When Different is Better

Taking on the well-established, industry leader? Don't try to be BETTER than them. Aim to be DIFFERENT.

History shows this tactic works better than trying to beat the leader at their own game. Southwest Airlines is a good example. They entered a competitive space dominated by Delta and American Airlines. Now they have become the envy of the airline industry.

Rather than asking: "How can we do the exact same thing as Delta and American Airlines, but better?" they asked the better question: "How can we be different?" And what a difference that has made.

By focusing more on being DIFFERENT and less on being BETTER, ironically, Southwest has made being different, better!

Now take a look at your own business... are you focused on beating the competition at their own game, or differentiating yourself?

Sometimes, running in the OPPOSITE direction is better than trying to catch up and overtake your competitors.

Do you have any examples of this from your own experiences?

Golden Rule of Email Marketing

How to increase your email open rates and minimize unsubscribers.

By Patrick Mahan

Email marketing is one of the most effective and personal forms of marketing.

Why? Because not everyone reads your industry's publications looking for your ads. Not everyone watches television at the time you run your commercials. Not everyone listens to the radio or drives past your billboard. Not everyone subscribes to your blog's RSS feed or checks your Facebook Page or visits your website each morning. But ... everyone checks their email inbox.

And that's why email marketing is so powerful. However, as they say, "With power comes responsibility." And your responsibility is to NOT wear out your welcome.

The Eblast

One of the hottest trends in marketing today is the "eblast." And apps such as MailChimp and Constant Contact make it super easy to send mass emails to your list with just a few clicks. They are easy to use and for the most part, cost little to no money. But because of the ease of use and low cost, email marketing is often abused.

Before sending an eblast, do you carefully scrutinize your list, making sure this particular email is relevant to EVERY person on the list? If not, you're taking a huge risk. A risk that could lead to people clicking on the big "opt-out" or unsubscribe button that is required by law to appear at the bottom of every eblast.

Once they push that button, you have lost them forever. So I encourage you to think about this ... Every time you send an eblast, you are asking the recipient for a favor. You are asking them to open and read your email. And once they read it, there's a good chance you're asking them for another favor ... to take some sort of action that benefits you more than them.

What happens when someone repeatedly asks you for favor, but never returns the favor? Eventually, you start to ignore and avoid that person. You dread seeing them because you know they're gonna ask you to do something for them. And you know—based on past experience—they have little or no intention of doing something for you in return.

Same goes with mass emails.

Once you adopt the mindset that every email you send is like asking for a favor, then—I hope—you begin to feel obligated to find ways to start returning the favors. How?

The 80/20 Rule

A good rule of thumb is to apply the 80/20 Rule, where 80% of your email correspondence is crafted to GIVE value to the recipients without trying to make a sale. As you give value, you build trust and rapport. And as a result, they'll become much more receptive to the remaining 20% of emails you send asking for something in return.

Remember: Give your audience so much value up front that they feel obligated to at least listen to and consider your offer when it comes time to ask. This is the Law of Reciprocity in action. And reciprocity makes the world go 'round!

But the key is to establish trust and build rapport before asking for anything. 

You know, sales and marketing is really no different than any other social interaction. Would you walk up to a girl at the bar and shout, "Can I get your number?" You could, but how well does that work? And if it does work, what are the chances of it blossoming into a meaningful, long-term relationship?

Sales and Marketing works the same way. And most salespeople and marketers make the same mistake as the creep in the bar. They interrupt people and shout in their face, "Hey, would you like to buy my product?"

No! You've got to wine and dine them a little first. Prove your value. Prove that you are trustworthy. Don't interrupt them (timing is critical). And always give more value than you expect to receive.

Now here's a checklist. Make sure every email you send meets the following criteria:

1. Valuable
2. Personal
3. Timely
4. Relevant

Valuable: Does your email contain something (a product, a service, a coupon, information) that will truly benefit the recipient?

Personal: If your email begins, "Dear Valued Customer" you lose.

Timely: People are busy and preoccupied. They value their time and don't like when others waste it. If you send them a coupon for Christmas trees in August, there's a good chance they won't open your next email. On the flip side, a new home owner may appreciate a coupon from a plumber or lawn service.

Relevant: Our inboxes are already overloaded. Don't add to the clutter. Review your mailing list and make sure you're sending emails to the right people. People that can actually benefit from your offer. If you own a landscaping company, you're not gonna go door to door in an apartment complex offering your services. Yet, many email marketers make just as a big a mistake when sending irrelevant emails to the wrong people.

Bottom line ... people appreciate emails from those they know, like and trust. Emails that are truly valuable, personal, timely and relevant.

So if your emails are generic, poorly timed, irrelevant and are aimed at EXTRACTING value from your audience rather than creating and GIVING value to your audience, then don't be surprised when people start opting-out. Fast.

And once they unsubscribe, you've lost their trust—and possibly their business—forever.

Like most things in life, email marketing boils down to one thing. The Golden Rule. Treat others as you want to be treated. Give people something of value, be respectful of their time, and don't use email as another platform to yell at people about things they really don't want to hear about.

What are your thoughts? How carefully do you scrutinize your list before hitting SEND? What have you done to increase your email open rates and minimize the number of unsubscribers?

Which would you rather have: Employees or Followers?

By Patrick Mahan 

In his bestselling book, Tribes, author Seth Godin says: 

"Managers have employees. Leaders have followers."

Are you a Manager ... or a Leader?

Do you have employees ... or followers?

These are important distinctions. And your answer may be the single greatest predictor of the success - or failure - of your business.

Why? Because people don't want to follow orders. They want to follow a passionate leader. They want to be led, not pushed. They want to be inspired, not directed.

Do you want to get the most out of your team? Then stop giving orders and start becoming someone worth following. 

When you inspire people to rally around a common goal and encourage them to become part of something meaningful and bigger than themselves, then together you will create a synergy that is capable of producing extraordinary results!

I think this quote says it best ...

"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What are your thoughts?

Check Below the Surface

By Patrick Mahan 

Last summer, I wanted to make the grass in my front yard look like a baseball field (or golf course). I tried all kinds of strategies. Aerate, overseed, water, fertilize... but the grass wasn't growing like I wanted it to.

I asked an expert and he told me the pH balance in the soil was off. It was too acidic. He said you can try all sorts of strategies and tactics, but if the underlying chemistry isn't right, then nothing will grow.

I think this is a good business analogy. If the chemistry isn't right, nothing can grow.

So dig below the surface and look at the chemistry of your team or company. Is it acidic?

You can try all sorts of "topical treatments"... bonuses, incentives, corporate restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, new marketing campaigns, strategic planning, etc. But the real roadblock to growth and sustainability often lies below the surface.

And the solution may be changing your chemistry rather than your strategy.

Powerful Marketing Lesson from Miracle on 34th Street

By Patrick Mahan

Miracle on 34th Street is not only a classic Christmas movie, it's also one of the most powerful marketing lessons of all-time.

In the movie, Macy's department store discovers their Santa Claus is sending customers to competitors. If Macy's doesn't have the item, or if a competitor sells it for less money, Santa Claus tells the parents where they can go to get it.

This outrages the manager of the toy department. But when Mr. Macy receives hundreds of telegrams from thankful parents expressing their gratitude for placing customers ahead of profits, Mr. Macy quickly embraces the radical new policy. The store becomes the talk of the town and sales shoot out the roof.

This is a powerful lesson in customer service, the power of word-of-mouth marketing, and the impact front-line employees can have on the success (or failure) of your brand.

Below is the dialogue from the movie...

Mr. Macy speaking to his executive team:

"On the face of it, I admit this plan sounds idiotic and impossible. Imagine, Macy's Santa Claus sending customers to Gimbels. But, gentlemen, you cannot argue with success. Look at this. Telegrams, messages, telephone calls. The governor's wife, the mayor's wife... over 500 thankful parents expressing undying gratitude to Macy's. Never in my entire career have I seen such a tremendous and immediate response to a merchandising policy. And I'm positive, if we expand our policy, we'll expand our results as well. Therefore, from now on, not only will our Santa Claus continue in this manner, but I want every salesperson in this store to do precisely the same thing. If we haven't got exactly what the customer wants, we'll send him where he can get it. No high pressuring and forcing a customer to take something he doesn't really want. We'll be known as the helpful store, the friendly store, the store with a heart, the store that places public service ahead of profits. And, consequently, we'll make more profits than ever before."

Are you brave enough to implement this "customers first" strategy? Or do you believe this stuff only works in the movies?

Marketing Lesson from The Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock

By Patrick Mahan

In the new movie, Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins plays the role of Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, in a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Psycho.

I saw the movie today at the old Kentucky Theater downtown. (If you're gonna watch a movie about Hitchcock you might as well watch it in a theater built in 1922. Something about it adds to the experience).

Hopkins was brilliant as usual. And the movie was pretty fascinating. Several things I didn't realize...

The big studios thought Psycho would be a flop, they thought Hitchcock had lost his mind, and they refused to finance it. But Hitchcock believed in the project so strongly that he mortgaged his own home and financed the movie himself... about 800,000 dollars.

He fought the studios and he fought the censors and in the end, only two theaters agreed to show the movie.

Hitchcock knew his only hope to make money, keep his home, and prove the naysayers wrong, was to get people talking.

So he came up with several brilliant, perfectly orchestrated, publicity stunts to promote the film and generate the word-of-mouth buzz that made the film such a huge commercial success.

Hitchcock gave strict instructions to theater managers not to allow anyone to enter the theater once the movie began. He wanted to protect the ending and the many "shocks and surprises". 

He even posted armed guards at the doors to keep the crowds under control and enforce the no late admission policy. Of course the armed guards just added to the tension and hype surrounding the movie.

To avoid being late, movie-goers lined up around the block waiting to get in. And when people were denied admission, it made them want in even more!

Hitchcock also made his cast and crew take an oath of secrecy, swearing not to reveal the plot. He kept the set locked down and wouldn't allow any outsiders in, not even the executives from Paramount Pictures.

And to keep the ending a secret, he wouldn't allow critics to preview the movie. They had to watch it at the same time as the general public.

In the end, the movie grossed over $50 million at the box office and is now considered one of the greatest and most revolutionary films of all-time.

But it never would have happened if Hitchcock hadn't believed in the film (and himself) so strongly. And if he didn't have the guts to fight the censors, break the rules, and challenge the status quo.

A few take-aways:

1. Trust your gut instincts and follow your passion. If you really believe in something, you can find a way to make it work. Even if everyone around you says otherwise.

2. Don't be afraid to go against the grain. Be bold. Be daring. Be different. Be brave. Conventional is boring.

3. Never underestimate the enormous power of word-of-mouth marketing and a well-orchestrated publicity stunt.

The Perfect Subject Line for Emails

By Patrick Mahan

Every marketer is looking for the perfect email subject line to increase open rates.

Lots of How To articles have been written on the topic. Most recommend writing subject lines that invoke curiosity. Or ask a question. Or speak directly to the reader. Or announce breaking news.

One research study concluded that the most successful subject line of all-time was the phrase: "You are not alone."

But what if we take an entirely different approach?

We spend our time and energy trying to craft creative (and sometimes deceptive) subject lines in an effort to get more people to open our emails.

But here's the thing ... you should be more concerned about the NAME that appears in the "From" line and less concerned about the CONTENT that appears in the "subject" line. 

I receive newsletters from several authors that I have come to know, like and trust. When I see their name in the From Line, the Subject Line has little influence on my decision to open their email. 

So... as usual, it all comes down to building a reputation for yourself (and/or your company) as someone people know, like and trust. Develop a reputation for delivering content that is personal, timely, relevant and valuable.

When you focus your efforts on becoming someone of value, offering something of value, then you'll discover the "subject line" is the least important part of your email marketing strategy.

Pick Any Two

By Patrick Mahan 

Instant coffee. Instant downloads. High-speed internet. One-hour cleaners. Microwave ovens. Overnight shipping... We live in the Age of Instant Gratification.

Customers want it NOW! They want it better, they want it faster - and unfortunately - they want it cheaper. 

And that puts you in a tough spot. How can you deliver higher quality, faster, friendlier service AND slash your price?

You're already bending over backwards for your customers. You're working 60 plus hours a week. And what do you get in return? Insatiable customers who want a lot more for a lot less.

So what's the answer? How do you keep up with increasing customer demands without losing your mind... and your business in the process?

Unfortunately, there's no magic bullet.  You can't be all things to all people. You can't make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try. So stop trying. How's that for an answer?!

Now you're probably thinking... "That's great. I'll be out of business in less than a week!"

But stick with me. There's a way to work through this dilemma. And it's all about MANAGING EXPECTATIONS.

You can offer the highest quality, but if you do, then you can't offer the lowest price. Or, you can offer the lowest price, but then you can't offer the highest quality... or the fastest delivery... or provide Ritz-Carlton type service.

The challenge is communicating this to the people who want it all... your customers.  

So the solution is managing expectations. What does that mean? It means NOT over-promising. It's means communicating upfront exactly what you can and cannot deliver. It means letting your customers know exactly what to expect from the very beginning. It means positioning yourself clearly in your market.

When you buy jewelry from Wal-Mart, you're not expecting Tiffany-quality. And you're certainly not expecting Tiffany prices. Why? Because Wal-mart manages expectations. They brand themselves as the low price discount seller. You know what to expect when you walk into Wal-mart.

In the same way, when you walk into Tiffany's, you're expecting high prices. But you're also expecting high quality and world-class service (and that fancy, iconic little blue box!). As a result of setting these expectations, customers understand that "haggling" over price isn't an option when buying a diamond ring from Tiffany's.

KNOW YOUR ROLE

In today's competitive marketplace, you have to be an outlier. You have to position yourself clearly in the minds of consumers. Are you the cheapest or the most expensive? Are you focused on selling quality or quantity? Are you relationship-oriented or transaction-oriented?

You really have to move toward one end of the spectrum or the other. If you stand in the middle of the road - trying to be all things to all people - you're going to get run over.

Rather than positioning yourself (or your company) as a jack-of-all trades, it's time to become a master of one. Don't make the mistake of diluting your product or service by adding more and more bells and whistles trying to please a wider range of people. Focus on what you do best. Trim the fat. Price yourself accordingly.

The world wants specialists, not generalists. Think about this... cheap restaurants have tons of items on their menus, but five-star restaurants offer a limited menu. Why? Because they know every item added to the menu dilutes the quality of every other item. So they eliminate the fluff and pour their heart and soul into preparing the dishes they make best. Could you apply this same philosophy to your business?

Bottom line... 

You can't be all things to all people. So stop trying. Pick the things you are really good at. Communicate clearly what you can do, can't do and won't do. And manage customers' expectations accordingly from the very beginning.

HOW TO: Fix deleted emails keep reappearing on your phone

A few days ago I committed to the INBOX ZERO plan.

It's a strategy that shows you how to manage your email account with a goal of having zero emails in your inbox. It's great! And after spending a full day deleting, filing, and filtering, I finally did it! Mission accomplished. Zero emails in my inbox. Huge stress release.

But then ... something strange happened. I would delete the emails on my phone - and moments later - all of the deleted emails reappeared! I thought it must be some conspiracy drummed up by the "tech gods" to prevent me from experiencing the relief of INBOX ZERO.

After Googling the problem, I found lots of people having the same issue. But no one had a clear answer.

Motorola's help page posted this solution, but as they note on their page, it doesn't apply to "Corporate email accounts".

Finally, I figured out a fix on my own.

So, if your deleted emails keep reappearing on your phone, give this a try. It worked for me.

(NOTE: This fix is for Verizon Motorola Droid Razr Maxx for Corporate email accounts).

First, empty your trash. Then follow these steps.

1. Click on the email icon to open your email inbox.

2. Tap Inbox at the top of the screen to open the drop down menu.

3. Select "Show all folders"

4. Select "Trash" (make sure it's empty)

5. Tap the menu button in the bottom left corner of your phone (the 3 stacked horizontal lines).

6. Select "Sync options"

7. Set "Check Frequency" to Automatic Push

8. Set "Days to sync" to All

9. Now go back to you inbox. Tap the menu icon again (bottom left corner of your phone, the 3 stacked horizontal lines).

10. Select "settings"

11. Tap on your email address

12. Make sure "Mailbox check frequency" is set to Automatic Push

13. Make sure "Days to Sync" is set to All

14. Make sure "Sync Email" box is checked

That worked for me. Give it a try if you're having this issue.

Did it work for you?

Put Customers Second?

By Patrick Mahan

Employees first, customers second. You can build the world's best wagon, but if the horses aren't motivated to pull it, it's useless.

Is it the Mousetrap or the Cheese?

By Patrick Mahan

Every business wants to build a better mousetrap, but what they really need may simply be a different kind of cheese.

It is in Giving that we Receive

By Patrick Mahan

This is when businesses start brainstorming how they can EXTRACT more value from their customers in the new year.

But the businesses brainstorming how to create and GIVE more value to their customers are the ones that really get it.

Strategist vs. Chemist

Sports and business are a lot alike. Some of the best coaches in history were not the best strategist, but rather the best chemist. They knew team chemistry was more important to success than individual talent or even X's and O's. They knew how to get everyone pulling in the same direction toward a common goal.

Unfortunately, most business strategy often neglects team building and focuses more on profits. But profits are like wins, a by-product of great chemistry.

"Synergy comes before strategy." - John Calipari, head coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats, 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champions

Steve Jobs Best Marketing Advice

Some of the best marketing advice you'll ever hear in this 7 minute speech by Steve Jobs to Apple employees in 1997.

As he explains, it's not about features and benefits. And it's not about comparing yourself to the competition. It's about discovering your core value—who you are and what you stand for—then communicating that clearly and passionately to your target audience.

Example: Nike sells a commodity. Shoes are boring. But when we think of Nike, we feel something different than a shoe company. Why? Watch the video and find out...

Video link: http://youtu.be/vmG9jzCHtSQ

Who Else Hates Fine Print?

By Patrick Mahan

"Read the fine print."

Have you ever been told that? It's a line used by businesses that don't love their customers.

Everyone hates fine print. Your customers hate it. And you hate it—when the tables are turned and YOU are the customer. So get rid of it!

Consider reviewing your policies, contracts, procedures, hand books, terms of service, conditions of sale, etc. at least once every year and put yourself in your customers' shoes. Is there is anything that would irritate you if YOU were on the other side of the table? If so, weed it out. Is all that legal jargon really necessary? And (big question) would you actually enforce it? If not, toss it.

The key to earning and retaining customers is making their experience enjoyable and hassle-free.

I got a coupon in the mail recently from a retail store offering 20% off. But the fine print pretty much excluded everything in the store. What's the point? Why bait people with a misleading headline? Sure, you might hook a few fish. But fish don't like to be hooked. And neither do people.

Airlines are notorious for their fine print. You work hard to build up frequent flyer miles, but when you're finally ready to cash them in what happens... black out dates! You should have read the fine print.

The used car salesman promises you the world, but when your car breaks down, the service department says the warranty doesn't cover it. You should have read the fine print.

The opportunity here is for you to remove your fine print and set yourself apart from the competition. If your competitor is notorious for their long list of restrictions, then you should turn their weakness into your biggest strength.

Example: Airline A charges a $25 baggage fee for the first bag, $30 for the second bag (as long as the bag is under 45 pounds. Anything over 45 pounds constitutes a $20 surcharge and a dirty look). Oh... and there will also be a $5 convenience fee. Why? Because we can.

Now, Airline B has an opportunity. They could advertise no hidden fees and—as long as they stand behind their promise—they come out looking like a hero.

And if you're going to offer a money back guarantee... then do it. And don't attach three pages of stipulations and asterisks.

I also got a free movie ticket recently. But when I got to the box office window they said, "Sorry, you can't use this for new releases". So I picked an older movie. Then they said, "Sorry, you can't use this on weekends." I guess I should have read the fine print typed in 3 point font, upside down on the back of the coupon.

I like the slogan of Outback Steakhouse... No Rules, Just right. Too bad more businesses don't follow their lead. But then again... no one every goes to Outback Steakhouse because it's always too crowded.

So when it comes to setting and enforcing your rules, consider acting more like Mayberry's Sheriff Andy Taylor and less like the Gestapo.

I appreciate it when businesses make things simple with no strings attached. Don't you?

When is the last time you reviewed your fine print? Do it today. And make sure you are looking at it from the customers' perspective. And you might want to review the Golden Rule while you're at it.