Get it off your chest

Domain Name Disputes: Honey or Vinegar?

One of the more unusual aspects of my job as General Manager of a large private portfolio of domain names is that I see all the "poison pen" letters from lawyers representing clients who believe (usually incorrectly, I should add) they are legally entitled to a domain name that we own. Since we own over 150,000 domain names, we get quite a few of these letters every week!

I make sure that we respond to each and every one of these inquiries, and now that I've seen and dealt with over a hundred of these letters I wanted to make a suggestion to the marketing community at large:

"You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

Admittedly, I didn't come up with this age-old concept, but I'd like to remind people that you will have better luck resolving a dispute - any dispute - by playing nice than by being hostile.

For instance, the next time you think that someone owns a domain name that you think you are legally entitled to, don't make your first move a "nasty lawyer's letter."

Instead, just reach out to the current owner with a courteous phone call or email (which you can get from checking the public WHOIS records) and let them know you have some questions or concerns. You might discover that the current owner is a lot nicer than you think, is not a hardened criminal, and is more than willing to negotiate in good faith. You might even learn that the original basis for your complaint is flawed and that - surprise, surprise - you aren't legally entitled to the domain name after all.

Not only will you save yourself the time, hassle, and significant expense of going the legal route (fighting a domain name dispute can cost many thousands of dollars), but you will begin the dialogue on a positive and constructive basis, not an adversarial one.

I go out of my way to help the small minority of folks who approach me nicely and are willing to listen to and consider our side of the story. Between us, we can usually resolve the situation within a few days. Unfortunately, I can count these "honey" folks on the fingers of one hand.

I'm not so sympathetic towards the "vinegar" folks - those who courier me three-inch thick stacks of legal documents that make all sorts of false accusations, ridiculous demands, and set unrealistic timelines for a response. (One company did this to me, quite deliberately, on Christmas Eve last year.) Sadly, these "poison pen" letters make up the vast majority of inquiries I receive. Sure, we respond to them as well, but I'm not going to cut them any slack or do them any favours. Why should I?

In the end, this boils down to one simple suggestion: be nice. ;+)

Recession-Proof Your Business: Focus on Current Customers

Every CEO, President and Senior VP that I speak to emphasizes building processes, technologies and expertise for acquiring new customers. And yet, common marketing wisdom tells us that customer retention is where longevity and profitability truly lies. Because of the emphasis on customer acquisition, it makes sense that many companies spend less time and effort on truly maintaining their customer relationships. That could be a serious challenge in the months ahead.

Whether or not we accept the doom and gloom predictions of the severity of the impending recession, one thing is certain: for most businesses, things are going to get a lot tougher. Customers – across industries and across segments – are going to have fewer discretionary funds and that means the competition for every dollar is going to heat up. As a result, now is the time to focus on building retention infrastructure. But, to do this effectively requires elevating the value of retention in each company’s day-to-day practices. Senior VPs of Marketing & Sales can accomplish that by taking the following four steps:

1) Recognize publicly the important contributions that retention makes. For instance, retaining customers demonstrates:

• The ability to overcome the day-to-day challenges – project and interpersonal – associated with working with existing clients;

• The ability to adapt to clients’ unique corporate cultures, evolving demands and changes in personnel;

• The ability to build trusted and valued relationships.

2) Attribute the same high status to client retention usually accorded to securing new customers. For example, customer acquisition typically:

• Is held out as a significant accomplishment – and rewarded at bonus time; and
• Serves as an exciting or unifying rallying point for a team.

3) Establish and track specific retention targets. Just as with customer acquisition, build customer retention into all sales forecasts. Regularly monitor retention targets and provide appropriate skills training.

4) Identify valued customers who are consistently demonstrating signs of disengagement. For example, customers who:

• Are spending less on your product/service than they have in the past
• Have stopped referring business to you
• Don’t pay their bills
• Have gone to tender for business that they would normally bring to you

Reach out to these important customers to determine why they have attributed less value to your product or service.

While few companies will escape the impact of a deep recession, taking these steps now can help any senior marketer and sales professional better weather the impending economic downturn.

I welcome hearing any suggestions that you have for ways to help companies recession-proof themselves. Send your insights to president@thindata.com or share with us here on the CMA Blog.

Have we really come that far?

My mother was a single mom with two young kids. It was the 1970’s and she had to face the consequences of gender inequality. Life for her wasn’t easy. Back in those days, women needed their husband’s approval in order to get a credit card and men weren’t obligated to pay alimony or child support. I can remember the countless number of times my mother was “ripped off” by car dealers, harassed in the workplace and taken advantage of by lawyers and other so called professionals. This blog isn’t about my mom (although she deserves a blog just for her). It’s about women’s spending power and the gender inequality still recognizable today.

Fast forward to 2008. We have certainly progressed over the years but we’re not there yet. Did you know women still earn only 78 cents on the dollar compared to men yet women make over 80% of all household buying decisions?

The catalyst for this blog is based on an experience I had this year when purchasing new appliances for my home. Like most women, I did my research. I found a company offering the appliances I wanted for less money than the competition. I was excited to make my purchase and asked my boyfriend to accompany me to the store. Let me recount the customer experience I had at this particular store. As soon as we entered, the male sales person quickly introduced himself to my boyfriend. I introduced myself to him and asked him questions to which he answered to my boyfriend. If the price wasn’t such a steal, I would have walked right out the door. The deal was closed. The sales person wrote up all of the paper work, turned to my boyfriend and asked “how will you be paying for this today?” I was furious. What made him think the purchases weren’t mine for the house that I purchased myself? I whipped out my bank card and placed it in front of him with conviction. I wanted to tell him to read Marti Barletta’s book “Marketing to Women” so he could see how immense women’s purchasing power actually is. We have large wallets. Women account for 53% of investment purchases, 55% of consumer electronics, 60% of home improvements and 60+% of new car purchases.

Who is better at demonstrating gender inequality and alienating women? NOooooBODY.

The Shameful Art of Greenwashing

You stroll through your local supermarket to pick up a few items. Out of the corner of your eye you catch a rack with attractive and reasonably priced $0.99 reusable shopping bags, usually featuring the company logo, and Green imagery such as grass or a leaf. You look into your basket, smile and pick up a couple of reusable bags, feeling better about yourself for doing something positive to help our environment.

Well, that’s great, but are the environmental claims being made by the company actually being put into practice? Are they advocating disuse of plastic bags by not offering them or making consumers pay? An entire town in Manitoba did just that, and banished plastic bags from being sold or distributed, enforcing hefty fines for ignoring the ban.

Plastic bags, clearly aren’t the only source of landfill waste, and are not the only item that marketers and companies can eliminate in order to become more eco-friendly.
Today, more than ever going Green means big money for corporations, and winning over consumer opinion, but consumers must be wary about those organizations who claim to be Green vs. those who truly are.

Organizations who falsely claim to be environmentally conscious, when in fact they are misleading consumers about the environmental practices they employ are referred to as “Greenwashers”.

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing issued a report in November 2007 entitled “The 6 Sins of Greenwashing” a study of environmental claims in the North American consumer market.

The six sins are:

1. Sin of the Hidden Trade Off
This is when a company emphasizes one environmental factor, while hiding a trade-off between other issues.

2. Sin of No Proof
When an environmental claim is made, yet no evidence or certification of this claim is made available.

3. Sin of Vagueness
When a claim fails to explain itself rendering itself too vague or meaningless. Popular vague terms include; non-toxic, “all natural”, and environmentally friendly.

4. Sin of Irrelevance
Making a claim that all other products in this category could also make, or simply making a statement that is irrelevant but intended to sound eco-friendly.

5. Sin of Fibbing
Falsely claimed environmental certifications, either third-party or completely non-existent. Usually easy to detect with a little bit of research.

6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils
When a company aims to make a consumer feel environmentally conscientious about a product that has questionable environmental benefits.

As marketers and consumers, it is our responsibility to ensure that the companies we represent don’t make false claims about being eco-friendly, and don’t try to capitalize on the “Green Movement” with a sole mandate to increase profits.

We need to be conscientious about the stores we shop at and the brands we endorse. Check out their environmental claims. Are they true? Are they in fact being proactive about protecting our environment?

This is our earth. We need to protect it… Not just “say” that we are.

Facebook Stats Primer

Do you want to reach Canadians age ...
any age ≈ 8,462,520 people
13 to 24 ≈ 4,070,400 people
25 to 35 ≈ 2,650,000 people
36 to 49 ≈ 1,238,220 people
50 to 65 ≈ 493,940 people

Do you want to reach people who say they are in ...
Ontario. ≈ 3,864,340
Toronto ON≈ 1,735,060
Woodstock ON≈ 19,120
Norwich ON≈ 440

British Columbia. ≈ 1,281,440
Alberta.≈ 1,091,720
Quebec. ≈ 952,220
Nova Scotia.≈ 364,040
Manitoba ≈ 271,140
Saskatchewan ≈ 246,660
New Brunswick.≈ 183,900
Newfoundland.≈ 133,320
Prince Edward Island ≈ 26,900

Do you want to reach Canadians who proclaim to be:
Liberal≈ 666,200
Moderate≈ 262,300
Conservative≈ 312,840

Do you want to reach Canadians who list themselves as
single ≈ 2,182,020
in a relationship ≈ 1,776,480
engaged ≈ 307,880
married ≈ 1,528,860

Do you want to reach Canadians who listed the following as favorites;
Britney Spears. ≈ 8,040 people
Rick Mercer Report.≈ 11,680 people
Canadian Idol. ≈ 11,840 people
To Kill A Mockingbird ≈ 38,560

Do you want to reach Canadians who work at
Rogers. ≈ 2,980
Bell Canada ≈ 4,840
MacLAREN McCANN ≈ 240
Organic ≈ 100 people
Cossette Communications. ≈ 100
Ogilvy.≈ 80
BBDO. ≈ 80
Leo Burnett. fewer than 20 people

Do you want to reach any cross section of them today? Do you see value in targeting your media down to hundreds of people, and pay for click? Or better yet, do you want to provide real value to any of these people beyond your message?

Do you still think Social Media is a fad?
All numbers sourced: Facebook Ad Manager application.

Numbers current as of 10:30 am, Thursday Jan 31st 2008

Marketing Campaigns Integrate:How to Make them Great!

I really get a charge out of attending marketing industry events. It’s a great opportunity to meet up with friends, colleagues and clients. At a recent outing, there was one topic that everyone was talking about – in the formal presentations and during informal discussions. The buzz was ‘marketing integration’.

Now, if you’ve been in this industry as long as I have, you too would find this curious; it’s extremely rare that the digital marketing industry achieves complete consensus on any topic. So, I took the time to discuss some specifics on how to successfully integrate marketing campaigns.

Here’s what I concluded after hearing what other industry leaders had to say: there is indeed consensus that the growing complexity in planning, implementing and measuring online/offline marketing campaigns has caused agencies and in-house marketers alike to seek ways to work together ‘smarter’. Specifically, marketers in all industries are looking for ways to:

• Simplify campaign/program administration and coordination;
• Ensure consistency of messages and brand throughout campaigns; and
• Ensure compatibility of evolving online and offline technologies.

All of these goals are laudable (and worth striving for) because they help businesses control their marketing costs and achieve/improve measurable results.

But, integration – i.e. trying to bring all campaign-related suppliers ‘under one roof’ – isn’t required to achieve all of these goals, nor is it a panacea. At ThinData, we have successfully achieved these same goals by taking an approach that can be best described as establishing respected-partnerships. Some of the critical elements of this approach include:

• Strong Project Management. This is one of the cornerstones to success. Clear, concise, and updated instructions that are regularly communicated between suppliers help to prevent confusion and conflict.

• Focus on the Client. Keeping clients actively involved and at the centre of the campaign helps to ensure that their goals – which naturally evolve – remain relevant throughout short- and long-term projects.

• Creating a Safe Learning Environment. Marketers in different agencies have different biases and skill levels. Bringing out the best performance in everyone requires jointly establishing practical ground rules for meetings, communications, acceptable standards and dealing with unexpected contingencies.

Here are some metrics that you can use to determine if integration is working for you and your clients:

Project Metrics – Projects are on time, on budget and run smoothly.

Business Metrics – Reduction in costs and risks regularly associated with project disruptions.

Interpersonal Metrics – Shared enjoyment working with respected partners and jointly discovering opportunities to innovate.

Client Metrics – Clients express their appreciation for working in collaboration throughout projects and regularly contract with you and your respected partners.

By adopting this disciplined approach to integration – as opposed to applying a more traditional method to integrating suppliers – you, along with your clients and respected partners will successfully address campaign complexities and truly thrive.

If, as a member of the interactive and digital marketing community, you have struggled with or overcome the challenges associated with marketing integration, I would be interested in your insights. Send an email to ceo@thindata.com or share with us here on the CMA Blog.

The high price of mail-in rebates

If you have ever gone through the process of sending in a "mail-in rebate" form, you know what level of frustration this can cause.

There is fine print to read, and deadlines to meet. You must remember to include everything that is required, or you will not receive the money. You invest your own time and energy, not to mention the postage stamp. However when you've finally completed all the work, you mail off your forms and expect a cheque back. In most cases you wait 8 weeks at a minimum. 8 weeks in a time when anyone can order almost anything from anywhere and receive it within a week.

I went through this process with a mail-in rebate offer from a major home improvement company. I had to purchase some paint one weekend and decided to go with a particular brand because the nice lady behind the counter suggested that there was a mail-in rebate offer of $20 if I bought 2 cans. Frustrations started when I received a letter back from the mail-in rebate company suggesting I was past the due date. I sent a letter back reminding them that I had sent it in on time and that even the date of their letter was, in fact, within the rebate due date. I received another letter stating that I had not included the correct information. I sent them a letter back reminding them that they had kept my original letter with all the correct information and proof of purchases. I received nothing in response.

I know that retailers "farm out" the mail-in rebate business to third-party fulfillment companies. According to this website the agreements between the two companies have a lot to do with guaranteeing the retailer that no more than a certain percentage of rebates will be mailed in. If there are more actual Customer rebate requests than the guaranteed percentage, the third party company will absorb the refund themselves. This doesn't convince me that these mail-in rebate companies are working in the best interest of the retailer or the Customer.

Retailers rely on the fact that the majority of people do not send in the rebate offer. The retailer gets the sales because of the rebate offer incentive, but is not on the hook for the full rebate amount. We are in an age where Customers are losing their patience and are looking for a retailer that can be open, honest and provide the best experience. There are too many retailers to choose from today. Those that still offer mail-in rebates are putting themselves at risk of losing those Customers in the long run for a quick one-time sale.

Is it worth it? Best Buy has decided it is not. They announced about a year ago that they will phase out all mail-in rebates. They are one of the first major retailers to realize what the rest of us have known for a long time. Mail-in rebates are good for sales in the short term, and bad for business in the long term. The long term plan is to implement the following: when you buy something at Best Buy, the "mail-in rebate" is given to you at the check-out counter. No forms, no proof of purchase requirements, no stamp and no waiting for 3 months to see if an invisible company has deemed your submission to be valid. In the mean time they have made things easier by allowing you to submit a rebate offer online, and track the progress.

If your organization offers mail-in rebates, perhaps it's time to ask your Customers what the cost is to their loyalty?

Re-Thinking the Need for the 'Next Big Thing': 6 Success Principles for 2008 That Transform Sorcery into Science

Every year around this time…as we edge up to a new year, I am always asked the same question: “So, Chris, what’s the next big thing?” It’s a question that is also a regular theme at conferences and events throughout the year as well – including at the CMA Digital Conference in October where I had the opportunity to sit in on a breakout table about ‘the future of digital platforms’.

Over the last 15 years, we’ve all seen concepts, processes and technologies compete for the next big thing spotlight. For example, this year was the year where ‘social media’ captured the marketing world’s imagination. In 2006, the crown came to rest on ‘search engine optimization’ and, in 2005, viral marketing was all the rage. Prior to that, businesses were looking for ways to reach Gladwell’s ‘tipping point’, strive for Collins’ ‘great’-ness (from goodness) and raise their ‘emotional intelligence’. Meanwhile, ‘mobile’ has faded in-and-out as the ‘latest and greatest’ repeatedly from 2005 through 2007.

There will be no shortage of predictions and new crazes aimed at capturing the insatiable imagination of the digital marketing community as 2008 unfolds.

But I think striving for the next big thing reveals something about the digital marketing industry that we need to work on…as a group: an unhealthy dependence on finding ‘instant breakthroughs’ that are supposed to revolutionize how business and marketing in particular, is approached and conducted.

We love to talk about the latest and greatest social media site, widget, podcast, tool, gizmo, blog… but sometimes we do so to the point where obsession with the leading-edge means the industry spends little time transforming the newly discovered ‘sorcery’ into a proven science. That was something we heard repeatedly at the CMA breakout session on ‘the future of digital platforms’ – a call for the industry to spend time perfecting the existing technologies and techniques that are on the table. We also heard that marketers are growing overwhelmed with all the ‘latest and greatest’ things they are supposed to adopt into their plans.

It’s been my experience – and that of many of our partners and clients – that rather than waiting for the revolutionary innovation associated with the next big thing it makes much more sense to bring a disciplined approach to evolutionary innovation within our own businesses. Achieving this type of innovation can be achieved by adhering to some key principles:

1) Know Yourself Better Than Anyone. Clearly articulate what it is you do, what it is you do well, what you want to do better and your core operating values.
2) Stay the Course. Develop well-founded plans and then stick to them.
3) Measure Today and Always. Dedicate time, resources and processes to determine your success and opportunities for improvement.
4) Adapt. Anticipate and integrate modifications in work processes, staff and programs.
5) Link-In. Monitor trends related to your customers, prospects, competitors, relevant technologies, social demographics and similar industries.
6) Nurture Creativity. Develop work processes and a culture that truly encourages and rewards innovation.

By adhering to these principles with a dogged-like discipline, each company’s marketing will evolve in ways that will have a dramatic impact on the digital marketing industry – all without relying on the next big thing.

How do you create and sustain evolutionary innovation throughout your marketing programs and your company? Let me know by sending an email to ceo@thindata.com or sharing with us here on the CMA Blog.

When the Promise of a Customer Reward fails to Connect.

Before you read my story, here's the lesson in it - sometimes it's better to do nothing – to not make a decision to buy something new or trade in the old. Sometimes doing nothing is a reward in itself.

Such was the case this past week, when I was thinking of upgrading my cell phone to one of the “mobile” varieties. You see I’ve owned the same one for 5 years and it basically does one thing very well – make phone calls. But getting a mobile, on the other hand – opens me up to a new world of digital possibilities.

“I’m ready for this,” I convinced myself – a mobile lets me do everything – download music, take photos, text friends, check my LinkedIn and Facebook accounts, watch podcasts – even be at the ready to shoot video just in case... of escaping circus elephants rampaging down Yonge Street. I imagined taking that esteemed position on YouTube – owner of the most downloaded video in history. I can’t wait any longer, I thought – where do I go to sign up...?!

The timing was perfect too. I just received a friendly letter from my carrier telling me I had been a “valued” customer for more than 5 years – 3 of these without a contract to bind us together. It seemed because I had chosen to be with them, they recognized this and were about to reward my loyalty big time.

The letter went on -“we would like to thank you for your business.... so we’ll give you a credit worth up to $250 as a bonus renewal offer towards the purchase of a new phone or PDA when you renew your service agreement...“thank you for choosing us.”

Sweet, I thought - I can get a really cool mobile for next to nothing and gladly surrender to a three year term until the next generation of mobiles comes along.

Well, here’s what happened.

I went into one of my carrier’s retail stores, letter in hand, and was met by a pleasant sales person named Wanda. I told Wanda I was ready to make my move to mobile, and even had a $250 bonus credit as a renewal offer to work with. I explained I’d been a loyal customer for five years and just got this special letter saying as much. “Wanda, I said - only show me the best and latest of everything you’ve got. I’m ready!”

“Well actually,” Wanda said, “the price you see beside each model is the price you pay – we’ve already factored in the discount – the $250 credit in this letter anyone can get.” Oh I see. So I asked Wanda to check my account. Surely there’s a notation saying how loyal a customer I have been and to give this golden apple whatever he asks for....

She looked up my details and paused...hmmm, she said, slightly puzzled, “it says here DO NOT RENEW.” “What? I asked, what does that mean?”

“Well, she explained, you have a really good mobile rate we don’t offer anymore, so when we get you in here and sell you a new mobile phone, we put you into a “current (read: more expensive) rate plan.”

My hopes of going mobile were quickly fading like a weak transmission signal....

With either of us not ready to give up, Wanda took me through the latest models, asking lots of good questions in order to point me towards a model and monthly plan that we thought would suit my needs.

I thought to myself, well I’m already here, Wanda is helpful, I love this mobile model she showed me, and it’s not that much more a month – I’ll just suck it up and get it.

We made our way back to the register when she dropped another one. “I wanted to mention that you’ll also have to pay a $35 ‘upgrade fee’ because you’re getting a new model.”

Call me crazy, Wanda, but can we summarize here?

1. The $250 bonus renewal offer I received is available to anyone – not just us “valuable clients?”
2. I still have to pay the net cost of the phone ($49.99 for the model I wanted)?
3. If I do get a new mobile, I have to go into a more expensive monthly rate plan?
4. I have to pay an upgrade fee on top of the $49.99 for the phone?
5. I'm a valued client - a loyal customer?

How sad - I did understand all this correctly. Oh sure, I could call an 800 number, wait on hold for 20 minutes and then complain to the customer rep on the other side of the world that I feel totally taken advantage of. But why bother? If they don’t get it... why bother??

I have two points of view here on how I’m feeling after this experience.

As a Marketer
I see the revenue and profitability potential with this program. It probably went something like this: Generate a list of active GTA subscribers with expired contracts. Send them a letter with a $250 phone credit as incentive to drive them in store. Then upgrade their model and monthly plan.

I’m sure the ROI on this program is through the roof – the DM piece was less than $1 and the lifetime value of my business is in the thousands of dollars.

What is the effect on long term customer satisfaction with these types of programs? Did anyone really scrutinize the offer copy and come to the conclusion that it was in fact no offer at all? What's the cost of losing a high value customer (me) to their bottom line?

As a Customer
I feel like I was tricked into coming into the store – duped by a letter implying I was entitled to a reward for my loyalty that didn’t even exist. I feel cynical about what it means to be called a "valued customer" and what a "bonus renewal" offer really means.

That day, my goodwill towards this company dried up quicker than fresh rain on a desert floor. So I did absolutely nothing – I walked out of the store with my old model, trusted and reliable cellular phone, knowing that every month I get a bill for services that I’m paying less than the company wants me to.

I guess I do get a little reward after all.

The Hunt for Interactive Talent: Call to Action

We need to act. And, we need to act now.

Earlier this week, I was participating at one of the Market Yourself Smarter conferences. Those who attend MYS events appreciate them because they are consistently topical and practical.

The topic of the day was Employers Who Walk the Talk. A few messages came through loud and clear during the presentations and group discussions:

• To succeed, companies must tap into the passion and creativity of their employees
• This generation’s workforce has new expectations from its employers
• Leadership means effectively understanding, anticipating and responding to employees’ needs and expectations

As I was listening to discussions about the employees’ ideal work environment it struck me that if there ever was a group of stakeholders that relied on leading-edge skills from the current and next generation of talented workers, the interactive and digital marketing community is it.

Other CEO’s and Presidents at interactive agencies, web developers and e-marketing shops often ask me how we (at ThinData) are able to consistently attract and retain top talent. They all say the same things: the hunt for talent is consuming much of their time; the talent pool is thin; and, they are spending growing amounts of money on recruiting talent.

And yet, I am not hearing a great deal from the interactive and digital community – the independent firms or the digital arms of the big ad agencies – about this fundamental resource challenge that needs to be addressed with a long-term vision.

There needs to be a plan; one that is developed, monitored and updated.

The interactive and digital marketing community needs a plan that engages universities, colleges, associations and businesses. All of these stakeholders need to work together to identify the skills that are needed now and in the future as well as to methodically and substantially grow the pool of talent.

We need to sit down as a group and identify innovative ways to cultivate the required skills while fulfilling the expectations and demands of a new generation of employees who expect new types of working relationships.

If we, as a community expect to keep pace of growth as we look to 2009, 2010 and beyond…we need to start treating the development and growth of talent as an industry priority. We need to take lessons from other industries that have successfully developed formal apprenticeship and training partnerships with educational institutions across different levels.

If, as a member of the interactive and digital marketing community, you have ever found yourself struggling to find or keep the right person, you have a stake in this issue.

Let’s discuss it in more detail. Shoot me an email at ceo@thindata.com.

Human Marketing

Web 2.0… I’ve heard this term so much that I feel slightly ill and cringe every time I hear it. When driving automatic cars suddenly became an option did we start calling it “the automobile 2.0?” No… it was still just the automobile, only more evolved.

Just like the internet. It has (and will continue to) evolve throughout the years. How many versions are we going to track the next several decades?! Will there be a Web 5.9?

The internet these days is about making connections, making the world a less scary place, and providing a platform in which to find, research, and evaluate information while engaging in meaningful dialogue with others.

As marketers, we are often guilty of creating labels and buzzwords… After all, that is our job sometimes. But, the internet now is more human, less about the companies and products, more about the people.

This “web 2.0” thing, (which I am going to refer to simply as the internet) isn’t for sale. Consumers don’t want to be marketed to in traditional ways, regardless of whether you have a blog or not. What they want is information that doesn’t feel like a hard sell. They want to have an opinion; they want the freedom to voice that opinion, and to feel as though they are making decisions based on their own research, emotions, and rationale.

So what is a marketer to do? Simple. What would you do if you saw an old man carrying a heavy bag of groceries struggling to open the door? You would hold the door open for him right?! (I hope so anyway). Apply this same rationale to your marketing efforts. Try the human approach, thinking more like a human, and less like a marketer.

Offer your customers and consumers information, tools, and resources that will help them, make them a better person, or make their life easier in some way. Try to touch their hearts, make them aware of their own humanity, and allow them to open up to you. Build a connection, a good old fashioned human connection.

Once you do this, web 2.0, 3.4 and 5.9 will miraculously be there to back you up. You won’t need to do anything. You’ll have an army of bloggers, columnists, and social-savvy tech surfers willing to spread the word for you. Brand ambassadors scattered throughout the globe with powerful opinions. Unbiased advocates who will spread the good word to others about what you do and how you do it.

Human connection. If you build it… they will come!

When Customer Service sells. And when it doesn't.

I'm going to forget that I'm a marketer for a moment and pretend that I'm only a consumer. I think it's important to do that every now and then (or whenever I'm not at work) because consumers don't think like marketers. They think like my Dad who doesn't understand what I do for a living.

My internet service provider used to be a company well known for its pitchbeavers. One day, that internet service crashed and said company could not seem to figure out why or how to get me back up to high speed. So I switched to Rogers for my home internet connection. Then, about a year later, I needed a new cell phone, so I naturally switched to Rogers Wireless. Then my wife and children needed cell phones. Rogers was the first place I thought of. Then I got telemarketed one day and was asked to switch my home phone to Rogers. So I did. Now, when Rogers goes into the dog walking business, I'll be there with my two labs and a leash.

The reason I've become one of Rogers' best customers isn't necessarily because they have better phones, or faster high speed access. It's not even that they put everything on one bill. Even beavers can do all of that.

It's simply that I have had excellent customer service experiences with them each and every time I've needed to deal with someone at Rogers. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I hate their Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) system. (Please get rid of that thing!!!) But once I get a real person, they're always helpful, patient, kind and results-oriented.

Then I happened to walk in to a Rogers retail outlet about a month ago for a superficial issue with my Treo 650. The store's sales representative, Alex, told me I was eligible for an upgrade to the new 680. I bit. (Love a new gadget.)

Over the following week, I realized that the 680's battery didn't seem to hold a charge. By 9:30 pm, I'd be out of battery. I contacted the store and spoke to Alex. He emailed me back with an online solution which I tried right away. Didn't work. He suggested I come in to the store (not convenient since it's located at Queen's Quay and I live in North Toronto) for a new battery. So I did. He wasn't there but the other rep had the battery for me. The new battery didn't fit the new Treo. Not impressed.

Later that day, I got an email from Alex saying he would replace the whole Treo, that he was sorry for any inconvenience, and that his goal was to be sure I was happy with my purchase.

I couldn't believe that the customer service I experience whenever I call Rogers extended right down to store level.

All of this to say, why doesn't Rogers differentiate itself from everyone else by advertising something that is NOT a commodity in their very commoditized business? Customer Service. Their advertising is all about fewer dropped calls, the Fave Five, and everyone in the family wanting an internet connection. I don't get it. Any number of telco's can make the exact same claims, and are.

Rogers, you have an opportunity to differentiate yourself in your advertising. I'm doing my part as a consumer with this posting. Now it's your turn.

While I'm on the topic of customer service, I have to ask, is WestJet for real? Seriously. Their advertising shows flight attendants chasing people down in the street to return cell phones and giving the sweaters off their backs to passengers returning to a cold climate from a sunny vacation. Maybe they really can fulfill on those promises. But as a viewer of those commercials, I'm not buying or believing it.

If an advertiser has a valid point of difference (like stellar customer service), and they go so far over the top with their advertising campaign that it stretches credibility in the consumer's mind, they're wasting their money.

Got any amazing customer service stories? Share them with those of us who would be more than happy to put our faith (and hard earned money) into companies who think like marketers -- and consumers.

When Does Innovation Become Irritation?

On a recent flight to the United States, I came across a quintessential example of what I believe is wrong with the traditional advertising industry.

Sitting in my seat on a US Airways flight bound for Savannah, I decide to unlock the table tray in order to have a place to rest my papers on.

This is what I was greeted with:

That's right, the surface of the table tray was completely covered by a vinyl clingy ad for an electronic manufacturer's noise canceling headphones.

Now, I've worked with enough media planners to appreciate the strategic thinking that probably went into this in terms of demographic targeting. And from an advertiser's perspective I can totally appreciate the evil genius of the whole 'captive audience' mentality behind this media placement.

It's 2007, however, and should marketers really be trying to find 'virgin' surfaces to plaster yet another one of their ads upon? Is this really innovation? Is this something the industry should be proud of?

And check out the ad copy itself:

The ultimate irony, in my mind, is the ad copy's claim that the headphones "dramatically reduce unwanted sounds." It's too bad that in promoting this feature the advertiser may have dramatically increased the level of visual pollution.

It's only plastic right?

A coworker recently brought some compelling US stats to my attention on the impact plastic bags have on our environment. Although reusable, recyclable fabric bags are on the market, Canada has a long way to go . Many of us don't give much thought to our plastic bag consumption. After all, they are only plastic bags right?

Wrong.

Petroleum-based grocery bags hit the checkout aisle in 1977. Presented as a revolutionary idea, they are now recognized as an environmental hazard. Just like bottled water, plastic bags are made from crude oil, contributing to global warming.

The numbers are astounding.

Up to 1000 - Estimated years for a plastic bag to decompose.

1460 - Plastic bags used in a year by an average family of four in the U.S.

12 million - Barrels of oil used to make the plastic bags that the U.S. consumes annually.

Less than 1% - Percentage of all plastic bags that get recycled in the U.S.

88.5 billion – Plastic bags consumed in the U.S. last year.

500 billion – Estimated plastic bags sold worldwide each year.

The Countries

San Francisco has banned non-biodegradable plastic bags in large grocery stores.

Ireland has a $.20 tax per bag.

France is banning plastic bags starting 2010 and starting 2008 in Paris.

South Africa has banned thin plastic bags

Uganda has banned thin plastic bags and has taxes on thicker ones.

Kenya is banning plastic bags starting 2008.

Zanzibar Islands have banned all plastic bags.

Mumbai, New Delhi, and two states in India have banned all plastic bags.

Bangladesh has banned all plastic bags.

Taiwan has banned all plastic bags as well as disposable plastic plates, cups, and cutlery.

What can we do about this? As marketers, we can encourage our clients to do their part. Perhaps incorporate a recyclable bag into a promotion or DM piece or reward consumers with bringing their own bags. As individuals, we can reuse our existing plastic bags and use recyclable cloth bags when we do our grocery shop.
We have a voice. Let's use it.

Jumping in Fees First

While the Canadian banks are tight-lipped, some sources estimate they took in $420 million last year in ABM fees alone, on their way to accumulating a record $19 billion in total profit. After a renewed public outcry over price gouging earlier this year, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty suggested that some banks would be making changes to how they charge fees for their automated banking machines, especially those fees charged at ABMs other than the customer's own bank.

I, for one, will cross the street to use by own bank’s ABM, in order to avoid paying the $1.50 fee charged by other institutions’ ABMs.

Finally, I thought, the tides have changed. Some innovative bank seeking to differentiate itself from the rest of the pack will break ranks, do the right thing and waive these fees.

And yet last month, one bank that has built its reputation on placing customers “first” missed a golden opportunity by announcing in their recent TV ads they would waive “their portion” of the ABM fee. Their portion only. In the ads, there is no mention of the percentage that represents of the overall fee, though the creative execution implies the bank is sympathetic to our challenge in crossing the street (amidst joggers, cars and other obstacles) to get to our own bank’s ABM.

More like fees first, not customers first.

In an effort to jump into the fray, they have missed an opportunity to create goodwill with customers and instead reinforced the cynicism that already exists towards the banks.