The Third Key: Packaging

I have a friend who often says when coaching clients on the telephone, "If you're excited about this, why don't you tell your voice!!"

If You're Excited, Show People!

You can't expect others to get excited about you if YOU aren't excited. They won't care about your business unless YOU care. They won't spend money ON your business unless YOU do.

I used to do LOT of interviewing for Tufts University, my undergrad Alma Mater. And for those kids I was really strongly behind, I would tell them this:

Everyone wants to be wanted. If you want to get into Tufts, TELL them that. No university wants to admit someone who looks like s/he applied "for the heck of it.

They want RAVING fans to join them because they know that Raving Fan Students turn into Raving Fan Alumni.

The same goes for your business.

What Does Your Bathroom Look Like?

Two of my favorite local businesses have let their bathrooms go.

Cracked ties, dirty/stained floors, light bulbs often not working, soap and towels in short supply.

What does this say to those of us who USE these bathrooms?

I'll tell you: this business doesn't care or they're hurting for enough money to keep their bathrooms looking nice or both.

And if that's all the better they can care for their bathrooms, how well can they care for me?

Do you see what I mean?

Businesses spend money on getting clients but often neglect some of the easiest things to do when it comes to HOLDING clients.

"How Are You Today?"

If you're answer isn't "I'm terrific" then you'd better find a way to MAKE it terrific.

Do you really think that visitors CARE how you are? Do they really NEED your problems on top of their own.

Or how about "Hey, how's business?"

If you can't say, "It's terrific" then you'd better find a way to MAKE it terrific.

Do you really think that visitors CARE how you are and how your business are – and do you think they want to do business with a loser instead of someone who is doing terrifically?

Nawwwwww… they don't!

Be enthusiastic. Keep a eye on details. Make your clients and customers happy… your life (your BUSINESS life) depends on it!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
Blogging, Podcasting, Consulting

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

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Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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Fallacies of Marketing

060 The Invisible Touch – The Number One Mistake

Video is very helpful when marketing the performing arts

This is a continuation of the series Marketing The Arts where you get to go behind the scenes of Into The Woods as it prepared for its Opening Night on October 22, 2009 at The Players Club of Swarthmore. Watch the whole series to see what it takes to produce a large-cast musical like Into The Woods.

Have you ever been IN a show? Do you know the excitement of Opening Night?

Well… BEFORE Opening Night comes the first time you step on the stage during YOUR rehearsal period. The previous show has been struck, the trash bin is overflowing, the tools have been put away, and the beginnings of your set are in workable form.

And now, only a few weeks after that first rehearsal on stage, the show is all set. Costumes, lights, sets, props, music… the only ingredient needed is a packed house with raving fans.

Into The Woods at The Players Club of Swarthmore Theater. It's time for Stephen Sondheim and all those terrific characters out there in the Woods.

The excitement is here.

Can you feel it?

And then see the top of my blog by clicking HERE! See how I approach my passions with this website.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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Marketing The Arts – The Players Club Of Swarthmore Presents Into The Woods – Ready For The Audience

What Is Satisfaction

Why do we EVER say, "I want satisfied customers?" (Personally I NEVER say that: usually they are "clients" and not customers… and there's a difference… and I want RAVING FANS and not satisfied customers or clients.)

Imagine for a moment: You're chatting with me to find out if you can afford my services to consult about your electronic marketing (Social Marketing, email marketing, websites, etc). We're getting close to an understanding and you ask for some client's names, which I give you.

When you call up to ask how things went for them when they worked with me, are you hoping to hear, "Oh, we were satisfied."

WHAT!!?

That's almost a kiss of death.

Do you want YOUR rear end on the line for YOUR company when you decide to work with someone who will only satisfy you?

How many restaurants do you return to because you were "satisfied"?

Were you satisfied with your dry cleaner, your hair stylist, your car servicing and then tell anyone about them?

Don't you want people RAVING about you, telling EVERYONE about you?

Of course you do.

So never set a less-than-adequate goal of "satisfying" your customers.

You won't have them very long if you do!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
Blogging, Podcasting, Consulting

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!

Fallacies of Marketing

024 The Invisible Touch – If They're Satisfied, You're Doomed

Fallacies of Marketing

I LOVE this topic and am a champion of advancing this kind of thinking!

Harry Beckwith tells of Daniel Goldman, author of the best-selling Emotional Intelligence, boarding a bus in New York City on a steamy day.

The bus driver, who long ago had decided that HE did not have an ordinary job and showed it by the way he greeted all the passengers, said "Hi, how ya doing?"

There was a "magical transformation" on the bus as passenger after passenger was greeted the same way.

Spirits lifted. People felt better. And almost certainly the passengers carried this sense of well-being with them as they excited the bus and went on their travels.

Coke Has A Commercial Like This

I'm not a huge fan of soft drinks, though I've certainly had my share. I do see what they do to peoples' wastelines, especially children.

But I have to praise Coke for their commercial which shows person after person doing something nice for someone… and it goes full circle when the person who started the good feeling received it back.

A sort of good-will "whisper down the lane."

You've seen the same thing, I'm sure. Don't you always feel better when out-of-the-blue someone does something NICE?

Marshall Wayne Finds The Good In Folks On Facebook

I came across this same thing the other day when a young man named Marshall Wayne singled out one of my Mastermind buddies, Bradley Will, who is doing some pretty good things himself.

Marshall put together a short video, posted it on Facebook, and told people about Brad. Marshall didn't know Brad… but he had seen what Brad was doing and wanted others to see it too. (You can see that video here: Marshall Wayne's Video About Bradley Will – Click Here!)

No prompting. No money. No ulterior motive… Marshall just wanted to pass on the good feeling that good people create.

People (including me) were falling over themselves to tell Marshall what a great thing he had done. And the joy kept growing.

Pass It On – Start Right Now

You, too, can pass this good feeling on. Try it. See how good you feel. See how great OTHER people feel.

And remember: No job is ordinary – there are just ordinary people DOING those jobs.

(Growing up around theater I always heard: there are no small parts, only small actors)

Dang I love to pass on good news! Makes me feel GREAT!!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
Blogging, Podcasting, Consulting

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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Fallacies of Marketing

014 The Invisible Touch – The Fallacy of the Ordinary Job

Fallacies of Marketing

Harry Beckwith ends this section by saying "Don't copy. Your business is more complex than that."

How true.

Most people see one small part of someone else's business and think they can copy that to make their business better… but what they DON'T see is all the underlying structure and support that make that one thing viable in that business.

Nordstom – legendary for it's marketing and service. You try on a pair of shoes but they don't have it in your color, they will go GET your color. Have a problem with something you purchased? They will make it right or replace it. Need to visit the store on a lunch break? They will schedule a time for you and be ready when you come in.

Nordstrom also has their sales people on commission – they reward their people for doing a great job. Others have copied that and have THEIR people on commission too, but they don't follow up with the superior customer service.

If you have never read the book Raving Fans, you must: I consider it a must read for ANYONE in business. (And I have put the link below, so now you have NO excuse for either reading or listening to the CD – this will open your eyes to FABULOUS service and how you can provide it!)

In it it exposes how we have become satisfied with poor to lousy service.

How would you feel if you drove into your local gas station, they greeted you warmly, filled up your tank, washed your windshield (and I mean CLEAN, not some half-hearted streaky mess), checked the pressure in your tires, and topped off the fluids in your car?

Would you fall over in SHOCK? I know I would!

Now THAT is service.

That's not what others are doing. It's not the "best practices" in an industry that provides NO service (heck, we're happy these days if there isn't grease all over the pump nozzle when we have to pump our own gas).

You, like Nordstrom, need a full system that benefits your clients… but don't copy part (or all) of someone else's system… but DO look around to see how well others are doing and figure out how you can do better!

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!

010 The Invisible Touch – The Fallacy of Best Practices, Part 2: Nordstrom