The BV Blog

I was watching real-time TV last night, and I specify real-time because I have a DVR and usually fast-forward through the commercials.

I know, shame on me. I do work in marketing after all.

I saw a great spot for Ask.com created by the company’s marketing team and ad agency extraordinaire Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

The spot utilizes a direct comparison message, highlighting what Ask.com offers, and emphasizing what their competitors, specifically Google, do not.

Watch the spot here and see for yourself.

http://searchengineland.com/070814-093153.php 

Can your business do this? Absolutely.

In global business today, we often forget how important the little things are - what unique attributes or services we offer to our customers vs. those that our competitors offer.

The great thing is that it doesn’t matter how big a competitor they are.  Your business has something they don’t, whether it’s a fresh, young staff, an award-wining sales team, or just a terrific cup of coffee.

Consider that according to comScore, Ask.com had only 5.1 percent of searches in April, compared to Google’s 49.7 percent. It’s like David vs. Goliath; but if I remember correctly David had a rock and Goliath didn’t.

Try harnessing what’s different about your organization and capitalizing on those unique attributes. You might find that your “rock” makes a really big difference.

If you do any email marketing, be sure to check out Jordan Ayan’s list of words and phrases you should never use in an email subject line to avoid being blocked. Besides the obvious references to sex, home financing and pharmaceuticals (separately or together) she says there are a number of normal words that can set off the spam filters. This looks like a great list to print and post next to the computer.

I thought this was a clever take on website marketing: Starbucks and Website Marketing

And I love those skim lattes with a pinch of cinnamon. And people will stand on a long line to get their daily fix of Starbucks - don’t we all want products, services and sites that do that?

Just goes to show that it’s important to have a website that has pull and makes visitors want to come back for more.

There’s a huge battle underway between Netflix and Blockbuster Video for subscribers who rent their DVD’s by mail. Netflix pioneered the concept and has 6.7 million customers. Blockbuster with 3.6 million customers is now experiencing faster growth with their Total Access plan that lets you get an extra DVD in addition to the mail delivery by exchanging it in the store. (An offer that is cannibalizing Blockbuster’s store sales in order to boost the mail program.)

Still, it’s advantage Blockbuster, right? Well, Netflix has decided to change the rules too – for customer service. The New York Times reports that Netflix shut down its e-mail customer service and opened a 24/7 toll-free call center, choosing live voices over keystrokes. This is no offshore outsourcing either; the call center is located in Portland, Oregon and staffed by lots of friendly people who are directed to take as much time as they need on the phone to handle customer concerns. Experts say it’s the exact opposite of what everyone else is doing in customer service.

And that’s good, because it’s a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that differentiates Netflix from Blockbuster. This battle is far from over, but there’s a lesson here for all of us. Having a USP that focuses on superior customer service may be a great defense against a competitor who’s willing to lose money in order to beat you.

If you read the April 2007 issue of The BusinessVoice Marketer you may have seen our thoughts on focusing your marketing copy on your target audience. Here’s the piece:

What would you rather read about in this space: our company’s most recent accomplishments, that shiny new plaque I just accepted at our industry’s annual conference, and the new headquarters we just built?

Or would you prefer to spend your valuable time reading something that’s about you and your needs; an article that will help you get ahead or improve your company’s marketing?

Because you’re a human being with natural human tendencies you want content that’s directed at you. Right?

Once you understand that about yourself, it’s easy to see that your customers and prospects are more interested in sales and marketing materials that appeal to their specific needs; content that will help them see how your product or service will solve their problems and ease their pains.

So, when you’re writing copy for your website, your next print campaign or even a customer service letter, use pronouns that are directed at your audience. When you change the focus from “we” and “us” to “you” and “your”, customers will find it much easier to see the benefits they’ll reap from doing business with you.

Here’s more on the subject from this week’s issue of The Marketing Minute, Marsha Yudkin’s newsletter:

I recently came across an interesting precept from the Meisner Technique for acting: “Put all your attention on the other actor.” By responding to the other actor rather than focusing on yourself, your emotion, gestures, body language and tone of voice become more convincing for the audience.

This caught my eye because it corresponds to a shift that results in more convincing marketing writing, too. Instead of writing “I, I, I…” or “we, we, we…,” you write “you, you, you…”

What happens then goes far deeper than a change in pronouns.

Using the word “you” forces you to consider and speak to the perspective of the buyer. Instead of what “I” or “we” want the buyer to know, you naturally think and write to the reader’s emotions, wants, interests, needs and doubts. You probably feel more comfortable talking to “you” than about “I” or “we,” so the tone also becomes more genuine.

When the reader encounters the “you” copy, rapport occurs.

To get a message across, forget about yourself and put your attention on the reader.

If you run a retail business, you should consider the soundscape that your customers experience. Retail psychologist Tim Denison of the British Retail Think Tank tells Time Magazine that noisy environments can turn the volume down on sales. In addition to minimizing the typical noise pollution, (like a loud food blender at the counter or a staff that’s always using their “outside” voices) try to focus on the smart use of sound with the right background music. People’s biorhythms often mirror the sounds around them. A gentle mix of classical music or soothing ambient sounds encourages relaxation and shoppers will slow down. Denison says, “If customers are moving less quickly, they’re more likely to engage with a product and make a purchase.”