Personality Marketing Get more business, more easily, with more fun, by being 100% YOU!

Came across this great article today by Jimmy Vee, where he shows how you can have personality in your product, as well as your marketing.  Enjoy!

– Begin article –

Being a man and a gear head I love mechanical marvels and innovation. New tools, new kitchen gadgets, new electronics and new high tech appliances – with that in mind you shouldn’t be surprised when I tell you that I am in love with the new Dyson Vacuum.

I love it for what it is, what it looks like, what it promises and I love the marketing.

Let’s talk about the marketing. Let’s talk about it because the marketing is all the things I just mentioned.

This company is smart. They build marketing into the product at ground zero. They vacuum is scendsational to look at. It’s a cool and innovative thing of beauty and I’m sure to some it’s a hideous yellow beast, which from a marketing perspective is the right place to be.

They are following our rule of thirds principle here which is one I suggest you all strive to follow. Not being afraid to piss off, turn off and not be for at least a third of the population.

The Dyson also has a completely innovative design that moves completely based on a ball concept for revolutionary mobility – that’s worth looking at and talking about. They have built in buzz right in the product design.

See how that’s marketing at ground zero. You can do that too…

Next, I want to talk about the claims they make. Their irresistible offer is short and simple – “The first vacuum cleaner that doesn’t lose suction.” Let’s analyze this.

1. What are we selling?

A vacuum

2. What’s in it for me – the customer?

It doesn’t lose suction

3. How much does it cost?

Not mentioned (more on this later)

4. Why should I believe what you say?

The first vacuum to not lose suction.

A short and simple statement that answers 3 out of the four power questions of an irresistible offer. That is a Gravitational Proposition that pulls people to them like crazy. What is the most frustrating thing about a vacuum? Losing Suction!!!
So smart and it gets even better.

The company has made several models all that cater to very specific sub-niches.

1. Base model
2. Low Reach – for people who are frustrated with not being able to get under things
3. The Animal - The most powerful upright for pet hair – for pet owners.
4. Full Gear – for all the floor cleaning gadgets – for the people who always buy the top of the line.

This is a great marketing strategy.

The Website:

The front page of the web site uses an education based marketing approach that discusses the four things you need to know before you buy a vacuum.

The website is the best. They are a bit too caught up in fancy flash and they are losing some of the effectiveness as a result. They could make the site simpler and easy to navigate and ultimately make more sales.

The Advertising:

The advertising spokes person is the inventor of the vacuum and the owner of the UK based company, James Dyson. In 1970, Dyson graduated from Royal College of Art where he studied furniture design, then interior design.

In the advertising, Dyson is very persuasive and passionate about his product. He exudes believability and credibility by doing very little other than demonstrating the product and being confident in its ability.

Unwavering confidence is a key and often overlooked corner-stone of marketing. You must be confident in your personal ability and the ability of your product or service to deliver on its claims.

Many small business owners and independent sales professionals lack that level of confidence. It’s only when you have that level of confidence can you back up your products with solid, no-nonsense guarantees.

Price:

Wouldn’t you think that a vacuum is a commodity product? One vacuum sucks, they all suck – figuratively and literally. You’re looking for the cheapest thing to get the job done, right?

Wrong…With the identification of the pain of the target, an irresistible offer, an overwhelming benefit, education based marketing, social proof and a buzz-worthy, spread-able design this product rips itself from the commodity market and commands more money then all it’s competitors.

And the thing is selling like hotcakes.

Heck, I’m considering it even though is like $500.00. Plus I have pets, so I’m thinking I’m gonna pay even more for the pet vacuum because its niche marketed just for me.

Here’s them using a special offer and action incentive too…great stuff.

Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller are the authors of “The Ten Tall Tales Of Traditional Advertising That Cost You Tons” and their newest release, “The Small Business Owner’s Guide To The Galaxy: Jim & Travis’s Super-Stellar, Out Of This World, Step-By-Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers and Making Sales.” Get FREE small business marketing tips, shortcuts and secrets - RIGHT NOW - at http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_Vee
http://EzineArticles.com/?Small-Business-Marketing-Tips-3:-What-Most-Marketing-and-Vacuums-Have-In-Common—They-Both-Suck!&id=93052

Posted under Corporations with personality

OK, OK - I know.  You might be thinking I’m rather over-using these guys as an example, but I really do think they ‘get it’ far more than 99.999% of small businesses out there.  (And no, I don’t get anything for recommending them or talking about them).

So why another post about Clarity?  Well, despite their excellent site, they’ve been rather tardy in getting the stuff to me.  And, until just now, I’d had no explanation of why.  Not good (sorry John!)

But when I got the explanation, yet again, it manages to be personal and leaves me with a warm feeling.  Compensates me without being asked.  Manages to get in a plug for another site of theirs.

Hell, even their ‘email disclaimer’ has personality!  Check this out:

“Hello Gordon,

Well, first, thanks for the comments left with the order.  As the scribe responsible for the pleasing pages, I am much increased by your words.

In an oddly self-fulfilling model, here is that personal connection to which you aluded! 

But it’s not with mere pleasantries that I’m writing here.  Indeed, as my imaginary friend Gollum would say, it hurts us.  Hurts us it does, to write about this;

You’ll doubtless have noticed that you don’t yet have your ordered goodies in your hands.  Very poor show.  The order was delayed by a late arrival from the NTE5 manufacturers.  All very well, but we’re supposed to let you know if any kind of a hold-up becomes likely, and indeed usually do.  Not this time though I see, and you’ve been left squarely in the dark about where your stuff must have got to.  Very sorry!

I’ve just refunded the shipping charge to your card since we didn’t in fact, well, ship it.  Not in anything I’d call a decent time.

So, as a couple of us are in tidying up such loose ends this evening, you’ll get a “shipped” mail soon (or recently if Chris is faster than I am at

typing) when it’s completed, so it will physically leave here in tomorrow’s post.

Sorry again for the rubbish delay, and again thank you for your business - and comments! *pleased*

John

John Doyle

Director & Operations

Clarity

===============================================

Blatant plug for a web site from the Clarity stable (if you like that sort of thing): http://www.thebadwolf.co.uk

And our very good coffee drinking neighbours; www.scrapyardsculptures.co.uk

Email Disclaimers are such an ugly, unread footnote, and all too often are bigger than the e-mail itself! So ours is appended at; http://www.clarity.it/email.htm This mail’s subject to all the disclaiming therein.”

Again, a question for you.  When you screw up, do you hold your hand up, admit you’ve been rubbish, and offer unasked for compensation? 

Or do you  offer a ‘boilerplate’ apology like “We’re sorry for the late shipment of your order, and will endeavour to get it to you as soon as we can.”?

Or do you just hope the customer doesn’t notice and try and fix it quietly? (I sincerely hope not!)

Like John admits, the original service could have been better but you can rest assured whenever anyone asks where I got my stuff from, although I might mention it was delayed, I’ll also mention the apology and compensation.

Genuine recognition of a problem when it occurs, taking responsibility, and offering meaningful compensation can turn a potentially negative experience into a happy customer.

Do you do the same?

Posted under Marketing, Shining Examples

You might remember me talking about how I think Clarity IT is a shining example of the kind of marketing approach I’m talking about in the post “Getting a little Clarity in your marketing“.

Well, I just had my standard ‘your order has been shipped’ email, but I also got a more personal (and fun) email to go with it.  Yet again, a great illustration of how to communicate your personality to your customers:

“Dear Mr. Gordon Mullan,

Hello.

Your order’s been shipped.

Please take a moment to read the notes here too.

Even as you read this, postal and carrier workers will be dedicating their efforts to making sure your goodies arrive intact and with all haste.

YOU WILL NEED TO SIGN FOR DELIVERY.

If the Postie misses you he’ll leave a card with details of how to collect your package from your local RM Collections Office or request a re-delivery.

Recorded Delivery items are held for 5 working days, and Special Delivery items for 3 working days before coming back to Clarity.  Please note you will need to pay for the cost of shipping again if we need to resend an order which comes back to us.

*Larger orders sent via a carrier service operate slightly different pickup/redelivery arrangements - see your Missed Delivery Card for specific details.

Thanks very much for your business, and especially for your money.  What would also be great would be your repeat business in the future, your referral businsess from your mates/colleagues/kinfolk, and any well placed name-dropping in any forums you frequent.  “

Here’s a question for you - if you send out any kind of confirmation emails, do yours have this much personality?  If not, try putting some in - it all helps differentiate you from the next business along!

Remember - marketing isn’t just advertising.  It happens every time you have an interaction with the customer, even if that contact is automated.

If you use an e-commerce or shopping cart system, edit your confirmation emails today to put a little bit of personality into them - it only takes a few minutes, but it makes them seem that much more…well, personal.

(Not to mention more likely to get read!)

Go on - do it now.  The more personal and friendly you can make it, the better.

Posted under Marketing, Shining Examples

I stumbled across a page today from an organisation called Natural News.  I know it’s American (which if you’re from the UK might be slightly off-putting - hey, I like Americans but I know there’s people out there that find them kinda ‘in your face’), but it’s a great example of ‘know your audience’.

I’m not making any judgements or comments about the advice they offer, but by heck - they lay out very clearly what their philosophy is.  If you’re in tune, you’re pretty much guaranteed to sign up for their mailing list and read their stuff.

They are passionate about what they do, even though they claim they’re not out to make money from it.

Here’s the question for you - do you make your position and your philosophy as clear as this to your customers?  If not, why not?

What really gets you fired up?  What issues and concerns of (or mistakes being made by) your market get you absolutely frothing at the mouth?  How you can help them with those issues, or stop making those mistakes?

You know my biggie - passionate small business owners who have websites, brochures and adverts that read like they’ve been written by a lobotomised corporate drone! 

People like you, who passionately care for the people they service, but seem terrified to stand up and say “This is who I am, this is what I do, and this is how (and why) I do it.  If you like it, I’d love to have you as a customer.  If you don’t, nice to meet you but move along please, to make room for the people who do.”

Here’s a quick (and not complete - you’ll discover more of them over time) list of a few other things that get me hopping mad:

• Web designers who don’t have the first <bleep>ing clue about search engine optimisation but claim they do
• Web designers who can create pretty graphics but who don’t have the first idea how to make a site that is actually usable from a navigation or content structure standpoint
• Local printing firms that charge an absolute arm and a leg for doing stuff that you can get done for a fraction of the cost (full colour leaflets are just one example)
• Marketing advice for small businesses from people who’ve never run one (and in case you didn’t know, my wife and I are both self-employed professionals, and we also own and run The Nightingale Clinic, which has been growing since we established it in June 2002)

If you’re a small business owner, you have to not only believe in your product or service, you have to believe in and know yourself, know your audience, and then explain your position to them, in simple words, without pretending to be anything that you’re not.

 As I’ve said before, and I’ll keep saying - BE YOU!!  It IS good enough.

Til next time - stand proud!

Posted under Shining Examples

Sometimes I come across websites from people that just ‘get it’.  The guys at Clarity IT are one of the few, and a shining example of what I’m trying to get through the skull of every small business owner out there.

I think they have a brilliant, hilarious and devastatingly effective website (I just ordered some of their ADSL sockets a few days ago).

I started Personality Marketing around one very strong belief/desire – to get small businesses to put some ****ing personality into their marketing!

Basically, if I have to read one more one-man operation writing “We were established in 1998 and strive to provide a complete, end-to-end solution to all your <whatever> needs” I’m gonna SCREAM! 

You’re a small business – people do business with you because of who YOU are – so BE YOU for God’s sake!  If you spoke to your customers the way your website/marketing materials speak to your customers, they’d be asleep inside 30 seconds! 

So what if you piss a few people off – they were probably not a good fit for you in the first place, and you’d have hated working with them anyway.

Whew – rant over (well, until the next time I see the same thing).

The problem is, when I try to explain to people that ‘personality sells’, they get all nervous and “ooh no, couldn’t possibly speak to our customers like that on our website”.  Well, I’d like to hold John Doyle, and the Clarity IT website, up as a shining example to say “oh yes you can – and do very nicely out of it as well”.

I think what John does, and how he says it, is the absolute, pretty much perfect embodiment of “Personality Marketing” – and I LOVE it!

Keep it up John – you deserve wild, unconstrained success in everything you do.

Posted under Shining Examples