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April 16, 2008 Leave a Comment

What do your customers experience?

Two recent business articles have caught my attention. One points us towards “the best of times” in retailing while the other details the quickly developing “worst of times” for many retailers.

The worst of times? “Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies” – a story in the NY Times.

“The consumer spending slump and tightening credit markets are unleashing a widening wave of bankruptcies in American retailing, prompting thousands of store closings that are expected to remake suburban malls and downtown shopping districts across the country.”

The best of times? “It’s All About Experience,” an article in Business Week Magazine.

“There is still one frontier that remains wide open: experience innovation. This is the only type of business innovation that is not imitable, nor can it be commoditized, because it is born from the specific needs and desires of your customers and is a unique expression of your company’s DNA. Yet the design of an experience is often overlooked in the rush to market.”

The key phrase – “… because it is born from the specific needs and desires of your customers and is a unique expression of your company’s DNA.”

How do you address your customers? Do you meet both their needs AND their desires? Are you sure? How do you know?

What do your customers experience when they visit your store? When they contact you by phone? When they visit your website?

What are you doing to create a memorable experience for your customers? What are you doing to differentiate yourself from your competitors?

There are three areas for a business to compete; three areas to differentiate your business – people, products and price. Trying to compete on products or price puts you into a vulnerable position. Look at a few stores that are caught in the wave of bankruptcies: Continue reading “What do your customers experience?” »

Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Customer Service, Merchandising Tagged: , , ,
April 15, 2008 Leave a Comment

More reasons why names matter

“Thank you (fill in the blank) for your business.”

Don’t you hate form letters? I do. But I have a small problem and I hope that you can help me solve it.

First the good news. I am proud to say that my post yesterday – “Why names matter” – is now my all-time best in terms of the number of readers who clicked on it. Thank you one and all! And that is my problem.

I was able to personally respond to the readers who sent me an email commenting on the article. We started a dialog because the first barrier was crossed – we now know each other’s names and we can start to talk to one another. In a manner that is meaningful to each other.

But how do I start to have a dialog with each of you? In a manner that is meaningful to you? Are you interested?

I suppose that you could say that we already have started. You wouldn’t be reading this post if the content didn’t provide something of value – to you. But you know more about me than I know about you.

It all starts with a name. Knowing your name. Addressing you by your name. Getting to know what makes you unique. Getting to know what we have in common. Where we disagree.

In order to start a conversation with a stranger here are two points to consider:

  • An excerpt from Seth Godin’s post “Name tags:”
    • I love name tags.I think doing name tags properly transforms a meeting. Here’s why:
      a. people don’t really know everyone, even if they think they do.
      b. if you don’t know someone’s name, you are hesitant to talk to them.
      c. if you don’t talk to them, you never get to know them and you both lose.
      d. if you are wearing a name tag, it’s an invitation to start a conversation.
  • An excerpt from the www.chrisg.com article, “10 Reasons Commenting is Good for Bloggers:”
    • Make friends and influence people – Blogging is partly a networking activity. People are more likely to link to you (or more) if they have heard of you. Get yourself out there, make friends.
    • Clicks – People click your link to see what other interesting stuff you write about. Obvious but true.

I do believe that my blog is getting more attention because I am paying more attention – to what others are writing about and commenting about on various blogs. I have started to add my comments when I feel that I have something to contribute. I always leave my full name and email address. I never hide behind a pseudonym. I am curious – I enjoy exploring different points of view. I like to ask questions. I like dialog. How about you?

“If you don’t know someone’s name you are hesitant to talk to them.” – Seth Godin

If you are reluctant to post your comment here on my blog, that is okay! I welcome your thoughts. I invite you to send me an email – danny@thecompanyrocks.com. My name is Danny Rocks. I am interested in whatever you are interested in.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Communications, Customer Service Tagged: , ,
April 14, 2008 1 Comment

Why names matter

“If you want to make friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.”

– Dale Carnegie

I like to be remembered. I like it when people address me by name. I give my return business to those airlines, hotels and service providers who consistently remember my name.

Remembering my name is more than just a courtesy. It is recognition of my lifetime value as a client. As Dale Carnegie reminds us, “Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.” And when I feel important – to you – I am more likely to pay attention. I am more likely to purchase your product or service. I am more inclined to recommend your business to my friends and colleagues.

Over the years, I have made it a point to address the people that I meet by name.  I am pretty good at it. It takes practice to acquire this skill. It is a skill that you can learn. But this skill is more than just a fun “parlor trick.” It is your key to connecting with people. The people who matter. To you personally, to your business, to your feeling of richness.

Daniel Scocco wrote an interesting article on this subject on the “Daily Blog Tips” site. Click here to read it – and the comments that follow.

I’ll be attending a conference next week. It is an organization that I have belonged to for many years. The people in the organization matter to me. Enough so that I will make a deliberate effort to address each person that I see there by name – before they have a chance to put on their name badge! Here’s what I do:

  • I request a pre-registration list from the organization.
  • As I read each person’s name, I try to picture their face – what they look like.
  • After this step, I go back and review my notes about the last time we met. What is their spouse’s name, the names of their children, their hobbies, etc.

It is an investment in time. But it is an investment that has paid off handsomely over the years. I remember more than their names. I remember the moments that we have shared together. I remember why names matter.

If you want to pick up a few “tricks” to remembering people’s names, click here. It is a good article by Kelley Robertson.

I you want to establish long lasting relationships with friends and clients, think about why names matter.

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Communications, Customer Service, Training Tagged: , ,
April 13, 2008 4 Comments

Time to read the paper

And a good Sunday morning to you! Today is a rare occasion – I actually have time to sit down and read the Sunday newspaper. Fine, except for one small matter – I no longer have the Sunday New York Times delivered to my home!

I usually don’t have the luxury of time to sit down, sip my coffee and read the paper – section by section, article by article. This morning I had the time, but alas no NY Times in my hand.

Reading the paper on-line is a different experience. There are some aspects of on-line reading that I prefer, some that I do not.

The newspaper on-line offers:

  • Refreshed content – important for news items.
  • Links. I can click to go to similar articles or source material. But… within 10 minutes, guaranteed, I am no longer on the NY Times website reading the paper. Now, I am probably off doing something work-related. I am no longer reading for pleasure.

The traditional paper offers:

  • A tactile experience.
  • A complete experience – I get to glance at articles that I might not have noticed on-line. Some I read, some I don’t. But… just being able to see the “grabber” headline” a visual and a few captions – I probably choose to read more of the Sunday NY Times content when I actually have the paper in my hand. I also notice more advertising with the paper.
  • Portability. Yes, it’s funny but I actually find that the Sunday paper is much more portable. For example, I do not take my laptop into the bathroom to read the paper. If I want to continue reading outside, the paper is adaptable. If I take my laptop outside I never actually manage to read anything – the glare of the sun makes this impossible!
  • A crossword puzzle that I actually enjoy solving.
  • Lots of black newspaper ink on my fingers!

What is your preference – and why? Please share your comments with our readers.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Communications Tagged: ,
April 12, 2008 Leave a Comment

5 Leadership Tips

I’d like to share an excellent post that I found on the TechRepublic Website. John McKee wrote it – “5 CEO’s best leadership tips.” Read it. It is concise and gets straight to the point – just like a good quotation.

Here are the 5 tips – followed by a quotation that I have selected to build-on each point:

  • Focus on the real world.
    • “After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. After ten years, throw it away and start all over.” – Alfred Edward Perlman
  • Don’t get emotional.
    • “The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.” – John Holt
  • Good leaders exhibit great calm.
    • “Knowing what’s the right thing to do is usually easy, but consistently doing the right thing in the face of adversity is something else.  That is the true test of character.” – Judith Molloy
  • There is always more time than it seems.
    • “The importance of a decision is not what it will cost but how difficult it will be to reverse.” – Peter Drucker
  • Even a weak manager can look good with a great team.
    • “None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Roy Disney

I appreciate a writer who gets straight to the point. John McKee does so in this article. He organizes the key characteristics of leadership into a list. A list is selective. A list helps us to remember key points. Quotations distill important concepts down to a few words. Quotations are also memorable. That’s why I like them and use them often.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Leadership, Quotations Tagged: , ,
April 11, 2008 Leave a Comment

5 Great Tips to Improve Your Writing

Click hereto read a really useful article by Simon Payn, “Five Lessons From Newspapers to Boost Your Blog’s Circulation.”

Don’t be put off by the title. You don’t have to be a blogger to benefit from these 5 tips.

Do you write memos? Read the article.

Do you give presentations? Read the article.

If you want to improve your writing skills or presentation skills, you will get great tips on:

  1. Brevity – What if you had to cut your article or presentation by 50%?
  2. A Strong Opening – Capture your audience’s attention at the start.
  3. Use Headlines – Readers like to skim. Give them a road-map.
  4. Visuals. Get the most out of them.
  5. Accuracy. Check your facts, check your spelling, check your links.

Please share some of your favorite tips. What articles have helped to improve your communications?

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Communications, Speeches Tagged: , , ,
April 11, 2008 Leave a Comment

When things go wrong – What will you do?

How did I get so lucky? I flew American Airlines this week – but on Monday. One day before thousands of flights were canceled to comply with an FAA Maintenance requirement. Were I not so lucky, this is all the information that I would have received from the American Airlines’ website:

“We are very sorry for inconveniencing you with the cancellation of a portion of American Airlines’ flights which started on April 8. Additional inspections of our MD-80 fleet are being conducted to ensure precise and complete compliance with the FAA’s directive related to wiring in the aircraft’s wheel wells. For more information about the progress of the inspections, please check our Press Releases. Please be assured that safety of our customers is, and always will be, American’s first priority. For more information about your flight, please check Gates & Times. “

Thanks, but no thanks! I am sure that you are sorry. And I know that this is an extremely stress-filled situation. An airline can not jeopordize passenger safety. But… what about the information break-down? What options do I have? Please direct me to a web-page where I can determine my options for alternative travel.

Here are some comments from the aviation.com website about this “break-down:”

“This writer was one of the thousands of passengers on American who was grounded. I found out about American’s cancellations because, as a journalist, I receive AA press releases. Other passengers were not so lucky: Many didn’t get any heads-up notification about the problems.

I was fortunate. Arpey acknowledged that many AA customers were not notified promptly or at all; some arrived at the airport only to discover that their flight was not going anywhere. “Our employees did the best they could. We apologize for the inconvenience. We did try to reach them,” said Arpey. He didn’t explain how communications broke down, or what American will do differently should cancellations continue in the coming days.”

Look at the televised news reports. See the long lines of frustrated customers waiting (not so) patiently for the chance to talk to a ticket agent. Try to call the airlines reservations number – all circuits are busy; Your business is important to us, please continue to hold…

Where is the technology to help customers obtain information?

One news shot showed a bank of idle ticketing “kiosks” in the middle of a sea of angry, displaced customers. Are the ticketing kiosks only programmed as “dumb terminals?” Can they only spit out boarding passes once you supply them with your ID for a current reservation?

Customers want options. Unfortunately, very few businesses offer these options. Customers are quite willing to “help themselves” if only your business will allow them to do so.Customers want to help you when there is a problem – but you have to provide them some “self-help” options. Continue reading “When things go wrong – What will you do?” »

Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Communications, Customer Service Tagged: , , , , , ,
April 10, 2008 3 Comments

What is your speaking rate?

No, this article is not a discussion about how much you should charge to deliver a speech. Charge as much as you dare – or at least what the market will bear. But first make sure that your content and delivery are top-notch.

Speaking of delivery. How fast or slow do you speak? Do you speak too fast for your audience to understand you? Or so slow that your audience falls asleep or tunes you out?

Walter Cronkite remains one of the most respected communicators in broadcast history. He paid close attention to his delivery:

“Cronkite trained himself to speak at a rate of 124 words per minute in his newscasts, so that viewers could clearly understand him. In contrast, Americans average about 165 words per minute, and fast, difficult to understand talkers speak close to 200 words per minute.“

How do you rate? The correct answer is that you should match your number of words per minute (WPM) to fit your audience and the setting for your speech. The larger the room and the larger your audience, the slower you should speak. In a more intimate setting (one-on-one or small group around a table) you can speak faster but be sure to watch your audience’s body language. Watch for clues that you need to either speed up or slow down. We listen with our eyes!

Here are four tips to use as you prepare your next speech or presentation:

  1. When you are rehearsing, be sure to time yourself. Record your time. And record your rehearsals (audio /video)
  2. If you are using PowerPoint, take advantage of the Rehearse Timings feature. (Menu – Slide Show – Rehearse Timings) This will record the amount of time you spend on each slide (or each bullet point) as well as the overall length of your presentation. As a bonus, you can incorporate these timings to allow the slides to advance automatically when you do your presentation.
  3. Prepare a shorter version of your speech. Quite often, you will be asked to “speed it up” because the program is running behind schedule. DON’T! Don’t speed up your delivery – a recipe for disaster. Rather, deliver your streamlined-version. Quite often, this will be the more effective speech – you benefit from brevity!
  4. Always memorize – two parts of your speech: Your first two minutes. Your closing minute.

Pay attention as others speak. How do you react as an audience? As a listener? Does the speaker engage you? Do you follow them? Do you understand them? What is their speaking rate?

Of course, variety is the spice of life. You need to vary your rate of speaking to reflect the tone of your content. Speed up when you are excited; slow down when you are making an important point. And always remember “the power of the pause.”

Learn to master your speaking rate and you will achieve your goal – your message will be heard and understood.

Learn to master your speaking rate and you will be asked back to speak again. Your reputation will grow and more audiences will want to listen to what you have to say. And… the rate that you can charge to speak will also improve. You will be worth it. You will have earned it.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Communications, Public Speaking, Speeches, Training Tagged: , ,
April 9, 2008 Leave a Comment

Drip, Drip, Drip

Seth Godin posed an intriguing set of questions on his blog the other day:

“What would happen if every single high school student had to have a blog? Or every employee in your company? Or every one of your customers?”

Learn to “Write Like a Blogger,” is Seth’s Advice. He lists 9 key points – and yes, using lists is one of them – that effective bloggers use to make their writing stand out. Great article. Great advice for anyone who wants to improve their written communications. Read it.

That is another point – “Bloggers aren’t afraid to include links or distractions in their writing, because we know you’ll come back if what we had to say was interesting.” So click here for a link to read the article.

The title of this post is “Drip, Drip, Drip.”  That is Seth’s point # 3. You don’t have to say everything at once.

How liberating!

How many articles did I abandon because I felt that I didn’t have the time to tell the complete story? Many.

How many of my posts did my readers abandon because they didn’t have the time to read? Many more than I care to admit. But it is true…

We never have enough time. So don’t waste time. But even more to the point, don’t miss an opportunity to write because you don’t have enough time to write everything.

Write a short note. Make one point. Make it timely. Make it interesting. Make your audience want to read more.

To apply this priniple in a business situation, think about the (dreaded) annual employee “performance appraisal.” Don’t delay giving your employees constructive feedback. Don’t wait for a year to pass by. Do it when you spot the opportunity.

Make one point. Don’t wait to tell the complete story. It will never be complete.

Give feedback on one point. Give it at the time that you spot the opportunity. Keep it positive. Make them want to do more. You will get more of what you point out. So keep your feedback focused on future positive results.

Do it drip by drip by drip. It will carry more impact.

To be continued…

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Communications Tagged: , , ,
April 8, 2008 Leave a Comment

If the news is that important, it will find me

As soon as I saw this headline, “CBS Said to Consider Use of CNN in Reporting,” I thought back to this comment:

“If the news is that important, it will find me.”

– A college student responding to a focus group question

I used that comment as the lead-in to a recent post – “The Medium is the Message.”

That innocent answer has stayed with me ever since. Perhaps we are evolving from a “Search for information” age to a “Pass it along to my network” era.

Yes, we still prize “the news that you can trust.” But our trusted sources have now changed. Walter Cronkite earned our trust anchoring the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981. He had gravitas. He also had a captive audience. The current CBS Evening News anchor has – I’m not sure since I no longer watch the program – and has a dwindling audience. And little relevance for many.

  • We no longer wait for the news to come on. We are too mobile for that.
  • We can search for the news when we want it. Google has made this so simple to do.
  • Or, we can rely on our trusted network to forward us the news that matters most to them – and to us.

There is so much to look for. So much to search through. So little time. So little trust.

Perhaps the CBS Evening News” is being replaced by the “My Social Network News.” News that you can trust.

If CBS and CNN team up to share resources devoted to reporting the news, what will they do with the savings? Satisfy their investors? Or devote more resources to making their content more important? So important that it finds me!

What do you think? Please add your comments below.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Business Practices, Communications, Marketing Tagged: , , ,
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