Declutter your business using Marie Kondo’s organization system

If you’ve ever cleaned out your closet and felt the satisfaction that comes with purging and reorganizing, then you understand why organizing guru Marie Kondo’s system has become so wildly popular. She helps people eliminate the unnecessary to create a more streamlined, stress-free, and productive living environment.

According to Feng shui philosophy, decluttering can increase the chi (life energy) of your space and invite change into your life. Clutter stops that energy flow and creates stagnation. Now, imagine what decluttering could do for your business.

Ridding clutter from our business lives goes beyond the piles of stuff on our desks—we also need to address the bad habits, toxic relationships, redundant practices, etc. A recent Forbes article by Gregg Schwartz offers five great tips for decluttering your business. Below is a summary:

1. Declutter your client list. Not every customer is right for you. For those clients that take up too much time and energy for too little reward, consider cutting ties and focusing your energy on deepening relationships with your best clients.

2. Tidy up your sales process. Are your brochures outdated? Satisfied with your CRM? Is there a part of your sales process that feels clunky or outdated? Identify ways to update.

Schwartz’s advice: “Go back to first principles: If you had to design your sales funnel today for the first time, what would it look like? How long has it been since you updated your sales call scripts, company mission statement, or elevator pitch? Take a fresh look at your entire sales process and adjust as needed.

3. Achieve clarity on big-picture goals. After you tidy up your processes (above) do some big-picture strategizing. With less clutter crowding your day, you should have a clearer vision about what you really want for your business’s future.   

4. Practice gratitude. As part of the decluttering process, Kondo teaches clients to say “thanks” to every discarded item, because even if you no longer want the item, it still served you well and deserves gratitude.

Whether you’re cutting ties with a client who is no longer a good fit or tossing an outdated brochure, be grateful for what you’ve discarded and be thankful for any new opportunities. “No matter where you are on your business journey, gratitude can help you stay focused and stay energized through the ups and downs of running your company.”

5. Find joy in your business. The sheer volume of communications and decisions and strategic options in front of us each day can be overwhelming. By embracing an attitude of minimalism and getting the most enjoyment out of every client relationship and facet of your business, you can create a simpler, better-performing business that will hopefully “spark joy” and generate big profits.

To read the article in its entirely, follow this link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/02/23/marie-kondo-decluttering-principles-improve-small-business/#46a665004ae6

The article helped me to center my thinking and put some goals and timelines in place to declutter my everyday practices. Are you in? Join the discussion on Facebook.

Good luck!
Tim Connor

Improve ROI with These Trade Show Marketing Tips

In a world ruled by digital interaction, establishing authentic, face-to-face connections is good for business. Trade shows are great for fostering that one-on-one interaction while providing a host of growth-driving opportunities like generating sales leads, attracting new partners or buyers, and creating and furthering brand awareness. 

If you’re not doing so already, these events should be a central part of your marketing strategy—especially if you’re launching a new product or service.

• 92% of trade show attendees say their main reason for attending trade shows is to see new products being featured. (CEIR: The Role and Value of Face to Face)

To be sure that you’re maximizing your trade show effort, consider these tips:

Keep it simple. Attendees should be able to quickly identify your brand and your product/service based on booth signage. You only have a few seconds to grab their attention, so make your booth simple yet memorable—and inviting: You want to draw people in.

Be consistent. As with any marketing channel, be sure to implement elements in your trade show that are consistent with your brand messaging strategy. A trade show shouldn’t be viewed as a separate event, but rather, as part of your seamless brand marketing effort.

Provide value. Give attendees what they came for—information about a new product or service, an enticing product demo (live or video), suggestions for using your product in a new or different way, etc.

Capture attendee data. This is the ideal venue for building your database; consider launching a contest or giveaway that requires people to provide their contact info.

Make it interactive. To engage attendees and encourage interaction with your brand (for a lasting impression) feature a prize wheel, an interactive video wall, photo op, VR experience, etc.

Give them a reason to stay. Provide comfy seating, charging stations for phones and laptops, light snacks or beverages, or a compelling video

Offer a quality giveaway. Everyone likes to free swag, but only if its practical. Be thoughtful about what you give away…instead of handing out stacks of product literature, provide a jump drive with your product info pre-loaded   

What brand had the best booth you’ve experienced at a trade show? Chime in on our Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

A simple secret to delivering great service

A few years ago, I sat in on a client meeting with one of our sales reps who was meeting with a previous customer to reestablish a connection (and ideally, earn back her business).

While I mostly sat back and listened, I did ask the client this question: Can you give me an example of a supplier partner that does all the right things? And more importantly, what does that look like?

Her response was profoundly simple: “I want a vendor that will do what they say they’re going to do.” That was it. Whether you’re selling marketing solutions or widgets or technology support, her words summarize the ultimate customer service directive for all of us: To create lasting customer relationships we must provide exceptional customer service, which ultimately requires follow-through.

But, what does that mean? What does it look like for you? Sure, you need to ask the right questions to understand what your customers want and also anticipate their needs. But you also need to stop talking—and listen.

When you actually do that, you might be blown away by what you learn.

At Shamrock we employ Ken Blanchard’s “Raving Fans” approach to customer service as part of our culture. In his book, Blanchard identifies three steps to creating Raving Fan customer service:

1. Decide what you want. What kind of customers are you looking for? What type of relationship do you want to build with them?
2. Understand what your customers want. In other words, listen!
3. Deliver plus-one. Whatever it is that you do—perfect that—and then add 1% more: It’s the extra push that will set you apart.  

Use that raving-fan framework as an auditing system, you can track how you meet and exceed client expectations and identify areas where you can improve. At the end of day, you must hold yourself accountable for doing what you said you were going to do.

But if you’re not writing these promises or commitments down, how can you track your progress? How can you hold yourself accountable?

By implementing an actionable business plan that identifies clients (or departments or market segments) and that details specific tasks, you’ll be well on your way to successfully managing yourself.

If you need help getting started on that plan, connect with me at bdegarmo@shamrockcompanies.net

Good luck!

Use print to magnify your digital marketing touches

In today’s digital-driven marketing world, we’re learning that print is more relevant than ever. While social media and influencer marketing still have their place, print marketing remains strong because of its perceived value: A tangible printed piece, like direct mail, makes a memorable brand connection with a shelf life that outlasts a typical social media scroll.

Here’s a few recent statistics that underscore the influence of print:

• 86% of shoppers bought an item after first seeing it in a printed catalog (misterclipping.com)
• 76% of households read direct mail ads. (AllianceBusinessServices)
• 39% have tried a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising (Canada Post)
• 51% prefer companies use a combination of mail and email when communicating with them. (Canada Post)

When used as part of an integrated media strategy, print can greatly enhance digital campaigns, acting as a multiplier to boost digital efforts. Incorporating both digital channels and tactile touches is essential to marketing success. Here are four ways to put print to work to promote your brand:

Personalization. Customized content creates unique value—and greater relevance. Personalization used to be a novelty; but today, people expect products and services to be adapted and relevant to them: The more you connect with your audience through personalization, the more resistance is dropped. Making a personalized connection increases customer engagement with your brand.

Print & digital integration. Blending online and offline channels as part of an integrated marketing strategy is the key to driving higher conversion rates and making lasting brand impressions. Use your print media to link your audience back to your blog, a landing page, an exclusive video, website or to one of social media channels.

Custom/unique coupon codes. Using a unique coupon is a smart strategy for not only increasing customer engagement but also in gathering personal data about your target audience. Unique coupon codes generate higher ROI than generic coupon codes because they cannot be shared or reproduced—they are aimed at an individual, which creates a more personal connection and an exclusive feel.

Texture. A study from the University of Iowa found that haptic (touch) memory is the type of memory that has the strongest impact on the human brain. The physical act of holding something makes a stronger connection with the audiences. And so, using print media engages our haptic memory, creating lasting brand awareness. Adding glosses, raised ink, embossing, matte finishes—these create interesting texture for even greater brand connections.

Have any of these print strategies worked well for your brand? Do you have other ideas for incorporating print in your marketing program? Join the conversation on Facebook.

Ellen Moriarty

10 Tips for Building Brand Loyalty

Does your brand have a dedicated following? Whether you sell pizzas or insurance policies, brand loyalty matters; it’s good for business. Attracting and maintaining customers long term ultimately leads to increased profits: According to Adobe, repeat customers buy nearly 30% more items per order than first-time shoppers and are nine times more likely to convert than first-time shoppers.

So, how do you drive brand love when immediate access to your competitors is just a click away? Here’s a few ideas for attracting and keeping customers:

1. Establish your brand identity. Know who you are—and then stick with it, using consistent messaging from the top of the sales funnel to the bottom, as well as across channels.

2. Make it personal. Develop messages that are tailored specifically to your target audience: That personal connection makes your customers feel like you are speaking directly to them, not to the masses.

According to an Infosys study, 86% of consumers surveyed said personalization plays a role in their purchasing decisions—and 73% said they preferred to do business with brands that use personal information to make their shopping experience more relevant.

3. Listen to your customers. Find out what they want or need—and then dig deeper: Why? How? Answering these important questions can help you better align your products/services/delivery methods to better meet customer needs and expectations. What’s more, we all like to be heard. Asking for feedback sends a clear message to your customers that their opinions matter.

4. Provide Raving Fan customer service. There’s a lot of competition out there touting better, faster, less expensive products/services, so exceed their expectations with standout customer service. Do the unexpected things that let your customers know you care: Make a follow-up phone call, send a personal email, share an article or video that aligns with their industry or interest, or surprise them with breakfast for their next staff meeting.

5. Prompt ongoing brand experiences. Keep your brand front of mind by making connections with your customers at various times during a transaction or program experience using blogs, emails, social media prompts, and more. In this age of immediate access, out of sight means out of mind, so keep your brand relevant with frequent, strategic touches.

6. Create Community. Engage with your customers and ask them to share photos of themselves at your event or using your products on social media—facebook, Instagram, twitter, Pinterest. Shared posts on these channels will start a conversation about your brand, and will also foster an emotional connection—think happy, exciting, motivating, inspirational, etc.

7. Innovate. Quality counts, as does innovative product/service offerings. By continuing to improve, evolve and introduce new products or solutions, your customers will associate your brand with what’s next.

8. Create a consistent experience. Give your customers the quality and the experience they have come to expect from your brand, every time. Example: I know I’m going to get the same bold cup of coffee from a new Starbucks location as I do when I visit my regular store—that consistency is expected.

9. Be transparent and honest. If there is a customer service issue, a product problem or a mistake, own it. Your customers will appreciate hearing directly from you, rather than through another source.

10. Recognize loyal customers. Whether you offer points for transactions, reward service anniversaries, or simply connect with customers who have been with you for a while, it’s important to show existing customers that you appreciate their business. And, a customer loyalty effort is less expensive than spending marketing dollars on new-customer development.

Do you have any tips that you’d add to this list for boosting brand loyalty? Please share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

All the best,
Tim Connor