A David Creation

This week’s marketing tip is a no brainer to most of us, but unfortunately many businesses overlook this principle.

Marketing Principle:  Never make your customer feel uncomfortable when a problem surfaces. If you are at fault, do what it takes to take full responsibility. If the customer is at fault, don’t let them get defensive. Create a win-win outcome.

Related To Marketing?

How does this relate to marketing, one might ask? Everything you do in your business, good and bad, is marketing. The way you answer the phone, your voicemail greeting, customer service, the appearance of your employees, it sends a message to the consumer: hopefully a positive one!

My Personal Story

The principle I mentioned above is relavant to me this week because I had a situation (still going on) with a service contractor that made me get a little defensive and feel like the bad guy. I won’t mention their names (yet) because they are still in the middle of trying to work on my situation. A long story short, this company provided a service to my home which unfortunately caused a small leak in a pipe that was not fully shut off for several hours. An honest mistake and and an easy fix once discovered. It damaged my ceiling tiles in my finished basement in the 4 hours the leak took place. I’ve had lots of experience dealing with ceiling leaks (being in the painting business) so I knew the water stains were NOT going away. I contacted the company who apologized, came back out, fixed the pipe so it would not happen again and then said, “Call us in a few days once things dry out and see if everything looks ok.” I thought to myself, “Several tiles are brown and still soaking wet…and that is supposed to vanish in 3 days?” I knew right there that this employee was not taking full responsibility. I’m a nice guy and responded pleasantly, “Ok I can do that. BUT those ceiling tiles are soaked to the bone and are stained! I don’t think that is going away. What can you do about it?” His response, “Yeah you are probably right. But go ahead and call us in a few days and see how things are looking.” He then took a few pictures and went away. Hearing nothing from the staff, I made a call 4 days later to follow up. The sales person who sold me the water system called me back the next day. He was very professional on the phone yet still lacked the marketing principle in this post. Even though he was sorry and being positive, he put too much pressure on me and wondering what I wanted to do about the situation. What he should have done is simply said, “Dave, I’m sorry about your tiles. We’ll take care of this and don’t you worry about a thing.” If he said that, I would have backed down and not gotten defensive. Yet I’m still waiting for a call back and a solution that will hopefully not make me look like I’m the one who caused the leak.

The Little Things Matter

It is possible to have a few bad apple customers from time to time. Things happen! Yet it is how you deal with those customers that will determine if they will be back in the future or be customers for life. Yes, maybe there happen to be customers you’d rather not want back. If that is the case, the little things still matter. Follow the principle above and make sure even the tough customers don’t get defensive at the end of a project. You might keep a few from telling their friends or writing nasty reviews online, because you’ve done the right thing. I’ve seem my own father follow this principle numerous times and he rarely ever has customers who walk away upset. He has even returned money to frustrated customers (even when it is the customers fault!). What do you do to keep customers comfortable with your service? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

I’ve heard these statements numerous times, “I am not sure what to write about!” or, “I may run out of ideas.” and even “Nobody wants to read about painting!” What is my response to these comments? “Head trash!” It is head trash. Now I doubt most of your customers or the general web visitors will be signing up to read your weekly blog post, but I can guarantee they are reading good content online and researching answers to their home improvement questions. So get rid of the head trash and start writing. Use good content and answer questions to your audience. Don’t worry about how many people subscribe or comment.

Writing before and after blogs is probably the easiest way to start blogging if you don’t know what to write about or where to begin. You have a very visual business.  Your customers want to see the work before it began and what it looks like when finished. Mrs. Franklin wants to know what her neighbor Beth chose for her dining room walls or what type of countertop she selected for her kitchen remodel. This is the perfect opportunity to write up your story. Talk about the project, the location (keywords), what the customer had in mind, how the project went, materials used, colors selected and much more. End with a quote from the client (or a video). Take the blog, once it is posted and submit it to your Facebook or Google + pages (if you decide to use those channels).

We live in an age of information. People want to know something? They look it up online. Be the place that they come to find the answers and get inspired. Have you seen success writing blogs? A great follow up is to read Marcus Sheridan’s post on a similar subject, Why Facebook and Twitter Don’t Mean a Dang Thing for Online Success for Some Industries”

If you are ready to move more towards the small gadgets for your reading, web searching, emailing and so on, then you are probably wondering if you should get an iPad, a Kindle or an Android Tablet, right? I hope to shed some light on some of the main differences between the iPad and the Kindle. I will not be focusing on Android Tablets or the Barnes & Noble Nook. I do have an Android Tablet but just don’t use it. I did not purchase the Nook as I was already a pretty loyal Amazon customer. I use both the iPad and the Amazon Kindle, and I like them both.

Why a Kindle?

The Kindle uses an E Ink technology which basically looks similar to ink on a newspaper. The benefit to this type of technology and the device:

1. It is easy on the eyes compared to a computer or tablet screen.
2. The Kindle weighs less than most books so it is easy to hold in your hand(s).
3. It is so convenient. I personally like having books at my fingertips instead of a huge collection of loose books. I really don’t need to show off a room full of books to all my friends. Plus, I tend to lose books and spent too much time looking for them. I’ve also never been a big bookmark fan. The Kindle helps me get through a book from cover to cover because it keeps track of where I left off reading.
4. The battery life is probably 10-20x longer than any computer tablet. The newer models of the Kindle can last up to two months on normal reading with the wireless settings turned off.
5. Less distracting than other gadgets. We live in a world of distractions more than ever before. When using the Kindle, there isn’t much else to do on them than read. You can search the web using a WIFI connection, but it just isn’t worth it using E Ink technology. A Kindle was made for listening to audiobooks and reading a good book–that’s it.
6. You can still allow other Kindle friends borrow your e-books and even check out books from your local library.

My dad’s small contracting business pays $4,000 a year or more for IT support, just to have an MS Exchange Server. Every time he talks to his IT company about going to the clouds, they give him outrageous quotes of all the things he’ll need to do to switch, with a hefty price tag. Really? It isn’t that difficult to switch.

With Google services firmly leading the pack in cloud computing for businesses (and Microsoft’s MS 360° coming soon), more and more businesses are moving to these services every day. It makes sense! If you are a small business, and you spend $200-400 dollars a month on maintenance for a physical server or email hosting, you are simply paying too much.

Apple Isn’t Much Help Either

My dad is just about ready to make the switch to toss his exchange server and physical server in the recycling box (yes, that was a politically correct term). Yet before he switched, he decided to go and talk to Apple. Why not! They are innovative and big into cloud computing too. Apple isn’t stupid either. They want to sell more hardware and software, like Microsoft. They referred him to a third party IT company who sets up Apple cloud servers.

Though switching to the clouds is neither difficult nor expensive, IT and computer companies are trying to capitalize on the small business owners who don’t know what to do. This Apple certified company gave my dad a quote of around $10,000 to switch from PC computers to Macs and have a cloud server and office. $10,000 for 4 computers; I’m in the wrong business! I looked over the quote this morning and all I saw was the same thing I’ve seen for years: tech talk foreign language that makes no sense to business owners, topped off with a big price tag.

Don’t get me wrong—they were not scamming him by overcharging for their services. The hourly rates and all that were in line with what IT cost are these days. Yet I feel that their quote was not in my dad’s best interest. The quote included all kinds of irrelevant extras, as well as items that he can get for free (or very cheap) elsewhere. His business is already using Google Apps for his email hosting etc, but IT companies don’t really want you to use Google because they know they can’t make money on it. There isn’t anything for them to troubleshoot anymore.

So What Should You Do

When I finished reading over the estimate for this new IT company, I sent off an email advising my dad to put on the brakes. Whether he gets Macs or stays with PCs, I don’t care. The bottom line is he really only needs the following:

1. Google Apps for Business: Email, Calendar, Two Way-Exchange-like Syncing to iPhones/Androids, Google Docs (getting better every month) and Contacts. A business can still use MS Outlook if they don’t want to use the Google User Interface.
2.  A Cloud Customer Relationship Management Software that works well with Google. There are dozens to chose from. For the painter or remodeler out there, Pipeline Deals works great and has excellent goal and reporting information. $15 a month per user with mobile access. No brainer. (For those who want less features, I use Highrise CRM. For those who want more… Salesforce, but that is very expensive)
3. Egnyte, which will do a two way sync with your files on your computer. You can access those files from any computer. You can take a laptop with you in the field, pull up your email and Egnyte, and you’re good to go (a virtual office).
4. Google Chrome or Firefox Web Browser: don’t use anything else. Each one has a sync option. This means you can have a laptop and desktop with the exact same look and feel (bookmarks, password keepers etc).
5. External Hardrives: This doesn’t hurt. I sometimes backup my Mac computer on an external hard drive just for the extra security.

What Does This Cost?

•Pipeline Deals $15 a user per month
•Google Apps for Business $50 a user per year (free version is just as good too, just less storage)
•Egynte: Best pricing is probably the 1 terabyte per month at $45 a month
•Microsoft Office ($170+ each But if you want to save money, go to Google Docs or Try Open Office)
•Setup: depends on who you hire. $300-1000 to set up Google Apps for Business is probably a good faith estimate (depending on who you hire). Egynte isn’t that hard to setup and move files. Their free tech support can guide you how to do that.
What else is there? Training and every now and then some IT support, which is normal. Things happen. So, before paying thousands of dollars to upgrade your office at the end of this year or go to the clouds, make sure you think carefully who you are hiring and why!

If you are like me, I’ve run out of the office for an extended period of time and forgot to set my away message. Sure if you remember at some point during the day when you are in front of a desktop or laptop you can do it, but what about when you remember and all you have is your iPhone? If you use Google Apps for Business and an iPhone (I’m sure the same thing works with an Android) then this short tutorial will save you time and keep you looking professional.

Step By Step

Note: I’m giving you the detailed step by step approach. Advanced users of the iPhone know there are faster ways to access Gmail)

Step 1: Open up Safari and type in m.google.com in your browser

Read more…

VISA, MasterCard and American Express are the three most widely used Credit Cards, yet most contractors, if they accept credit cards at all, will only accept VISA and MasterCard. Why? Because American Express charges a slightly bigger fee. I know what that feels like, as many of my clients use a credit card to pay me. When I first started in business though, I made the decision to accept credit cards, because I knew that is how most businesses wish to pay their bills. Many homeowners are the same way. So let me encourage you to consider accepting the American Express Card: your customers want you to do so! Many businesses and wealthy homeowners use the American Express and will typically have a handy VISA because they know many businesses only accept VISA.

Good marketing does not just involve creating good advertising pieces, having an attractive website or a nice salesperson. Good marketing involves listening to what your customers wants, and then you, the contractor, meeting those needs. Your customer will never tell you that you should accept the AMEX, but deep down, they are really hoping you will. I use the American Express quite often. I used it for business for a couple years and recently switched back to a VISA card because I got tired of businesses telling me, “No I’m sorry. We only take VISA.” It is actually a little embarrassing. The last thing you want is to make your customers feel uncomfortable.

Forget about the Fees!

What? You don’t accept any credit cards? Really? It is 2011 folks. You’ve got to accept plastic, my friend. Consumers want to use their credit cards so they can rack up their vacation miles, and you’ve got to help them get those miles! Doing a painting project or a light remodel can sure make getting points or miles easy. Now, there are ways you can ask nicely at times to get a check. Also, you don’t have to advertise all over the place that you accept VISA, MasterCard and (hopefully now) American Express. But always make sure that you remain positive when it comes to talking about money with clients. When you get down to signing a contract, the homeowner may ask, “Oh yeah. Payments. Do you by any chance accept Credit Cards?” You respond with, “Absolutely! We even take American Express!” I’m sure you’ll see a little smile begin to form from your new customer. I’ve sure seen it happen. I’ve even heard them respond with, “Oh good! I may get a free flight out of this paint job!” Wealthy people using their credit card(s) does not mean they can’t afford it. They just are being smart with their money.

Feedback

How do you make your customers feel comfortable when talking about credit cards? Do you accept American Express? Will you?

First Off, Why Apple Again, David?

Each month, a growing number of consumers turn to two mobile devices, Android or Apple, for their personal and/or business needs. Although I like Android devices, I have given Apple iPhone two thumbs up for being the most business friendly. Two reasons:

1. Apple was first to create the popular downloading of “Apps.” (i.e. App Store). Why is this important? Because developing an App is expensive, and an App on an iPhone does not work on an Android. Therefore, developers typically create an Apple App before they create an Android version. The Android Apps I’ve tried for business are typically more buggy, because Android has a lower standard for allowing Apps; the Android Market is open source, meaning anyone can create an App and post it. Apple has very strict standards and can take an App off their store at anytime. One good example is Facebook’s App for the iPhone and Android. The iPhone App is incredible and has 10x more features than the Android version. A business owner or employee can manage a business page directly from the iPhone App, but not from the Android (yet).
2. It is just a very handy device and fun to use. The Android, to me, as very many cool features, but Apple has less moving parts on the screen. I get less distracted when using the iPhone and find myself playing around too much with the Android features. I stick to business on the iPhone!

Now for the Update on iCloud for Business

In mid October, Apple released what seems to be their biggest software update ever: IOS 5. It truly is remarkable. I wrote a quick summary of my favorite features last week. Because it is such a big jump from version 4 to 5, there are still a few bugs. I’d go ahead and upgrade your iPhones if you have not already, but just know you will encounter a few small bugs. Most of these bugs seem to clear up quickly, either on their own or when you restart. I’m sure their first update 5.1 will fix all these critters.

Now, Apple is claiming their biggest update in IOS 5 is the new iCloud (formerly MobileMe). What I read about iCloud sounded spectacular: updating Apps on multiple devices, taking a photo on your iPhone and it showing up instantly on your work/home computer, file storage, email, calendar syncing and sharing etc. I also realized that Apple sells primarily to consumers and not small business or Corporate America. I had many people ask me what I thought of the new iCloud and if it was a good tool for business. My answer is simple: iCloud is NOT a good business tool. It is meant for individual, personal use. Do I like iCloud? Overall, yes! It is easy to use. But I am very disappointed about a few things:

1. Only one email per account: A family or even a business cannot have multiple email addresses within iCloud. Each person has to create their own iCloud account. The problem with this is…
2. Photo Sharing is for Personal Usage: Because each person needs his or her own iCloud account, the new Photo Stream feature does not allow sharing with other iCloud users. It works with 1 account only. So as a business owner taking photos of a job site or business activity while using Photo Stream, the photos will be uploaded and streamed instantly to his computer, not to his marketing person, admin or another co-worker. That pretty much defeats the purpose.
3. Can’t Delete Photos Easily: Apple offers 5GB of Free Storage. This will add up fast when you turn on Photo Stream. Once you take a photo, it uploads to iCloud. You cannot delete individual photos within iCloud. So if you take 5 quick shots of a job or person, all the bad ones are uploaded with the good ones. Now there are some techie work arounds, but with the first release of iCloud, Photos are there to stay in the clouds. You can delete photos on your phone and computer only. You can also wipe ALL photos off iCloud and start from scratch, but why would anyone want to do that? The idea of iCloud is to help consumers be more mobile and save everything off site to avoid hard drive crashes and provide easy access to info on the go.



4. Calendar and Document Sharing Do Not Exist: The bottom line is iCloud is for a single user, you or me. If you want your co workers or family to share information, you can create 1 iCloud account, but it is not safe and is just not a good idea. iCloud will not replace Egnyte, Dropbox or Google Apps.

What should a business do with IOS 5 and iCloud?

I know some of you are thinking, “Run that by me again, Dave. Why is the iPhone better than the Android?” It is true that Android technology is a Google product, and I like Google. Yet there are too many devices and features to figure out with Android and only 1 with Apple: the iPhone. That’s it. Also, just because iCloud is not business friendly, doesn’t mean you need to ditch the phone. What I did was this:

1) I basically kept everything the same: Synced my Google Apps for Business account (compare with MS Exchange) with my iPhone.

2) I switched from MobileMe to iCloud for personal use. I use my iCloud account for Photo Streaming so I don’t have to download and upload photos to my computer. I then can take those photos on my computer and share the ones I want with others.

3) I continue to use Dropbox and Google Docs for my file storage. In short, the new upgrade is business friendly if you customize it to your liking. I am just not endorsing the iCloud for business, and I think Apple would agree with me that it is meant for personal use. I hope Apple releases an iCloud for Business! At this point they are rolling in the dough selling their new product to individuals. They don’t need to be all things to all people (just yet). It is good marketing. They know their audience!

Your Turn

What do you think of the new iPhone 4S, IOS 5, SIRI, and iCloud? Are you happy with the changes Apple made?

I was one of the millions of users, I’m sure, who upgraded the iPhone to the latest operating system with IOS 5 and iCloud. It took awhile to get it working correctly, and I’m still figuring out all the new tricks and features. Am I happy with the upgrade? A definite Yes! Yet for those of you who are not really techie, I’d probably hold off on upgrading unless you don’t mind a few bugs and the process taking awhile. Some of your programs will crash. This is not Apple’s fault most likely. The App companies are frantically trying to catch up with Apple and get their programs compatible with IOS 5. I’ve had a number of programs crash, yet even as I write this, I’ve gotten App updates. A quick workaround is to delete the buggy Apps and reinstall them.

My Favorite Things About iOS 5 For Business Usage
What I like most about the upgrade? The notifications and dropdown menu are similar to the Android devices, which I’ve always liked. It is about time that Apple introduced this. This can save you time in the long run, not having to open up different applications to view emails, to do list, Facebook, Twitter, etc. You can set up your phone to only receive the notifications that are most important to you. From a social media marketing standpoint, this definitely is a nice feature. I can now take a quick peek on some of my networks without logging into each App.

The camera feature is also the latest and greatest upgrade that is noteworthy. Now you can click the “up” volume button to snap a photo and a camera icon is on the Lock Screen menu.

Apple claims there are close to 200 updates for the iPad and iPhone on this new release. If you have an iPad, the upgrade looks almost the same. My favorite upgrade on the iPad was the split keyboard. It works great! In this blog post I won’t explain all the new features as I just mentioned several of my favorite ones! As for my thoughts on iCloud, this too is an incredible new feature, but I don’t see a lot of real value for a business owner. iCloud is still more focused on personal use. For example, you can now take a photo on your iPhone, and it will show up on your other Apple or PC devices that run iCloud. Your music, movies and photos are stored “in the clouds” freeing up space for your devices. So no more plugging in your devices: it is all wireless and automatic. A time saver I’m sure.

The iPhone 4S
I will be testing out the new iPhone 4S soon and give you my feedback on SIRI, the new voice recognition feature. I have never really seen a good voice recognition program to date, so I’m hoping Apple will have released something impressive. The good news is they partnered with the premiere voice recognition company, Nuance. Stay tuned.

Your Turn
Will you be upgrading your phones this year? If you are using a Blackberry or Android, do you plan to switch to the iPhone or are you happy with your current device? Also, those who have an iPhone, will you upgrade to the 4S or wait til Apple releases a new design, iPhone 5?

Ever since Netflix made its debut a few years ago, I’ve enjoyed their marketing. It is always fun to see a startup thrive. I was so impressed when the 2008 market crash hit and Netflix didn’t even flinch, but continued to grow. I also thought they did a great job connecting with their customers—early on. Those two words are key.

I think Netflix became so successful overnight, they were too busy counting their profits and their customer engagement began to slowly slip away. Google TV, Amazon and Apple began to creep up on them. Their stock prices had climbed quickly for over three years, and suddenly the bottom fell out. I’m glad I sold my Netflix stock earlier this year, because I just saw that they went from about $300 down to $123 in just two months!

So what happened to Netflix, and what can a contractor do to avoid the same mistake?

Rolling Out The New Netflix Plan

This past July I received a notice from Netflix about their new plan and pricing starting in September. I didn’t see this coming at all. I was a monthly subscriber yet found myself watching the Instant Watch more often (old TV shows). The notice I received said they were splitting the DVD rentals and Instant Watch into two completely separate programs with a bundle option. The bottom line was Netflix was doubling their prices with little notice to the consumer. Sure, I liked the convenience of Netflix, yet their Instant Watch features really were not good unless you only wanted to watch old TV episodes. This new plan hit me and many other customers by surprise. Everything was good with Netflix, so I thought. I felt they liked me, and I liked them. Then, “We are doubling your prices or cutting your features in half. How do you like that, you special customer? Oh and by the way, thank you for your business! We love our customers.”

My feeling is that Netflix did not really listen to what their customers liked about them and did not deliver. Their competition, Apple, Amazon & co, on the other hand, are listening. They use social media to continue growing despite a poor economy. These are the companies who are creating better selections and easier ways to access movies online. The funny thing is, Apple and Amazon are not necessarily cheaper either. No, their rental prices are sometimes $2.99-4.99. So why did Netflix stocks plummet almost $200 in 2 months when for over 3 years…their stock looks like the trail up to Mt. Everest?

I believe it is because they made some quick decisions on what they felt was best for their customers, instead of asking their customers what they really wanted. They had a loyal audience for the last 3-5 years, but now they are losing market share, and fast. People are not always concerned about price. They don’t like to be taken by surprise.

Netflix and the Contractor

So what can a contractor learn from the mistake Netflix made this year? Most people are typically pretty loyal by nature. Your clients hired you for a reason and will stay with you if you stay in contact with them. This should not always be an automated thing either. I love technology probably more than most of you reading this blog, but some things just can’t be accomplished electronically.

Few of you have thousands upon thousands of clients. You can do it! If you engage with your customers and keep in touch with them on a more personal level, your business will be successful. You’ll keep a customer for life. It is the little things that matter most. Take time this fall season to consider how you can engage with your customers more. Ask for their advice on how you can grow your business, or improve your services. Your customers do not bite. Many welcome you to stop by and talk to them. Write a hand written note, swing by their home to say hi, and drop off a simple gift, “just because.”

Do you agree about Netflix or did I miss something? How do you engage with your customers now? What works best?

Too Many Social Networking Sites!

Did you know there are over 200 active social networking sites on the web? What do I mean by active? Popular and still in business! This number does not even come close to all the small, no-name social networking sites that exist, probably numbering in the thousands. The big name sites are familiar to most of us: Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Yelp, Linkedin, delicious, XING, Windows, Live, Tumblr, and MySpace.

“Whoa! Slow down, professor! I’m trying to keep up!” Isn’t that what you are thinking at this point? If you are like me, you’re overwhelmed. It seems like every week I get invites to join a new social networking site. Sometimes I’ll join for a little while just to see what is going on and what it is about. Yet many of the sites I join won’t last. So what should you as a small business owner do when faced with so many choices of social media sites?

Two years ago, I was a fan of having one’s brand on the top 10 social networking sites. I thought like many online marketing guys did, “I want my clients to be #1 everywhere!” Yet I realized that good social media etiquette means to be real with people and connect as a human being. I now believe that by having your company brand on too many sites makes it almost impossible to

1. Be faithful to keep up all of them
2. Keep it real. Each social networking site has a different audience. Not all your company updates and blog posts should be posted on all these different sites. At some point, you’ll get discouraged that no one is engaging with you in return and you’ll burn out with too many posts and updates.

Keep Things Simple

My suggestion is to step back and look at what you are doing. Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish by marketing my business online or using social media tools? The primary purpose should be listening to and engaging with your ideal customers.

Find out what your customers want to talk about, learn about, read about, watch, and then give it to them. Find out who they are and where they spend their time. If most of your customers seem to spend time on Facebook (800 million users now… chances are they do) then focus your attention on Facebook and pull back on Linkedin, Twitter and the other hundred sites you’ve started to date. If you are a commercial contractor who typically deals with business people, Linkedin is definitely for you. If you are doing market research and trying to see what the word is on the street, or do some networking, check out Twitter.

When The Dust Settles, My Personal Pick

So what is one change I’ve made in 2011? My job is in marketing. So I will still be testing out social networking sites and occasionally you’ll see me on multiple channels. Yet I’ve narrowed my focus to primarily using blogging and Facebook to engage with friends, as well as current and potential customers. I get most feedback from blogging and Facebook. Also, Facebook has done a fantastic job creating THE social network.

Google is trying to outperform FB by creating Google +. It will not stick. When the dust settles, Facebook is here to stay. Why? Because the baby boomers and even many in the silent generation are learning how to use Facebook–not Google+, Twitter or the others.  So I continue to spend a few hours a week writing blogs and posting useful information here and on Facebook, distancing myself from many of the other social sites.

What about you? What do you think about all these social media sites that keep popping up? Have you tried out Google+?  What changes have you made this year in your business with regard to social networking?