For most organizations, your physical location is just a part of the way a customer experiences your brand. However, it can quickly ruin a customer’s experience because it gives them a concrete image to associate with your organization. A poorly maintained location places an obstacle to your customer doing business with you again. All business should focus on getting the following basics right before you ever invite a customer to your site.
The Basics
- Be clean.
- No clutter. Keep everything that doesn’t add to a consistent brand image hidden. Simple is good.
- The exterior is just as important as the interior. Keep the landscaping up. Maintain the building and parking lots well. Better than most businesses.
Do you know of an organization that does a particularly good or bad job with this? Tell us in the comments.
Lately I’ve had several people ask me about adding social media to their marketing mix. Here are my three essential rules for social media:
- It’s still marketing
- Expect conversations on difficult issues
- Regular updates are key, so plan accordingly
It’s still marketing
Social media is new, exciting and sometimes intoxicating. Before you jump in remember, the fundamentals of marketing still apply. You must still be able to answer:
- What is my goal or objective?
- Who is my audience?
- What message am I trying to convey?
- What tactic is going to be most effective?
What can happen is that because it’s new and cool you think you need to join in. However, just because Twitter is in the news right now doesn’t mean it’s a solution to your problems. Social media isn’t a case of “if you build it, they will come.” Start with the basics and look to see if social media tactics are right for your situation.
Expect conversations on difficult issues
Be prepared to talk about the weaknesses or difficult issues of your organization or product. Social media creates a town hall atmosphere where critics are certain to voice their opinions. It’s more productive to allow these opinions in an arena where you have a opportunity to respond than other forums simply where you have no voice.
Regular updates are key – plan accordingly
Unlike a new brochure, social media efforts will have a long life. People expect you to update them and respond to comments that they share. Creating a social media channel requires a time commitment. If you don’t update regularly, it will appear that your organization isn’t active and thriving. Your social media presence will affect how people view the quality and vibrancy of your organization in the same way your traditional marketing materials do.
Questions or comments? Leave them in the comments.
If you want to succeed as a business or organization, consistency is crucial.
Last week one of the blogs that I follow had a post that was different than the type of content they normally publish. The blog has a strong following in its specific niche so after reading a post that didn’t have anything to do with their niche I was left scratching my head. It was a clear case of “one of these things doesn’t belong.”
Consistency does three main things:
- Turns a one-time experience into repeat users
- Builds trust in your organization and messages
- Creates the basis for your brand image
Consistency = Repeat users
When a new restaurant opens its doors, people will come just because it’s new. If customers enjoy the experience, they’ll come back. The second visit makes the difference between a trial and a customer. Can you deliver the same experience twice? If so, you’ve earned a repeat customer.
A single great performance will fail when compared to lesser but consistent performances.
Consistency = Trust
Trust comes from meeting expectations over time. People want to trust you. They value trust because it streamlines their life. They don’t have to hedge against you not delivering. As a result they are willing to pay for the ability to trust. Consistency impacts the bottom line because people who trust you are willing to pay in order to continue trusting you.
Consistency = A Brand
When you combine repeat users with trust, you have the beginnings of a brand. This also gives you the opportunity to expand with the goodwill that you’ve created carrying over. You can easily create a brand that stands for not meeting expectations and turning people away after one try but it won’t be around for long.
Find what you can do consistently
In order to succeed find something you can do consistently. Start small and consistent and then build or expand.
My current working theory of marketing says that there are two core elements, stories and relationships.
Stories
Stories are the threads that tie all the pieces together. Packaging, distribution, pricing and advertising are all parts of a story that is being created about a brand, product, organization or person.
Relationships
Relationships are how people see themselves tied to a brand, product, organization or other person.
Best Stories
The best stories are those that bring a person into a relationship or further develop the relationship.
As a marketer, you should be looking for stories that create a relationship between what you’re promoting and the audience you’re targeting.
James VanDyke is the author of this blog. During the work week you can find me in the E-Marketing team at SMU in Dallas where I create presentations and do assorted web stuff. I recently completed my MBA with a concentration in Marketing. At night, I hang out with my wife, read magazines and walk our dog Tigerman.