customer engagement
847 posts
People Don’t Buy What You Do
Michael and Phil Farrell knew how to sell steak. They didn’t do it by having an abundance of tasty cuts in their shop window to tempt strangers or passers by who might fancy a t-bone for dinner that evening. No, they did it by knowing the name of every single customer who walked through their…
No Strings
Alexx saw the sign outside the local gym and decided that there was no excuse. It was just a hundred metres from her front door and was advertising a six week membership for just $99. An opportunity not to be missed. As she signed up Alexx tried to overlook the quiet desperation of the owner.…
The Story Is Your Advantage
“Whoever tells the best story wins.” —Annette Simons This is the whole truth, and it scares all kinds of people, from creators to scientists, fledgling entrepreneurs to established brands. The best man doesn’t always win. It’s not enough to be bigger or better, and that frightens us because our unde
Speak Human
The new perspex sign in the toilets of fast food restaurant read… “It is our intent to provide you with the cleanest possible facility. If the room needs attention please notify a Manager.” I stood in the mirrorless bathroom looking at it for some time wondering how this was supposed to make me feel
Selling The Facts
Front row seats. That ring in a certain ‘blue box’. 70% dark chocolate. Business class flights. Pumpkins at Halloween. Botox. iPad mini. Frappuccino. 12 months gym membership in January. Free range chicken. The bestseller everyone is talking about. That black BMW. Vitamins. The honeymoon suite. Glut
What The Cold Caller Forgot
He forgot to think about you and not just him. He forgot you were busy. He forgot to work hard to add value and build an asset over time. He forgot to give before trying to take. He forgot that you don’t care about his emergency. He forgot that he can’t buy your permission. He…
The Bottom Line
There’s an irony about entrepreneurship or starting a business and it’s this. When you begin you’re obsessed with the starting part. Just starting it seems is enough. You may have a vision for what could be, but there is not so much pressure to get there in the beginning. Once you’ve succeeded a lit
Practice The Art Of Making People Matter
Walk along any suburban street. Sit in any cafe. Listen to telephone conversations at the airport lounge. Here’s what you’ll find. Everyone is having the same conversation. The early morning gym junkies, the startup hub members, the mothers catching the train to work, the fathers in the book store a
Great Marketing Is Baked In Not Sprinkled On
The most common misconception in business is that you should work on your idea now, and add marketing later…. when you’re done. Marketing is not just the icing on the cake, or the sprinkles on the top. Marketing is the whole cake. The quality of flour you use. The lightness of touch of the baker.…
Business Would Be Great If It Weren’t For The Customers
There was no doubt that I could have chosen a better time to go shopping for special flowers, than first thing on Saturday morning in early Spring. The lone florist reluctantly came out from the back room to ask how she could help, then let out a sigh when she realised it wasn’t going to…
Give Them A Reason
Half of the products in your pantry now have a ‘like us on Facebook’ icon on the label. Why should you like a brand of mass produced honey on Facebook? Why does the brand manager think you should care? Marketing is about doing great work that gets noticed. It’s about giving people a reason to…
Make Your Idea Matter
Make Your Idea Matter is finally available to buy on Amazon. Thanks to the people who bought the book yesterday it bagged a Top 3 spot on the Amazon Bestsellers list overnight! It’s taken most of our Australian winter (or your summer), to simply get the book edited, formatted, designed and ready for
Thinking About How People Feel Vs Making People Do
Every one of us is a marketer. We spend our days persuading people to do what we want them to do. “Buy now.” “Click here.” “Please retweet.” “Only 5 4 left.” “Don’t drink and drive.” “Eat your greens and you’ll grow big and strong.” My friend Mark and his wife Cindy own and run a…
Hiding Behind The Truth
I walked into the empty store clutching my receipt and the faulty garment. After one wear and one delicate wash several holes had appeared out of nowhere in the fabric. My ten-day-since-purchase window had expired so I couldn’t get a refund but I was happy to take store credit. The manager examined
Listen To Your Outliers
Not all women love to shop. I am one such woman. So when I fall in love with a product, they’ve got me for life. That’s just one more decision I don’t have to make in the store. Glasshouse is a product I fell in love with years ago. Their fragrances are amazing, an indulgence.…
How To Scratch Your Customer’s Itch
Speak to the few, the ones who really ‘get it’. Empower them to do what they want to do. Find ways to help them do the things they don’t even know they want to do yet. Tell them the reason you exist. Remember what problem you are solving and spell out how you solve it.…
How Low Can You Go?
There are over fifty yoga studios within striking distance of the affluent Eastern suburbs of Sydney and they’ve discovered a tactic to get bums on mats. Many of them now offer two weeks of unlimited Yoga for just $25, which works well…… for a little while anyway. A savvy Yogi can take them up on…
How To Sell An Idea With A Better Story
This is the story of Brick Maier who sold a cardboard box and a poster for $49 and got his Kickstarter Project backed within a week all because he knew how to tell a better story. Brick didn’t just tell us about dimensions and weight or specifications and functionality. He framed an ideal and painte
What Does It Take To Be In The 1%?
”99% of ”brands” are about as inspiring, interesting, and enlightening as a cup of lukewarm tea. Which is exactly why you shouldn’t be.” -Umair Haque So the good news then is that it’s not that hard to be the 1%! I asked Umair what he thought it took to be in the 1 %. He…
How Do Your Customers Feel?
When was the last time you stepped into your customers shoes? Sat in your packed restaurant, queued at check in, ordered from your website, read your label, stopped to digest an email you sent, analysed your design brief, slept in your rooms and really experienced what it feels like to do business w
