Making a trip to the soda fountain fun

Terrior is is a French term used in wine making that loosely translates to “a sense of place.” It refers to the fact that the same chardonnay grapes grown in different vineyards (or even separate parts of the same vineyard) can produce noticeably different wines . . . → Read More: Think Local for Unique Content Marketing Opportunities]]>

Making a trip to the soda fountain fun

Terrior is is a French term used in wine making that loosely translates to “a sense of place.” It refers to the fact that the same chardonnay grapes grown in different vineyards (or even separate parts of the same vineyard) can produce noticeably different wines because each set of grapes will absorb different amounts of sunlight, minerals from the soil, and be subjected to unique weather in each region.

The concept of terrior offers tons of ideas for social media marketing. What makes where you live or work unique and fun?

• Is your corporate office a 100-year-old converted sugar plant/movie theater/train station?
• Do you offer a product/service/meal/experience that’s truly one of a kind (be honest)?
• Is Wrigley Field/Empire State Building/Eiffel Tower up the street from your office?
• Can you get awesome green chili/cheese steak sandwiches/clam chowder/barbecue ribs from the hole-in-the-wall restaurant in your neighborhood?

What unique places do people go out of their way to track down when they visit your hometown? Share those insider tips with us. That’s interesting stuff we’re not going to find in the guide book from the airport bookstore.

I spent U.S. Independence Day weekend in the Colorado mountain town of Frisco. My agenda included fireworks, grilling and Odell’s 90 Shilling. A fun time was had by all.

Before we left, we decided to drive around and explore the town. The yellow banner on the Ramada Inn caught my attention because . . . → Read More: The Key to Marketing Success: Testing (Maybe the Free Waffles Work)]]>

Free Waffles In Frisco, CO

I spent U.S. Independence Day weekend in the Colorado mountain town of Frisco. My agenda included fireworks, grilling and Odell’s 90 Shilling. A fun time was had by all.

Before we left, we decided to drive around and explore the town. The yellow banner on the Ramada Inn caught my attention because of the inclusion of waffles as a part of the advertised free continental breakfast for hotel guests.

I initially posted the photo you see to the right with a slightly snarky comment to my Twitter account and then began the drive home. However, something about the banner stuck in my brain. As I thought about it, I like it more and more.

1. The waffles set Ramada’s continental breakfast message apart - It’s something specific. Free waffles means their breakfast is not just a stale box of cereal and some milk. Someone needs to cook those waffles. While it may not be foie gras and truffles, it’s a step up.
2. Maybe waffles tested well - If I was the marketing manager for the hotel and thought my breakfast menu could be a draw, I would get a few different banners made and see if waffles performed better than “Free espresso drinks” or “Free omelettes” for attracting highway drivers to my establishment.

What part of your marketing mix can you strategically change to see if your current tactics are still top performers?

I recently visited a friend who makes his living as a painter. There are paintings, sketches and other signs of his work throughout his house. Art in various stages of development is everywhere. He has built a large body of work that continues to grow every day. I was . . . → Read More: Dr. J, Building a Body of Work and Going Pro]]>

"Warhol Art in a Can" from jelene

I recently visited a friend who makes his living as a painter. There are paintings, sketches and other signs of his work throughout his house. Art in various stages of development is everywhere. He has built a large body of work that continues to grow every day. I was so impressed with evidence of his efforts. Once he gets his website back online, I’ll add a link to his work. (The Warhol can isn’t Micheal’s, I just thought it was cool.)

I would like to think that the reason I’ve let my blog become stale is because I am the parent of a young toddler or that my work responsibilities have increased now that the economy is less frightening than it was in 2009. While I have reached the time consuming “goaltender” stage of fatherhood and work has become more involved, the real reason is a lack of discipline.

It’s hard to keep sustained effort going on a blog (or a novel or a new business idea) when it’s easy to let the status quo dominate your day.

Right after visiting my artist friend, I also encountered the following quote from Julius Erving (Dr. J to basketball fans): “Being a professional is doing the things you love on the days you don’t feel like doing them.”

Dang Doc. That’s kind of sums it up.

So…I need to start blogging again. A lot. Even when I don’t really feel like it. Because that’s what professionals do.

My son is one month old. Having your first kid makes you think about a lot of stuff.

One of the biggest thoughts for most first-time parents is “How in the world are they putting me in charge of this little person?!” Insecurity and paranoia are large pieces of the joys . . . → Read More: Do You Inspire Confidence?]]>

Florence Nightengale monument in London, England

My son is one month old. Having your first kid makes you think about a lot of stuff.

One of the biggest thoughts for most first-time parents is “How in the world are they putting me in charge of this little person?!” Insecurity and paranoia are large pieces of the joys of being a new dad.

The boy was born at Sky Ridge Medical Center and the nursing staff was fantastic. They all had their own personalities and styles but everyone of them radiated a steady confidence and displayed genuine caring. This was a great thing to have as my wife and I wrapped our brains around the idea of being parents. Each nurse who helped us seemed to be 50 percent Navy SEAL, 50 percent coach/psychologist. I felt COMPLETELY confident in the advice and care we received during our stay.

Compare this experience to a trip to the local pharmacy a few days after we went home. I asked if the antihistamine my wife used before her pregnancy would still work because she was breastfeeding. The pharmacist wrinkled her brow, looked it up in a PDA and said “that should be fine” without out any enthusiasm.

Ummm…sorry. The correct answer to an anxious new dad when he asks you whether or not he may be poisoning his infant son by buying the product you sell is: “This will not be a problem at all. Your wife and boy will be fine if she takes this for her allergies. You have nothing to worry about.”  It would be a good idea to say this with all the authority and confidence you can muster too.

Make sure a potential client who comes to you for a new website, basement remodel, puppy for the kids, etc. leaves without any doubt they’ve made the right choice talking to you (even if they don’t choose you in the end).

Also, don’t forget that your current clients need to feel that working with you is still one of the best decisions they’ve made. Do they see your invoices as a continued investment in their success or an expense that could be cut if things get too tight?

All of the traits that go into success . . . → Read More: Great Social Media Advice from the Food Network]]> This commercial on Food Network is pitching the newest season of The Next Food Network Star. As our pal Bobby Flay walks toward the elevator, various people (I’m assuming they’re contestants) hold up different signs describing qualities they possess that will make them the next superstar TV chef.

All of the traits that go into success at the Food Network are also great guidelines for anyone involved in social media. Have a look at the video and then we’ll break it down.

> I Will Have a Clear Culinary Point of View: This is vital in social media because things get so noisy. When there are millions of choices online, getting me to listen to you and subscribe to your blog involves standing out and having a clear voice.

> I Will Express Myself and Be Authentic: If your stuff sounds like PR/corporate-speak, that may be worse than not having a point of view. Consumers are too smart. They have developed an incredible ear for B.S. and expect people to sound real in social media. Compare the President of Domino’s Pizza and a multiple franchise owner from Chicago as they both issue apologizes for service problems. Guess which one I like more?

> I Will Make My Food Personal: This is a delicate thing to get right. One of the main complaints skeptics have about social media is that Twitter, Facebook, and other sites are just a collection of people broadcasting random details about what they had for breakfast. And that is boring. Think about ways your personal stuff can also add value to my life (because in the end, it’s all about me). Try this as an example:

• My cat barfed = BAD
• My cat barfed & I’ve found Kitty-Barf-Away is a great product for cleaning up messes = BETTER

> I Will Handle Pressure: Getting involved in social media may expose you to criticism. Don’t forget that getting a few rocks thrown at you goes with the territory.  The upside of social media is worth the occasional brouhaha.

> I Will Be the Next Food Network Star; “We’ll Be the Judge of That”: Bobby’s right. It’s all about the audience. You’ll quickly learn if what you’re sending out connects with people.

In this talk from the Taste3 Conference in 2008, Dan Barber describes his experience with Eduardo Sousa, a Spanish . . . → Read More: TED Talk – Dan Barber Discusses Foie Gras and Respecting the Nature of Things]]> Foie Gras is a topic that can inspire passion. Chefs and epicureans often put foie gras on the list of the highlights of life. Opponents see foie gras as the height of animal cruelty and human excess.

In this talk from the Taste3 Conference in 2008, Dan Barber describes his experience with Eduardo Sousa, a Spanish farmer who is rapidly becoming world famous for his foie gras. But this talk is not about farming or cooking. It’s about respecting and understanding nature.

Sousa’s mantra during Barber’s visit was: “I’m here to give the geese what they want.” And by taking this respectful and calm approach to raising and harvesting his geese, Sousa’s foie gras has won the Paris International Food Salon Coup de Coeur without gavage (the force-feeding of corn that rightfully makes animal activists so angry).

When I talk to people at other companies about using Twitter, starting a blog, etc., you can often feel the fear in the air. Participating in the social media conversation means that people are going say nasty things about you sooner or later. They will get snarky, . . . → Read More: Dear Corporate America: Social Media Is Scary But It Has A Tremendous Upside Too]]>

Sharon's restored North Face jacket, back from the abyss

When I talk to people at other companies about using Twitter, starting a blog, etc., you can often feel the fear in the air. Participating in the social media conversation means that people are going say nasty things about you sooner or later. They will get snarky, rude and vent. And those comments will show up in a Google search.

But by openly engaging your customers, social media also is a chance to encourage them to write, design and create wonderfully valuable stuff that will have more positive impact on you and your company’s brand than anything the highest paid ad agency on Madison Avenue could create.

And all of that great stuff will show up in Google too.

Take a minute to read about how the outdoor company The North Face took the time to care about my blogger friend Sharon. Even though she was expecting to get blown off, they treated her like a valuable client.

By doing a complete makeover of the cherished jacket she sent back to them and taking the time and effort to make things better, The North Face has guaranteed the next time anyone who ever meets Sharon mentions jackets or outdoor equipment, that person is going to hear her tale of monster customer service. And because the story will come from a fellow consumer, it will have a ton of credibility and influence.

Here’s how the upside to social media has already started working:

She started spreading the word on her blog. I’ve picked the story up here and also sent the 500+ people following my Twitter account a link back to her blog. I did this because I found her story such an impressive example of top-notch customer service in an era where businesses seem to care less and less.

So jump in. You’re going to get knocked around a bit, but if you’re on your game and treat people like Sharon was treated, joining the conversation will all be worth it.

Stopped at my local Starbucks to get a caffeine boost yesterday afternoon. When I rolled up to the drive thru, the voice on the other end didn’t immediately ask if he could take my order in a exasperated tone of voice. The Starbucks dude on the other end of the squawk box asked . . . → Read More: How Starbucks Reminded Me What Social Media is All About]]>

espresso by lilivanili

Stopped at my local Starbucks to get a caffeine boost yesterday afternoon. When I rolled up to the drive thru, the voice on the other end didn’t immediately ask if he could take my order in a exasperated tone of voice. The Starbucks dude on the other end of the squawk box asked “how are you doing today?” and sounded like he was genuinely curious about the answer.

And instead of diving right into my order, I paused and replied with an equal enthusiasm, “I’m doing well! How are you?”

My answer to his question and return of his courtesy seemed to take the barista by surprise for a brief second. As a former waiter, I knew where he was coming from. I was always a bit shocked at the number of patrons who blasted right past my greeting to get straight to their pizza and beer order.

The interaction I had with the Starbucks dude illustrates how to be good at social media:

Have a conversation.

Don’t hop on Twitter and start blasting me with a steady stream of updates about your every move and blog post without also asking questions and commenting on other things. This piggybacks on Amber Naslund’s “Click My Junk” theory of Twitter marketing that Chris Brogan mentioned in a recent podcast interview with John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing.

To be effective on Twitter, Facebook, etc. you need to listen, interact, add value and THEN you can start to promote your stuff.

Imagine you’re shopping online for a shiny new toy for your favorite hobby.  You find three sites that have your quarry at the same price.  Only difference is one of the sites offers free shipping.  Which one would you choose?  Free shipping!

Good offers do three things: