggest thing was it reinforced a belief I have held for a very long time and is clearly documented in the first chapter of both of my Dummies books. I talk about dreaming. Yes, a touchy feely subject but one that is so important. It was asked how many times is a house built? The answer is twice. It is first built in your mind, then the second time it’s built with bricks and wood.  It all starts with a dream.

The people that start a business all start with a dream. If you were to ask most entrepreneurs if they would rather work for someone for more money or be in business for themselves, the answer is always to stay in business for themselves.  Yes, it’s tough sometimes but it’s worth it.

The message I want to share is that sometimes it’s important for us to go back to the original dream we had for and about our businesses.  The unfortunate thing is that sometimes life gets in the way: recessions, urban renewal, competition, new ideas, a changing demographic, or a new technology that changes the way we do business. There sometimes seem like there are a 100 things that can go wrong and very few that make things right. We feel like that from time to time. The grass is always greener on the other side of the street.

By the way, customers aren’t any different all over the world. The customer today wants it all because they can get it all. Competition is tougher than ever before. IT’S NOT JUST YOU. We need to focus on the customer that appreciates what we do.  

As you revisit your dream, add this to the equation. Ask yourself how you and your business can enhance the lives of your customers. Are you bringing unique merchandise that they can’t find elsewhere? Are you providing a service that is so special they wouldn’t go elsewhere? Or realize that your competitive advantage is the location and the convenience you offer your customer? Just know what makes you special and/or why your customers think you are special. After all, if you are going to be a specialty business, it’s time you put special back into your businesses.

Sometimes we might just have to change or adjust our dreams and goals and remember this. People love change. It’s the transition from changing from one thing to another that we hate. We all want change to be immediate and it never is.  

One last point from this philosophical mood I have taken with me from the conference. We tend to beat ourselves up over some of the tough times we go through. We are never as good as our greatest success and never as bad as our worst failure. Start dreaming again. After all it got you to where you are today. Besides, if it was good enough for Walt Disney, it’s good enough for me. 

A Lesson From The Dentist… There Is A Lot to Learn Here

The other day I had an appointment with my dentist because I broke a tooth and needed to have a new veneer made.  Because of the moves I have made in the last few years, I have only been with this dentist for two years. However, of the four different dentists I have used over the last 35 years, my current dentist and his company is the best, most professional dental firm I have ever encountered. There are actually 3 or 4 dentists, at least 6 hygienists, and lots of assistants who are just buzzing around all day.

There are 3 wows about this practice:

1. Appointment times are always honored and I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes from arriving.
2. Your first appointment has a 30-minute sit down face-to-face meeting so that the dentist can better understand the whole patient. It’s a nice touch but isn’t that what wows are?
3. My dentist is a nice, very personable, wonderful man, a great employer, and also a brilliant man without being obnoxious about his intelligence.

So what could a gift shop or a garden center learn from my dentist? LOTS.  

See if this sounds familiar:

I will refer to my Dentist for the purpose of this article as Dr. T. We were discussing the phenomena of the effect that Extreme Makeover TV Show had on the dental industry. On the show they used a method that was called the Davinci Process for capping or putting veneers on teeth to create beautiful white teeth. Dental labs and dentists across the country were getting lots of inquiries for this process. It got so big that the process developed by a dental Lab in LA actually developed a license/franchise agreement with the labs and dentists around the world. (Great PR works…That’s the first lesson to learn.)    

It is a very good process but most dentists and labs can do similar things.  That’s what started a most interesting discussion.  Dr T then made the statement, “Doesn’t it kill you when a patient (a customer in our world) tells you that they went someplace else to have work done and it’s work you do?” In his case, this meant someone going to another dentist for cosmetic dentistry.  He said that’s what he does and besides he hated the term cosmetic dentistry.  

My response was, “What do you expect? How are your patients supposed to know what you do?” He didn’t have a sign, a testimonial, a before and after picture other than one created by dentists for dentists. He didn’t even have a simple brochure describing his services. He responded that he never advertised and everything was done via word of mouth advertising.  Now understand, this is a very bright man but something doesn’t seem right.  He is dependent on his patients to tell his story about an extreme makeover of someone’s smile. If he is busy now, I wonder how busy he could be with the proper marketing?

So then I asked the biggie. “How does your website handle your services?”  His response was “not great because I even have a problem navigating the site.” Now that’s a bad sign-- if you can’t navigate it, how is your reader going to do it? And speaking of signs, I suggested that he should have signs on the ceiling right above the chair. Is there a more captive audience than a patient lying down in a dentist’s chair with nothing else to do but read a sign?

I explained that today we can’t just depend on word of mouth advertising like we used to because the natural way people look for new services or goods is NOT by asking a friend. It is by “Googling it”. Plus customers today are bolder about negotiating or at least not afraid to ask the price and shop dental services more than ever before. So I said when he finished my tooth repair, I would take a look at his website.  

His website was absolutely beautiful. The graphics were first class. BUT that always scares me because if they look pretty, somehow they aren’t always functional. Plus they just never seem to score high on web results testing.  

Dr T showed me the services section and I saw before and after shots. However, there was no testimonial or endorsement or any type of emotional connection. It was all insider shop talk void of the people and personalities.

There were no videos on the site at all. There weren’t any video endorsements or dental tips by the dentists. Even a video on what to expect if you have Cosmetic Dentistry. I then ran the website through websitegrader.com. His website’s score was 24 out of a 100.  That was terrible. This site cost him thousands of dollars to create. It was written on a graduate school level but that’s not who his clients are. The before and after shots lacked any type of touchy feely feeling and certainly sounded like insider talk about the various procedures. The site was just too stuffy and didn’t serve the needs of his community.  

I then graded the website developer that was charging these dentists huge fees. Their score was 84%. Although this is good, people who do this for a living should have scores of 95% or better.  

My last comment was that the site was all about the dental practice. NOT HIS PATIENTS or the benefit he brought to his patients. He didn’t offer anything to his patients, no newsletter, no blog, no ask the dentist section, no videos to make the flow of information easier, no CALL TO ACTION BOXES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DOWNLOAD ANY SPECIAL REPORTS, tips or anything else.  

The goal TODAY: TRY TO POSITION OURSELVES AS THE EXPERT. Dr. T already has that level of professionalism but he is throwing it all away by not reinforcing it. People pay extra for expertise which also means he should create his own brand for his process for capping teeth. Call it the Michelangelo Method or better yet, he could use his own name in the process.  

The bottom-line is that it is about the customer. Not us. How can we serve them better? How can we communicate what we do and how it benefits the customer? What can we do for them and how are we teaching them today? Now act on what you have learned. I know Dr. T is going to.

This is an alternative ending:

Last point and this is the tough one. As you can plainly tell from my tone I really like Dr T. I would recommend him in a second. I am as loyal a customer/patient as you can get. BUT 5 weeks ago my wife needed a crown and we were still in Florida.  She went to a dentist that we had no long-term relationship with. He told her she needed a new crown and the price would be X. She then called Dr. T office to have it down there. After making the appointment she asked how much would it cost? She was shocked when she received the estimate which was $500 less. Guess where she had the work done!

We still have to price competitively.

The Seven Breakthrough Marketing™ Tools

If you are a regular reader of this column you are beginning to better understand that there is truly is a revolution taking place in marketing today. There is an explosion of ideas coming to market. But it’s more than just the number of ideas-- it is the speed in which these ideas become accepted and used by large numbers of our marketing audience.

The days of saying, “We do it this way”, or “Why fix it if it’s not broken” are no longer a part of a marketer’s vocabulary. Then you add one more element to the mix of quantity of ideas, the speed of acceptance, and universal use --the cost. Most of these ideas are either low cost or no cost but do require commitments in both time and education.

The bottom line is that we reach people differently today. Consumers have new buying habits and ways in which they receive information about the products and services they seek. The following is my list of The Seven Breakthrough Marketing Tools we need to know in order to compete in this overcrowded marketplace:

1. The Touch Tools - These are the ways that we get in touch with people-- from face to face, to telephone calls, to communicating via answering machines, to traditional mail, e-mail, text, newsletters, etc. The reason why this tool is so important is because if a business is collecting email addresses but the majority of their customers prefer to be contacted via the telephone, then the method is worthless. Making a business aware of the preferred touch tool can make a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
   
   
2. Multiple Landing Pages - Today a businesses DNA is made up of the words that our prospects use to find our type of business, our products and or our services. This is perhaps the most important of all of the tools because people do not go into websites from the front door anymore. They do searches for specific words and phrases and we must have a single landing page where they land and then we can redirect them to the rest of the site or sites. In other words, if you sell Blown glass by Josh Simpson. Make sure you have a separate dedicated page for just Josh Simpson Art where you use Josh Simpson’s name as often as possible. That page links to the rest of your site.
   
   Then you want to have another site that just talks about “Blown glass” and again the term “Blown glass” appears as many times as possible. These pages are not generally long. They have only a couple of short paragraphs and, of course, they must have some graphics that will encourage the viewer to explore or learn more about your  company and entice them to click on other sections of your website.
   
   
3. Call to Action Graphics - The call to action is the action step we discussed in #2.  These are the graphic nudges that will encourage the reader to seek more information. This is perhaps the single biggest mistake that we all make when we don’t create a vehicle for a prospect to find out more what we can do for them. That is why websites today should have multiple forms to fill in to receive “additional information”, a “trial period”, or “free offers”, etc. The reason why you need graphics is to make it stand out. A call to action without graphics draws 73% less action.
   
   
4. Create Your Lead Nurturing System - When someone expresses an interest in a company or a product, what system do you have in place that will follow up with the customer? This can be a series of emails, letters, newsletters, or even phone calls over a desired time period, generally from 3 months to 1 year. I like to say, “until they Buy or Die”. But trying to come up with an idea of what to send or say every month or quarter can be a daunting task that rarely ever gets done. However, if you plan the pieces in advance the job is less intimidating and gets done.
   
   
5. Opt-in text/M-commerce - This is perhaps the fastest growing of all marketing tools and one that I am about to make a major personal investment in Texting Advantage for Retailers ™.  Here is the concept:  You will see in an ad on a sign in your window or on the side of the bus that says something like text 71277 and in the message type in “specials”.  Or it could even say get our tips on ………………………  This message can be on a billboard, store window, plastic bag, etc. The bottom line is that people can opt in to your list without ever having any contact with your business. That is a powerful concept that in turn will result in sales.
   
   
6. You Tube and the Video - This powerful technique is changing how we not only learn but also the way we entertain our self and it’s all FREE. It’s important to separate the concept of using Video and YouTube. YouTube is important because it is a first rate delivery system that has an unbelievable distribution network. But it is the use of video that is so important. These include:
   
   
1. Video Testimonials - Here you will capture comments by customers, make a video of them, and post them on your website. They can also be played in the store.
   
   
2. To Learning Minutes - These are 2-4 minute educational videos that should be branded and can teach the customer something about a product or technique. Again, they can be played in the store, in a section of a website, and can be combined in a collection that can be sold.
   
   
7. The coupons - I recently wrote an article pertaining to the use of the various coupon services. My advice is that I would get involved with as many coupon services as possible. Why? Simple, they are all pay for performance. So as long as you make an appealing offer without giving the store away, you can’t lose.
   

These are my seven tools but the way things are happening so fast, be prepared to learn new twists on some old rules and some ideas that could only happen because of the new technology that the internet delivers to us almost daily.  My advice: select what makes sense to you adapt and adopt it. But fasten your seat belt and get ready for the ride of the explosion of marketing ideas and concepts.

It’s Time Your Business Jumped on the YouTube Bandwagon…. And Here Is Why

YouTube is more than weird people trying to get their 15 minutes of fame. I believe it is becoming one of the most important tools to understand, master, and employ in your business today. What I want to do is first tell you some of the ways you can use YouTube in your business. Then I am going to take you step-by-step on exactly what to do to go from an idea to finally having your first video published.  

It is important to understand that the method or technology that is important is the use of video. YouTube is just a free service that makes using video on line so easy and inexpensive that we sometimes just refer to the videos as YouTube videos. It is really just using video but when you price out the cost to do it yourself, you will begin to understand the significance YouTube has made.

First a disclaimer: Although I have used many videos in my business, I have never been the one who handled any of the technical stuff that is involved in making this work. I say that because if I can make it work anyone can! I have never been accused of being a computer geek.  So I am going to use my very best “Dummiesque” skills and make it so easy that even someone afraid to turn on your computer will be inspired enough to give it a try.  Now, let’s begin.

How can a small business or retail store use You Tube and why should they?

1. The Testimonial. Have you ever had a customer give you a compliment about how much they like your store? Of course you have. The next time that happens just pull out your digital camera and ask the person if they could repeat it so you can film it.  If they are complimenting you, trust me they will never complain about doing it.  Then you can download it on to YouTube and the places you can use it are endless--from your website to having it play in the store.  
2. Positioning & Branding.  A short YouTube video can tell your potential customers who you are and what you do and the important question, “Why should the potential customer do business with you?”
3. Training. A YouTube video doesn’t have to be available for the general public to view . If you have lots of part time people, it is a great way to offer the same program wherever they are. Then create a test to make sure they watched it.
4. Product Information. The next time you work with a sales rep, interview them and let them talk about their product or products. Sales reps can be a very valuable source of product info. Just ask 3 basic questions and remember that the video should be no longer than 4 minutes.
5. Product Showcase /Product Presentations. This seems so obvious but it’s amazing how many people forget to just talk about the products they sell.  
6. Educational Purposes: Every retailer today is in the education business because there are so many new solutions or products that are being released weekly or monthly. But it more than just new products; it’s how we use or maintain our old products. Like the jeweler who teaches how to properly clean a ring. Or the gift store that teaches what the best gift to give for the occasion.  
7. Make it personal. Unveil the person behind the company. We like to do business with real people and YouTube videos are a great way to do just that.  Just talk to your customer and tell them how you got started in business, your successes, and maybe even failures. We love to do business with the underdog. Introduce your family and/or staff.  
8. Employee Videos: Encourage your employees to make videos about some positive aspect of the business. Or even have employees talk about the positive attributes of a business. Then take it a step further and have your employees sing the praises of another employee and what a wonderful experience they would have if that employee takes care of you
9. Contest Videos: This can apply to your employees or it can apply to a customer contest. Especially if you are catering to a younger market, it is amazing how these kids get into creating their masterpiece. The only requirement is that that it’s clean and relates in some positive way to your business. Remember the Word of Mouth thing. This is the stuff people talk about.
10. Share the Journey Videos A few years ago a restaurant chain called BGood in Boston won The Retailers Association of Massachusetts restaurant of the year. This business was built solely on their videos. Every couple of weeks they release a new video. As the owners described their unusual form of marketing, they said all we are doing is sharing our journey. They are hip, upbeat and fun. Go to bgood.com to review these classics. Wait to you see the amount of videos they have created. (There is even one when they received the RAMAE Award from me with the Legendary Uncle Ferris. He is one of the owner’s uncles and is quite the character which makes him perfect in the use of video.) 

The Steps from Neophyte to YouTube Producer and Director:

1. Log on: Go to YouTube.com Create a YouTube account. (If you have a   Google account, it’s the same.) Then log in.
2. Title:  Type in your Title
3. Description: Then type in the description of what the video is all about
4. Category: Then decide what category should your video go into. (Just pick the one that best fits.)
5. Tags: Now type in the Tags, which are simply the words that people will use to find you.
6. Broadcast Options:  Choose Open to the public or private for just friends or family.
7. Sharing Options: Choose if you want to create a URL or if you want to embed it into your website.
8. Upload from your computer and you are now done.

Now you have a basic video.  If you need any help editing and you are a Mac user, go to IMovie. Microsoft has a similar movie-editing feature. There is also a simple free service called Slideroll.com that works well.  

Don’t go crazy with creating all sorts of fancy intros at first. There will be plenty of time to get sophisticated.  There are also some wonderful YouTube videos that explain what to do.  Have a great week.

http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/