Business Newsletter ~ Issue 6, Volume 10 ~ Nov 2007
NOTE: For a printable PDF version of this Newsletter click-here. |
Donald's "Quote of the Month"
"We become what we speak...so when we change our language, we change our business culture."
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Greetings. November has been another wonderfully busy month, taking me to over a dozen different cities...some of them twice. In the process, we've signed up hundreds of new subscribers...and we welcome them. This month's Management Newsletter will take about 6 minutes to read.
1. Does your business have the "Aloha" spirit?
(time to read this section is about 40 seconds)
Printable version of this article.
Earlier this month I had the good fortune to speak at a Conference in Maui, Hawaii. I was, once again, blown away by the genuine friendliness and kindness of the Hawaiian people. They are gracious, welcoming and happy. From our midnight arrival, sore and tired after flying all day, to our departure four days later, every human encounter was extraordinary.
When I asked a young man at our hotel why it is that the people of Hawaii are so genuinely kind, pleasant and helpful, he replied without hesitation, "It's our culture!" Is that the culture in your business...kind, pleasant and helpful?
Even the transplanted mainlanders who live there have embraced the "Aloha" spirit. It's that powerful and that pervasive. They may have been grumpy when they first arrived, but they're soon swept up in the tide of friendliness.
The people of Hawaii even have their own language of welcome and gratitude. Aloha means "welcome"; mahalo means "thank you"...and somehow both of these words make you feel that you're a special person in a very special place. Isn't that exactly what we should be doing in every part of our business?
When we change our language, we change our culture. How could you change the language, the conversation and the very culture of your business to be genuinely friendly, helpful and kind to each other and to your customers...and what would that do to clearly differentiate you from your grumpy and indifferent competitors?
2. Does the name of your business give you a clear marketing advantage?
(time to read this articles is about 45 seconds)
Printable version of this article.
Does the name of your business clearly communicate what you do and how you do it? Does it state a clear benefit that draws your target customers to you? One of my all-time favorite business names is Speedy Muffler King. Clearly, they do mufflers; in fact they're the king of mufflers ...and they won't keep you waiting because they're "speedy". Simple, powerful and effective.
Great names like this always come from a deep understanding of who your customers are, what they really want and what might be preventing them from buying from you. Last week I found another great, simple and powerful business name in an airport concourse. The name of the business... "THE 10 MINUTE MANICURE".
What's your big concern when you're in an airport? That you'll miss your flight. "The 10 Minute Manicure" tells you exactly how long this pampering is going to take and it's simple yet brilliant marketing.
If you can't change your business name, think about coming up with "grabber" names for your products or services. Westin Hotels did that a few years ago by putting high-end mattresses, pillows and linens in their rooms and branding that as "The heavenly sleep package." Brilliant.
If you need professional help in coming up with business or product names truly "grab" people, Sam Horn is an expert at this name stuff. You can attend one of her live Seminars, or hire her to consult, live or over the phone. She can be reached in California at (805) 528-4351 or at sam@samhorn.com.
So, how could you improve the name of your business, or your products and services, to give you a clear marketing advantage?
3. What could you learn from this "sensational" new business idea?
(time to read this article is about 45 seconds)
While speaking in the beautiful city of Vancouver a few weeks ago I came across a new business idea that's so different and so sharp that I had to share it with you. It's called "Sensational Suppers" ( www.sensationalsuppers.com).
Sensational Suppers is a meal assembly store developed by busy parents for busy families. Using recipes developed by chef-owner Dean Mallel, the SS staff do the planning, shopping, prep and clean up so that customers can come in and, in just two hours, assemble two weeks' worth of delicious, nutritious dinners for their family, to store in their freezer at home.
Customers select their meals on line and book a time to come in and assemble them. If you're too busy to do the work, Sensational Suppers will do that for you. They also have a freezer full of chef-prepared meals "to go".
Meals can be created to feed 2 to 3 or 4 to 6 people and, at under $5.00 per serving, the cost is lower than the cost of groceries. Sensational Suppers is saving time and money for busy families. How clever is that?
What kind of help do your customers need...and how could you deliver that wonderfully? What products, what services, what extra care and attention or simple acts of kindness would have them coming to you...and staying with you? What could you do that would "make their day", make you famous...and make you money?
Are you passionate and committed to create something fresh, new and extraordinary in the coming year? Or will next year just be the same "same old, same old"? Remember, mediocrity is no longer an option.
4. Put Donald to work in your business for just $20 bucks:
(time to read this section is about 35 seconds)
We have a ton of my great "Human Marketing" AUDIO CD Seminars that we want to move out. They deliver exactly the same powerful insights as my Video DVDs but with the added advantage that you don't actually have to look at me...just listen.
And, here's the good news...they're now just $20...plus an extra $2.00 each for shipping.
This incredible 3-hour Audio CD Seminar also includes my Implementation Guide, which you download from our website. In combination with the CD, this 34-page step-by-step Guide will lead you through a process of discovery about what your customers really want and how to deliver that in a way that clearly differentiates you from your competitors, makes you "famous"...and grows your bottom line.
If you have friends or children who are attending business school or starting their own business, get a few extra copies for them. You'll be a hero for just $20 bucks. Whatever type of business you're in, if you have managers or front-line staff who need a "boot in the rear" in the area of customer focus or customer service...this is definitely for them.
If you'd like the VIDEO CD version of this Human Marketing Seminar (also includes the Implementation Guide) we'll throw that in for just $30 each. Our regular price for this Video version is $80, so consider this your Christmas present.
To order either (or both) the $20 Audio CD or the $30 CD Video just click-here.
5. Bits and Pieces:
(time to read this section is just over a minute)
Item #1: Every year at this time I remind readers about my extraordinary recipe for the "World's Best Seafood Chowder". Lots of our readers have made this wonderful thick and creamy chowder over the years and they absolutely rave about it. So, if you want to delight your stomach and amaze family and friends, just click-here for the recipe. Bon appetite!
Item #2: Do your own personal environmental impact study. To produce just one average steak for your dinner plate consumes about 3000 gallons (12,000 liters) of fresh water. That's enough water for about a year's worth of showers.
Item #3: According to a recent survey by online job-finder monster.ca, over 80% of people who quit their job do so because of their boss. Two of the most common complaints were...
- not treating people fairly...and,
- a management style of fear and intimidation.
Item #4: The folks at Haagen-Dazs ice cream, in partnership with Gourmet Magazine, ran a contest in which they invited customers to "invent" a new ice cream flavour. From the thousands of entries came this year's winner, caramelized pear and toasted pecan ice cream. Sadly, it's available in the USA only, and for a limited time.
Kraft Foods did a similar thing a few years ago to promote their famous Kraft Dinner. Their "How do you like your KD?" promotion encouraged thousands of loyal customers to send in their favorite way of jazzing up the bland Kraft Dinner with sautéed onions, diced tomatoes, etc. The campaign gave new life to an aging product and made it "cool" to eat again.
How could you get your customers involved in improving or growing your business or providing you with valuable feedback and media opportunities?
Item #5: According to a report just released by two Canadian business professors, nearly 80 per cent of recalls of toys made in China have been prompted by design flaws on the part of the North American toy companies...not by manufacturing negligence in China. Design flaws include small detachable parts, sharp edges, or long strings that pose a risk of strangulation. But, apparently, it's just easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility ourselves.
Item #6: The Wall Street Journal reports that Merrill Lynch CEO, Stan O'Neal, has been ousted from his job, making him the highest-ranking "casualty" of the American sub-prime mortgage debacle. But, before you get to feeling too sorry for poor old Stan, this guy got a $161 million exit package, thus bringing a whole new meaning to the word "casualty".
Just picture a Board of Directors saying, "Stan, you've screwed up so badly that we're letting you go...but, by the way, here's $161 million bucks." Is this nuts, or what?
6. What's it really like to work for you?
(time to read this piece is about 30 seconds)
In my experience, most business owners and managers really don't know what it's like to work for them. Good people come and go, and they have no idea why. Sure, some businesses do exit interviews with departing employees...but by then it's a bit late.
This month I've done a number of projects for PSG Canada (www.psgcanada.com), a wonderful company with a great track record in helping clients improve customer loyalty, sales performance, and operational efficiency.
One of the excellent tools that we've been using has helped business owners and managers get a clear picture of what it's really like to work for them...and how they can improve team effectiveness. This excellent (and free) template is here for you to use. Simply download it, put your company name at the top of the page and distribute it to everyone on your team. You'll be amazed at what you learn. Simply click-here to download.
7. The power of meaningful work:
(time to read this article is about 20 seconds)
Printable version of this article.
Maricopa County, Arizona was spending approximately $18 million dollars a year on animal shelters for stray cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe Arpaio offered to take over the Department and to have the shelters staffed and operated by prisoners.
They feed and care for the strays. Dogs are taken out and walked twice daily. Animals are nurtured back to health, neutered, given their shots, micro-chipped and offered up for adoption to good homes for a very affordable price. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give seminars for anyone wanting to adopt an animal. Sheriff Joe and his team of prisoners have literally taken stray dogs off the street, cared for them and had them win ribbons at dog shows.
This is an incredible "win-win" situation. Many of these inmates are society's "strays", just like the animals they care for. But, thanks to Sheriff Joe, these inmates have meaningful work, learn skills and responsibility and the entire department budget is now under $3 million...a saving of $15 million for the community.
Joe also runs a huge farm where inmates grow most of the vegetables for the prison kitchen. There's a hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer. The fertilizer goes to the prison Christmas tree nursery. Money from the sale of the Christmas trees and pets from the animal shelter go to the inmates.
Hopefully, as a business owner or manager, you're not running a "prison" but, still, you probably have a few "strays" and more than a few people who would like to "break out" and flee. How could you rethink your business, or your department, to give your people more meaningful work, learn new skills and take more responsibility...and what might be the extraordinary "win-win" from doing that?
8. Our "Quiz of the Month":
(time to read this section is about 30 seconds)
Thanks to all of you who tried to answer our October Quiz Question, "Which American TV show charges a whopping $419,000 for a 30-second commercial spot?"
The answer is Grey's Anatomy.
Congratulations to Sidney Bowles of Country Lane Care Home in Saskatchewan. He has chosen our DVD on "How to sell more, manage smarter, make more money...and have a life" as his prize.
This month's Quiz Question:
Everyone knows that Hong Kong was once a British Colony and is now back to being part of China. But very few people know of another Chinese city (population 7 million) that was under German rule for many years and, to this day, features homes, commercial buildings, hotels, churches and cobblestone streets in the century-old Bavarian style. There's even a German-style brewery and an International Beer Festival similar to Oktoberfest.
So, this month's Quiz Question is, can you name this Chinese city?
Send your guess to Sharen Skene, our wonderful Director of Marketing, at sharen@donaldcooper.com. Each correct answer received within 10 days will go into the 'pot' and one winner will be randomly selected. The winner will receive his or her choice of any of our excellent DVD Seminars.
9. That's all for this month:
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Thanks for all of your great feedback and suggestions. We especially love to hear of your successes using our insights.
Don't forget to visit our Free Articles section on our website for lots more valuable info on how to sell more, manage smarter and make more money in your business.
Also, let us know what you'd like to hear more about...or less about. And, do send us your stories and examples of great, horrible or just plain bizarre business practices that you find in your travels.
Finally, if you know of others, anywhere in the world, who will find value in this E-Newsletter, we'll appreciate your sending this along to them and inviting them to subscribe at www.donaldcooper.com.
Donald Cooper, MBA
Certified Speaking Professional
Member of the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame
For information about booking Donald for your company or Association, contact Sharen Skene our wonderful Director of Marketing at Sharen@donaldcooper.com.
Back Issues of our Newsletters are available on our website (along with lots of other valuable articles and implementation tools). |
