Differentiation throughout All Touch Points

I love having insightful weekends like this -- what a comparison/contrast in brand experiences!

First, I encountered four pieces of disappointment with Hilton:

• Receiving double beds after requesting a king
• Being placed at the very farthest room (felt like walking half a mile) from the elevator
• $20 fee for parking when the dedicated lot immediately next door charges $13.95
• $14.95 internet (wi-fi or hardwire) when nearby coffee shops and restaurants provide it on a complimentary basis

My point about the latter two concerns service focus. The parking place has NO other offering. Hopefully Hilton would see that my main need for them is lodging, and they shouldn't be charging ANY MORE than the next-door place. Between that and the internet access, my sense is that they feel they can "screw over" the captive customer.

Bad karma -- anytime.

And especially in today's competitive environment.

Then... I experienced the Virgin brand out of the UK, which I had heard of but had no particularly positive or negative expectations. I know you know what's coming, but I have to mention it anyway... I'm no longer a virgin to Virgin American airlines).

At every point along the process, I was impressed with Richard Branson's "human touch" -- professional and anything but "me too".

• Web site - bold red and clever "Brit-ish" sayings
• Customer service (called with a question about flight accommodations) - surprisingly friendly and welcoming to/acknowledging of "virgins"
• Boarding pass - bold red and non-standard size
• Cabin experience - entire plane has black lights emitting a purple glow instead of the traditional cold-white fluorescent lights (makes one feel "evening", disco (first class even has news-announcer-like microphones emitting up and around the seats, what a feeling of control)
  ...and...
• (the best for last) AC Adapters at every seat! (no more running out of laptop battery power in the air).

This has definitely ingrained positive associations in my gray matter for the brand. I'll be intrigued to see what happens in my eval process next the next time I fly (better yet, what happens the next time I experience United, Northwest, et al).

A good place to begin is mapping all your touch points (email me if you'd like an example doc to work with) then look objectively (through the customer's eyes) at how your actions at each either support or deflate your brand goals.

Good modeling to you!

When does a product feature affect your personal brand?

I don't normally "tweet" about a new feature in a given company's product or service.  But I know how much our "collateral" affects our personal brand!

For example, when I meet someone whose business card says "Get YOUR free business cards at VistaPrint.com", I take them less seriously.  Business cards ARE your "leave-behind", and have such impact on making and supporting the first impression you've made -- that it makes no sense to skimp here.  

Same goes if I read the email address on the card is "SmithFamily@comcast.net".  It is so inexpensive these days to get your own domain name (I have one for my family as well as multiple business domains) and forward your email that it absolutely makes sense.  Your domain registrar will understand this, even if you don't :)

Similarly, if you are on LinkedIn, I highly recommend that you get a personal link.  That way, whether you refer to it in your email signature -- or more likely, people point to your LI public profile when making an introduction -- it shows as

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

rather than something like

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ptravis/2/3b/241.

FaceBook just implemented usernames as well (last night!)  So especially if you are an occasional FB user, I recomment you take a moment to see if your proper name or favorite nickname is available.

It's all about taking the time to plan (and then execute) that thing many people struggle with -- your personal brand.

My lost patience with the National Poker Game

This post has been bubbling in my head for some time, but 2 events today broke the camel's back...

First was my colleague, Max Clough, mentioning a client potentially dragging out an opportunity to seize a market, because of the "national (and worldwide) poker game" that we're experiencing. 

Now on the one hand, I like that phraseology better than "The Economy".  As in, "we can't make a decision because of The Economy." 

Let's call a spade a spade. You're afraid you don't know what's going to happen and you're not confident that your business can survive. 

Why? 

Because you've been conditioned by the media for over half a year that the sky is falling! Now to be clear, I am not saying that there haven't been huge increases in the jobless. I'm not saying that institutions Fannie Mae and Lehman Brothers aren't failing and having huge repercussions.

What I'm saying is that people are still putting on their pants, and driving to work, and going to the movies, and.. and.. and..

• The movie industry is up 14%. 
• Fast food companies are up.  
• Low priced toys/games are booming. 
• Almost anything "green" is selling.

Unfortunately telling the positive side of the story isn't as lucrative as the fear cycle:  it's really bad so come back tomorrow and we'll tell you how much worse it got!

Now before I go off the deep end, I know you're wondering -- what was the second event?  

It was this SmartBrief: 73% of marketers predict more spending.

More than seven in 10 marketers hope to boost spending three to six months before the end of the downturn, while 16% said they would increase their budgets "as soon as it ends," according to an online survey from the Association of National Advertisers.  -- Adweek (05/28) 

What this means is that people are conserving cash, just like banks are. Too many are just playing the "timing" game, when to put the chips back on the table. Am I upset about the 16% who said that they would get come back to the table when they could afford it?

No -- I look at the 73% (almost five-fold!) who hope to play "time the market", coming back "just in time", before everyone else knows that the situation has gotten better.

If there is anything I hope we learn/remember from this, it is that the tortise wins the race. Not the rabbit who wastes time chowing down, then runs fast, and then relaxes some more.

Plotting business strategy, developing process, and executing against plan is worth gold!  

I was saying to my kids the other day, "there comes a point in growing up that you learn you can speak up and break with the crowd when they're doing something you know is wrong".  

At the risk of over-repeating Steven Covey's great line:  "The environment you fashion out of your thoughts, your beliefs, your ideals, and your philosophy is the only climate you will ever live in."

So think hard next time you catch yourself uttering a pessimistic remark...  Let's all be seeking to create success!

Modern Day Networking -- Your Feedback Wanted

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you've read the articles that say it's important to get to know people in (and outside) your industry... future customers, referrals, and potential leads to new jobs.

Traditionally called "networking" (as in, "building one's personal network") this can involve meeting people in situations like that pictured. And it can happen online, through one or more of the many social networks. This is great for people who don't like to "schmooze".

Given the number of companies laying off employees because of the credit crunch, I've had numerous people tap me on the shoulder for introductions and leads. Here is what I send most every one:

I'm happy to help out if I am able! The first thing I suggest in “modern day" networking is that you shoot me a LinkedIn request, which I'll accept. Then peruse the people whom I know, and initiate a conversation with those whom you'd like to meet, which I'll pass on. That will not only open up conversations for you, but it will help you stay “top of mind” for me and prompt me to think of more people for you.

You know what's interesting? Only about half do -- which is a good reminder that execution and follow-through can really set you apart in today's busy world!

PS. I'm interested in YOUR experience of networking.  

Please add your two cents to this survey I am 

conducting for some future articles -- thank you.

Perception is Everything

I was reminded of the importance of packaging a few weeks back at the Pyramid Ale House in Seattle.  

As an alternative to coffeehouses, this place is one I find very convenient for "holding court" (serial meetings) in Seattle -- how can you go wrong with free parking, wi-fi, and convenience to major highways?  :)  

Presuming the glass on the left were full with the same beverage, which would you reach for?

Nearly everyone I've asked has said the one on the right.  Reasons: it looks more shapely; easier to hold; and by far the winner, there's more beer.

Fact is, the glasses have identical capacity -- 16 oz!  (Out of disbelief, I tested -- pouring from one to the other).

In the information-marketing world (books/tapes/etc) it is well known that a CD in a cardboard envelope tops out at about $19 whereas the same CD and a booklet in a plastic "folio" container can get as much as $49.

How much more could you charge for the beer on the right (well-marketed, of course)?

Remember, you can create value through differentiation within your own product line -- most of which drops right to the bottom line.

So, how can you improve your packaging today?

The Importance of Differentiation

Recently earning my CMC (Certified Management Consultant) prompted me as to revisit the importance of differentiation  in the marketplace.  In this particular case, only 1% of consultants have earned this accreditation.   

While the Institute of Management Consultants has very low brand recognition in the marketplace (note they're not the Institute of Marketing Consultants, but give me time!) it is simply following the model of the CPA, which businesspeople have come to understand is more rigorous, exam-tested, and worth more than an [otherwise uncertified] "accountant".

This is especially helpful in the case of "consultants" (who tend to be born every time a company lays people off) where the business world really does benefit from having professional background-checking, courses taken and classes taught, and thorough indoctrination of international ethical standards and code of conduct.

One of my upcoming clients has an exciting, patented, energy-saving technology that provides 50-100% increase in electric motors.  Our plans include creation of a certification that will help government, corporate, and consumer buyers know the difference between this technology and the status quo.  Just like "Intel Inside" computer labeling, the Good Housekeeping Seal, and the "Underwriters Laboratories" label.

These communication devices help the customer in quickly understanding one level of quality vs. another.  They (and partners) are willing to pay more for this!

The Opportunity:  How can you differentiate your products or services in the customer's mind from the rest of the pack?

Innovating a 100-year-old product

When I saw last year the "Tweel" by Michelin, I smiled insider for I knew the company had empowered its people to question the status quo of tires.  It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite pieces of philosophy:

"Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business has two (and only two) functions: Marketing and Innovation. Marketing and Innovation produce results. All the rest are costs."

-- Peter Drucker, longtime management guru

Michelin says it will take 10-15 years for safety testing and to commercialize.  Or, perhaps they're buying some time because they're uncertain about future revenue streams of repeat tire purchases now that tires that can't go flat any more!

TWEEL
Radical new tire design by Michelin.The next generation of tires, they are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon. Just think of the impact on existing technology: no more air valves, air compressors at gas stations, repair kits, or flat tires!

What's the lesson for you?

Better to innovate and cannibalize your own product line "controllably" than to have competitors drive it without your control.  Do the right thing for the customer (even if it means fewer replacement products to purchase) and you'll garner their goodwill and loyalty.  How can you radically simplify their experience?