Subscribe in a readerI Hated Everyone’s Customer Service Department—Until Yesterday
Richard Hatch | B2B Marketing | May 13th, 2008
As a rule, I hate calling customer service. Almost anybody’s customer service department. Until yesterday. Yesterday I called a customer service representative at Grand Rapids Chair Company. No, I didn’t need chairs. Actually, I didn’t even need customer service. I needed to get in touch with my daughter, a customer service representative there. Of course I didn’t mind leaving a message, and I’ll bet their customers are probably fine when they occasionally get voice mail too. Okay, and all biases aside, her voice mail said something like, “ Thanks for calling Grand Rapids Chair. Leave me a message and the name of your favorite 80s rock band, and I’ll get back to you shortly.”
Later, I asked her about her message. She told me it’s something they always do. They change up their voice mail messages every few weeks, but every customer service rep has something creative and fun included in their recorded voice mail messages. Seems to fit really nice with the overall perceptions I have of their company and brand. Essentially, they design and manufacture chairs, bar stools, tables, etc. for the hospitality industry—restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. Trendy designs. Urban designs. Upscale designs. Custom designs. Lots of cool stuff.
For me, the unexpected message really resonated and fit the brand personality. (more…)
Impressions don’t help unless you make one.
Mike Marn | B2B Marketing | May 12th, 2008
No, I don’t need my glasses. Just bring me more arrows!
Lately, I’ve noticed more than one article claiming to provide tips for companies who are trying to fight through a tough economy and reduced marketing budgets. Some of those hints are helpful; most are pretty obvious. But one—from an article I found on a very reputable business web site—is downright destructive in its naïve simplicity. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 28, 2008
Heather Francis | B2B Blog Postings | April 29th, 2008Below are some of the better B2B marketing blog posts from around the web in recent days.
In times of economic downturn, the business world tightens its belt. Here are some practical thoughts on how to regroup without choking off opportunity. Comments? (more…)
The Needs and Wants of B2B Customers
Richard Hatch | B2B Marketing | April 29th, 2008B2B buyers are emotionless, robotic stiffs that compute rational purchasing decisions based on quantifiable metrics and measurable returns on investment like increased profitability, cost reductions, and enhanced productivity. I couldn’t agree more-except for the emotionless, robotic stiffs part. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 23, 2008
JoLonda | B2B Blog Postings | April 23rd, 2008Below are some of the better B2B marketing blog posts from around the web in recent days. (more…)
Building More Than Market Share During an Economic Downturn
Buzz Baker | B2B Marketing | April 23rd, 2008
Napoleon once said, “Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.” Many marketers have been told that to retract and retrench during economic downturns is a mistake that will not only affect their own opportunities, but also significantly increase opportunities for enlightened marketers to seize (even at the risk of “interrupting” the blissfully proceeding enemy). However, that seizing doesn’t come without cost, and sometimes a reminder of the bounty to be gained (beyond just short term sales) is needed to provide the proper stimulus to move forward aggressively.
Studies (among them the CARR Report) have shown that (1) a minimum threshold of awareness must be reached before a brand will begin to see the upgrade conversion to preference, (2) once higher levels of awareness are reached, the conversion to preference occurs more rapidly, and (3) awareness (and subsequently preference) will decay over time if awareness-building activities decline. In a TNS Intersearch study, it was also determined that “discontinuing advertising not only reduces a brand’s presence before the consumer, but actively helps the competition, which then gains a greater share of voice without increasing advertising expenditures.” Or the more aggressive marketer can even elect to increase expenditures and gain an even greater share-of-voice (including a greater distance between their share and those of competitors) by striking when the iron is hot—and the misguided, reluctant competitors are not. (more…)
Steer Clear of Price-Only Positioning
Richard Hatch | Positioning | April 17th, 2008
In another life, I worked in automotive marketing. A domestic brand. Every time the market tanked, the client, along with their domestic rivals, would predictably do the inevitable. Slap on rebates, trump one another’s incentives, slash prices, sweeten the deal, give away the store, compromise the brand and train customers already accustomed to never paying the asking price to never pay anything close-ever again. (I know. There’s a history of other complex dynamics at work here as well.) Nevertheless, any bump in the road and they squandered what brand integrity they had left to chase market share at almost any cost-and we all know what the painful outcome has been.
But you’d never do that, right? Let’s get real. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 16, 2008
JoLonda | B2B Blog Postings | April 17th, 2008Below are some of the better B2B marketing blog posts from around the web in recent days. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 14, 2008
JoLonda | B2B Blog Postings | April 14th, 2008Below are some of the better B2B marketing blog posts from around the web in recent days. (more…)
B2B Illustrated: Friday Funnies | April 11, 2008
admin | Friday Funnies | April 11th, 2008
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 11, 2008
admin | B2B Blog Postings | April 11th, 2008Below are some of the better blog posts from around the web in recent days for B2B marketers. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 10, 2008
admin | B2B Blog Postings | April 10th, 2008Below are some of the better blog posts from around the web in recent days for B2B marketers. (more…)
What CFOs Think about Cutting Marketing Budgets in Downturn
Richard Hatch | Trends | April 10th, 2008
I’ve seen, read, and heard all kinds of reasons about why you shouldn’t cut marketing budgets in a recession. We all know this to be true from observations and outcomes of those who did and did not in past recessions. But of course, most of the chatter comes from people like me, marketing professionals. And I know, on the surface, it all seems quite self-serving.
Except, this time, (if it actually is a recession we’re in) that school of thought receives what some might perceive as a mildly surprising endorsement from-most CFOs. In a CFO Outlook Survey-1st Quarter 2008 conducted for Financial Executives International by Baruch College, The City University of New York, more than 62% of CFOs responded that the current economic downturn would not affect marketing/advertising budgets-budget is the same as 2007. Almost a quarter, 22.9% were actually increasing marketing budgets. Just under 14% were decreasing budgets. You can download the survey’s detailed summary topline report at www.cfosurveys.com. There’s a lot of good information in it. (more…)
Hold your fire—trade shows still matter!
Mike Marn | Events | April 9th, 2008
Lately it seems like everyone is piling on trade shows. You’ve heard all the complaints: they’re too expensive, they take away valuable work time, they interrupt regular business, they’re exhausting, they don’t generate real leads, and so on. It’s become fashionable to jump on the bandwagon, claiming trade shows have outlived their usefulness, in light of today’s more sophisticated communications and information resources, including the Internet.
These contemporary “experts” certainly have plenty of ammunition; trade shows are expensive, and do have annoying negatives attached. But amidst the wailing about poor ROI and questionable results, one big benefit of trade shows stands as strongly as it ever has. It’s just too subtle and intangible for many blog-sperts to understand. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 9, 2008
admin | B2B Blog Postings | April 9th, 2008Below are some of the better blog posts from around the web in recent days for B2B marketers. (more…)
Our People Make the Difference (Yea, Right) and Other “Unbelievable” Claims
Richard Hatch | Positioning | April 7th, 2008For kicks, I tried Googling this tagline. On this particular day, the results produced several construction companies, a few carpet cleaners, realtors and brokers, hospitals, therapeutic clinics, a TV station, a web page from Deloitte Touche, a security firm, machine and metal fabricators, a change management consultant, staffing firms, a used car dealer, various banks, a plastic mold die maker, a dentist, an old WalMart uniform patch (with the slogan) for sale on e-Bay, a chemical company, a full-service boatyard, and a boatload of other indistinguishable, undifferentiated manufacturers, services, and firms in untold other industries. Unbelievable! (Granted, not in all cases were they necessarily using the line as a corporate positioning or tagline per say, although more did than not.) Doesn’t matter. They were using it as a point of differentiation in some form, and differentiating it is not. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 7, 2008
admin | B2B Marketing | April 7th, 2008Below are some of the better blog posts from around the web in recent days for B2B marketing. (more…)
B2B Blog Links | The Day in B2B | April 3, 2008
admin | B2B Blog Postings | April 3rd, 2008Below are some of the better B2B marketing blog posts from around the web in recent days. (more…)
Positioning inside the company
Galen De Young | Positioning | April 3rd, 2008
Positioning starts at home. If you can’t get positioning right inside the organization, there’s little chance it will be successful in the marketplace.
Typically, B2C marketing and sales have little personal interaction. If the purchase is fairly substantial, e.g., say for a $500 piece of consumer electronics, we may do some purchase research and talk to friends. However, the only personal interaction with the selling party during the buying cycle may well be the cashier.
That’s not the way it is in B2B marketing and sales. (more…)
The “real” secret to effective testimonials
Mike Marn | B2B Marketing | April 2nd, 2008Many advertising writers recoil in horror at the mention of testimonials, because they see the use of testimonials as less than creative; a poor alternative to a real “idea.” I understand that view; I used to feel that way myself, much to the dismay of account executives who approached me with the suggestion.
I’ve changed, however. Because I now realize that most buyers—especially in B2B situations—are looking to minimize the risks that go with their decisions. Creative visuals and headlines do get attention, and that’s certainly important. But they don’t, in themselves, do much to counter the sense of risk a prospect often feels. That task usually falls to the copy, where a laundry list of product benefits can generate more yawns than enthusiasm, even among the select few who are still with you at that point.
But if I’m a prospect, nothing makes me feel better about choosing you as a vendor/supplier/partner than the knowledge that someone in a situation much like mine—or someone whose opinions I value—has already chosen you, and is happy about it!
But to be effective, testimonials have to be done right. Quite frankly, most are not, and deserve the sneers they generate. Let’s look at a few factors that make all the difference. (more…)