Sharing the Love [product]

This is a quick spot, because life has been happening all around me recently. My big news is I am newly married again. Paradoxically, the title is mercenary and has nothing to do with my emotional state. Interested?

The Share-the-Love vision comes from a friend of mine, and in her case she wanted to see something like an ‘business orchestra’ model.

Where the cellists don’t attempt to blow trumpets. A community based ‘business ecology’ where the flautist wasn’t given a kettle drum to play!

What would your orchestra sound like if the talented people were not playing their instruments? How would your favourite band or singing group sound if they randomly swapped instruments or parts?

Share-the-Love … works like this. You love playing rhythm guitar. Your buddy loves to drum, and she knows someone who has a great voice and another dude who plays double-base. Cool, because if they all like similar sounding music and have fun together, we have the core to start a pretty wicked musical combo. Now think businesses, think about your business idea!

You or your product(s) are ‘great rhythm guitar players’, in your field or product category. You may even write great songs, and harmonies. Are you an accountant or bookkeeper? Are you a marketing person, a paralegals or even a business manager too? Would you be a great ‘rhythm guitarist’ if you spent your relaxation playing guitar, or if you read a business magazine?   ‘Hullow!’

Share-the-Love …is like this.  You love what you do; share that. You don’t like bookkeeping; then find a bookkeeper who loves keeping the books.  Share your love of what you do with the bookkeeper who loves what she/he does!

Do unto others what that other would have you do; unto them.

[... As always, do for betterment, not for harm.]

Money?  Yes, I’m saying the ‘money’ is a number you give mr or ms bookkeeper that says “I love what you do, $50 an hour.” As a quick spot, I won’t expand this now.  Let it soak in, and bounce around a bit.  I’d really LOVE a bit of conversation in the comments.  Because this is just a ‘seed‘.

What do I get for my $50 of love?  A free Thursday night to read my daughter a bedtime story, instead of trying to figure out how to balance that wretched Accounts Payable (for example).  In the words of a famous promotion; $100 to get the books done; quality time with daughter — Priceless.

One final thing, because mbimarketing is about your marketing.  Your product is your supply-chain as much as it is your service or tangible package.  The Beatles sold “love, fun and individuality” they never sold records.

How do you decide who to share your love with?  Choose people who love or (rather) admire what you do,  and love what they do.  Share-the-Love with people who will in turn Share-the-Love.

Let it bounce around.  I reckon I have over a million reasons this makes sense; it always did.  Some how culturally we lost track of it; kill or be killed doesn’t include your ‘team mates’ and ‘potential team mates’.

Your aim ought to be creating a Champion Team. (Not a team of champions).  Be there for each other :: Share-the-Love.

W I S H

Sales isn’t Marketing [personal]

There’s a split in the practice with most organisations between what is “marketing” and what is “sales”; and with me on what is “business development”. Unless you are a government entity and it seems they don’t feel a need to “sell nuffun’“.

CEO s view more demanding customers not as a threat, but as an opportunity to differentiate. CEO s are spending more to attract and retain increasingly prosperous, informed and socially aware customers.

• IBM (2008, p.7) Global CEO Survey: “The Enterprise of the Future“

Test yourself: Enterprise of the Future assessment tool

A really good sales person is not the guy who makes the sale at all costs, imho.  That is the marketing equivalent of a scorched Earth tactic.

A good customer consultant is a trustworthy complement to the customer service of the business.  Last week I experienced the impersonal feel of a  large Australian corporation’s computer hang-up my phone call … 4 x times!  I got through on the 5th and final call.  It reminded me why I dumped that company in the 1980-s.

There was more non-personal treatment yesterday when I received a phone call from a “team leader” responding to my on-line feedback that hanging-up on me, even if lines are busy, is MY choice.  Calling me in the middle of a busy day, is Not My Choice.  Finally because I understand how these systems are assembled, I also know that a customer service “team leader” is not empowered to correct a technical issue with the telephone routing system.

I am not naming the company, they seem to have had a hard enough time with their foot in their mouth this year (and it’s only Feb!).

Have they “diversified to meet my needs”?  Are they ready for their future?  Did they treat my honestly helpful intention  as an opportunity?  Or did they [organisationally] want to call me to “educate me” in their ways?

And therein lies my point.  Over 2 thirds of the 1,000+ CEO-s surveyed (IBM, 2008, p.7) agree their businesses need to become more personal to work with your customer.

A less kind blogger would have identified my exemplar organisaiton.  I suggest you buy shares in one of their competitors.  How do you do that, when I didn’t tell you ‘who’ they were?

It is easy, if you do the work.  Who responds with genuine customer care and who gets on the news and “educates” us?

Are you free? [price]

… And the joke response to this question is “No.  I’m expensive but I have time to help with your problem.“

Let’s face it, there’s no such thing as free lunch.   It follows that your customer knows you should take money for your item or service.  Here’s a couple of things worth you remembering.

First, a client called me with a great quote on their web site — You may know the deal a fixed number of pages for cost of a few newspaper ads (or less).  I said web guy should charge more.

At this point the client’s business associate spoke up with, “Why should we care?!“  To the associate low-price was an attraction.  I believe that ultimately you get what you pay for. I don’t believe the associate had a mental value of the web site idea.

That happens, one reason for this is that the web site’s business value and business potential was never guess-timated by said client until I became involved.  When the value of your purchase is unknown, vague, or personal (as in this case), you can use the “cheap-helps-choose” policy to avoid doing your marketing homework.

• Your web site can be a great asset for a business, or your worst enemy.
• You customer gives you 10 seconds to be interesting.
• Put your web site to work for you, integrate it with your marketing programme.

You as ‘client’ need to pay enough to cover the time your web developer will needs to consult with you about the web site’s business contribution.

• You need a great (enough) web site to deliver public message.

If there’s no free lunch, there will be a direct cost in the gap between the “low price” and what you needed to pay to match your web site’s business performance goals.

What does this say about your own prices?  Do you sometimes choose for your customer to pay some of the value in time or frustration so that you can offer lower dollar number?

• Look at the customer-value you supply, and
• The price you set.

Your marketing begins with your understanding how valuable your thing is to your customer.  If your price is below the customer’s value, gently remind your customer of the extra value that comes from dealing with you.

Get free — Exchange value …