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But While The Message Was Pertinent Should He Have Been Wearing It In Public?
The other day I was in a hardware store, and I saw a bloke wearing a t-shirt that so completely grabbed my attention, that first my jaw dropped and then I giggled, and also felt compelled to say something to him... "as you do"...
Here is what it said:
"Go To Bunnings - Buy Some Concrete - And Harden The F*** Up"
(And there were no asterisks - the glorious F word was spelled out in full.)
I was being a bit cheeky when I approached him, and said, "That's rude!"
He assumed of course that I was inferring my shock was generated from the F word.
I laughed at his equally cheeky response then said, "No, I am talking about 'Bunnings'!"
The point was relevant because we were not in a Bunnings Warehouse - we were in one of their competitor's stores!
He got my point.
But what is my point today... and why did the T-shirt say it all?
I certainly don't echo the guts of the message on this man's t-shirt, at least not in the aggressive tendency.
However, I agree with the sentiment - to a degree - as it applies to today's business operators who sadly are feeling more overwhelmed day by day about the "current economic climate".
I would have to say, when I hear the typical comments being reported of business owners' feelings and experiences, I am almost inclined to be brutal and say, "Toughen Up Princess"... (but instead offer a genuine sense of compassion in my tone...  )
Look, I am not going to argue with them about tough conditions.
There are enough business- and consumer- confidence surveys out today that support claims about consumers spending less in retail outlets, while seeming to spend more online when they do shop.
But that's not entirely true.
A large sector of the market - the families with mortgages - are not redirecting their spending online instead of supporting bricks and mortar retailers.
In fact, recent survey results suggest that they are investing more of their income into their mortgages - presumably to give themselves some breathing space if things get tough, to build up equity perhaps and even possibly to just get the mortgage paid off quicker.
What's frustrating me about the "common flow" of viewpoints from business owners, especially those in Small to Medium Enterprises, is that there is an inclination to "whine" about how bad things are, yet get their "backs up" at the thought of taking reasonable action (ACTION, people) to change what's happening.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results."
It applies very accurately in this situation - business owners appear so flat, overwhelmed, distrusting, armoured, and resistant to something they may not have tried before.
My speculation is that Australia's once trusting nature was destroyed in the 90s when a swag of scammers, rip-off merchants, conmen and women, fraudsters and a host of other criminals took the unsuspecting for a ride that was both costly financially and also psychologically.
Since then Aussies are less inclined to trust, and have instead become cynical and extremely cautious - to the point of "cutting their noses off despite their faces".
Completely understandable.
But potentially damaging to their business growth.
So, toughen up. Stop complaining about things that you are not taking action to rectify. If you can't trust taking risks in today's business climate, you better have an escape hatch built into your business. You're going to need it.
Be prepared to take action.
Calculated risk - that's what it's about.
Knowing the risk you are taking, estimating what the positives are in respect of the down sides and then determining what you can handle - financially and psychologically - that will take your business into the future, successfully.
Let me finish today's tale by recounting my experience today.
I was meeting a client in the city.
We live on opposite sides of the city to each other, so the city was a good middle ground.
I suggested a large easily accessible place with lots of car parking.
We met upstairs in a large cafe.
Here is what I observed and mentioned to my client, to make a point of my case for my marketing services:
I had to wait for almost 45 mins for my client to arrive due to her being held up by a series of events. I was fine about it, just concerned I had to cut my time with her short.
As I sat in the cafe:
Lots of people came and went, maybe a dozen or more.
About another half dozen or so came in, took their orders to tables and sat for a while.
This continued on when my client arrived.
I ordered our coffees and not at any time during the 90 minutes I was at their cafe did they engage in conversation with me; nor did they engage with me at the register other than to thank me for my order.
There was NO conversation, there was no way of them ever identifying me as a repeat customer as they never asked me for anything. I was a stranger and would remain so.
What could they have done differently?
Asked me to complete a 3 question survey on a slip of paper that would also have asked me for my first name, email address and mobile number.
Three questions - would take me about 15-30 seconds to complete - the length of time it took the barista to make my coffee order. (Want to know what 3 questions? Contact me.)
Or, he could have said, "Thank you for coming to our cafe" and provided me with a punch-card and a free sweet. That would both satisfy my sweet tooth and encourage me to come back again to get the punch card filled with the necessary quota of punch holes that would show I had previously paid for 6 cuppas and earned the next one for free.
Beyond capturing my details, there is another action he could take:
He could offer an incentive to all local business people - book lunch for six or more, and receive free coffees... and register with name, mobile and phone number.
See!
There are simple - QUICK - easy ideas that don't take long.
But the mistake is, the business owner was NOT doing any of them and he MISSED capturing for future marketing and promotions over 30 people who walked in, had food and drink and walked out. All remaining as strangers.
Think about it.
Then contact me at the Profit Frog for assistance to "harden up".
Call - 61 1300 -- 98 -- 36 -- 41
There is someone to answer your call at all times.
Headline from Herald Sun Newspaper Melbourne 4th April 2012:
"Florist's Grave Error"
Now, this is a story that perfectly highlights what I bang on about when it comes to customer service and the success or otherwise of SMEs.
The attitude of the owner is equally worth turning the spotlight on to.
Here's the basics of the story.
A family loses an elderly member and order the customary flowers for the cemetery.
A funeral bouquet arrives at the cemetery "Rast In Peas. Unty..."
That message is supposed to read, "Rest in Peace, Aunty..."
Even the handwritten note is scrawled, and cuts one of the flower giver's names in two as it written over two lines (because they couldn't write neatly enough to make it fit on the one line).
The image of the card was posted in the newspaper and I can tell you, it looks unprofessional, scrappy and quite literally appalling.
What struck me is the alleged comment made by the owner who seems to have immediately tried to distance himself from the mistake by casually and carelessly blaming his employer (you know, the person employed by him to whom he pays wages...)
He is alleged to have said "My employees are not Australian-speaking so we can't expect them all to spell properly. If someone gives a message over the phone I can't take responsibility."
Now if this is not THE biggest cop-out from an SME I am yet to find what is.
How is he NOT responsible?
Not only did his employee, the one to whom he bears no responsibility, offend the family by making such a careless error, the family were expected to PAY MONEY for the flowers AND note card on the flowers.
Let's learn some lessons from this.
1. Don't hire staff who can't do their job.
2. Train the staff you do hire to make sure they can do their jobs.
3. Teach your staff that if they don't know how to do something CORRECTLY they ask for help to make sure the job IS DONE RIGHT FIRST TIME.
4. MAN UP - or Suck it up - if you are the business owner, YOU ARE responsible for EVERY work duty your staff carry out. They represent YOU and YOUR business. Everything they do is a reflection of YOU.
5. Don't make comments to the press that show your ignorance, your lack of awareness or any kind of negative impression. YOU WILL lose customers over it because you will be demonstrating that you have no connection to the moral and social codes of the community in which you operate your business.
6. Do NOT remain unapologetic after you OR your staff make a "grave" mistake. The business owner in the flower story is alleged to have remained "unapologetic". Seriously???? MISTAKE! You must get used to apologising - sincerely... and offering more than a few words to cover up your stuff-up. You need to be King or Queen of over-dosing on reparations. In other words, don't just apologise, but give something free to the customer in response. In this case I would have instantly arranged a larger bouquet with a hand written card where all errors would have been personally spell-checked BY the OWNER.
Lessons learned?
I should think so.
I have no idea who this business owner is, but Sir, your idea of customer service is atrocious.
I can help you overcome mistakes like this in your business. In fact I can ensure you make almost NO mistakes at all in customer service and when you do stuff up, I can even help you with the "How To's..." on winning upset customers back as loyal customers.
Don't make this customer service error in your SME.
Call the Profit Frog on 1800--98--36--41
OR, email me at the Profit Frog.
You'll have my personal reply within 48 hours.
Sheep Marketing.
What is it?
For the Farmer Joes (and Joannes) it is all about lamb, mutton, and wool...
As far as I am concerned, sheep marketing is "bleetingly" obvious: it is a "me, too" approach used by other marketing agencies and consultants. That means they have a follow-the-herd mentality and rely on trends and tactics to promote businesses.
When you're a sheep, you follow the sheep's butt in front of you. Sheep trails form because sheep step in each other's foot steps. They may stick together for safety but the only way to stand out as a sheep is if you are a black sheep. You'll still follow the herd.
Standing out is important. Today, more than ever, as a business owner you need to literally stop, take a look around and figure out what others are doing just so you can ask yourself, "Why?"
Is there value in doing what everyone else is doing?
Will it work for your business?
Before you follow the lambs to the slaughter (so to speak), think about whether you want to blaze new trails. Maybe following trends is important - mobile marketing, video marketing, social media marketing etc - but have you asked yourself what the investment will bring in returns for your business?
If you don't have a plan or approach for your marketing, you won't have a way of evaluating what works, what is cost effective and what you should steer clear of.
ONE:
Before you spend on any marketing, get the facts on your basic business position. Your accountant and book keeper should be able to tell you how your financial position is looking AT THE DROP OF A HAT.
TWO:
Do you have a cash flow budget? In a nutshell, this is the tracking sheet that keep tally of monies coming in and expenses you meet on a daily basis that will then tell you if you can pay your bills at the end of the month.
If you DO NOT HAVE A Cash Flow Budget, or cash flow ledger YOU NEED ONE NOW.
THREE:
Could you plug a cash flow leak? Would you recognise one? Can you boost your cash flow without it costing you more money? Do you know how to re-deploy your cash flow budget in order to make the most of your current situation? Can you generate more cash flow through greater sales, and do so without adding to your advertising expenses? Did you even know that you could?
FOUR:
What is your most valuable asset?
If you instantly said it was a piece of equipment you bought, or a key staff member (or you), you're in for a surprise.
Assets are both obvious (okay, so you might be one of them), and also totally skating under your radar. Some of the assets within your business are gathering dust (literally and figuratively)... and sheep marketers HAVE NO IDEA what they are or how to make the most of them for your business.
FIVE:
Do you know how many new customers you acquire each week? Do you know how many inquiries with your business you have each day? How do you track these details? Where do you store your data? How do you manage this data? Do you know what you SPEND on acquiring customers? Do you know the LIFE TIME VALUE of your customers?
These are the kinds of questions that a marketing consultant will ask, and will help bring positive answers for.
If you want to know how to positively market your business and break away from the costly herd mentality then you've found the marketing consultant with practical answers.
Don't just read this blog.
You need the Profit Frog.
Don't sit there and think.
You have to click the link.
Don't be in two minds.
Call me, or email me, any time.
Check out this chart on Marketing Tasks...
I read an article the other day by a marketing consultant. To summarise her viewpoint, she said that SMEs should avoid marketers like me because my lack of formal qualifications equates me with scammers and schemers taking money unconscionably and giving nothing valuable in return
[ Click here to read more ]
Here are some tips on how to save yourself some time, effort and stress... and possibly even save yourself some money along the way.
1. Own up - 'fess up.
[ Click here to read more ]
Small Businesses, In Particular, Retailers Collapsing Under Current Market Pressure.
"ARA [Australian Retailers Association] executive director Russell Zimmerman says he's seen more closures and administrations over the past 12 months than he's seen in the past 30 years..."
[ Click here to read more ]
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Comments (1)
Comment by Anonymous
on Do The Marketing Mafia Have A Gun To Your Head?
Two Hands Dancing
The Profit Frog
I appreciate your feedback and if I can help, let me know.
It would be great if you could pass my blog along to anyone in business you know that might find my blogs helpful.
Kindest
Terri Mitchell
The Profit Frog