You bet my pearly veneers it can.

I’ve never been a big fan of going to the dentist. Maybe it’s because my parents were such sticklers and sent us so often as kids. And as an adult I’m very grateful for that, my teeth are in good shape.

Or maybe it’s because I still remember exactly what it felt like the day the orthodontist yanked my braces off. I thought all my teeth were coming off too.

Or maybe it’s because my last dentist always acted like a Nazi commando and if I didn’t follow everyone of her every recommendations, she would send me a threatening letter stating that my failing to spend $3,000 on something she believed was needed could cause brain damage and other deathly ailments. Beyond the scare tactics, she and her staff hard pushed products and services like used car salesman. And when I don’t floss, they don’t pour the guilt trip on me, like “Karen, you know this is a team thing, I’m doing my part, you’ve got to do yours.” I don’t remember signing up for the dental team. Bad experience. Bad memories. Bad brand. I don’t go there any more.

My new dentist Dr. Gregory Jacobs is not a pain at all and neither is the experience. In fact, I enjoy going there. They have current magazines that I enjoy, nothing against Golf Pro. The environment is relaxed. There is no tacky, bold faced policy signage posted everywhere. No glass wall implying I’m am disturbing them. The office looks like an interior design studio, not a stinky medical clinic for lab rats. The restrooms are equally as cool and the staff is always nice.

I feel a whole lot less pain, stress and anxiety when I go to the dentist these days. And always tell my friends about my great dentist. All the touch points are thoughtfully provided (music, scent, decor, staff, lighting, restrooms, parking) and geared to my comfort, not the efficiency of the practice.

I always wonder why 95% of health care providers don’t get this powerful connection to the customer experience and their bottom line. And this concept is not restricted to only health care providers, anything that is not organically enjoyable and tilts toward painful, like: buying tires, repairing your AC unit or purchasing insurance can benefit from a really pleasant and memorable experience.

Is there anything you can do to improve the experience you deliver to your customers? Remember, the brand is what the customer thinks, feels and expects about the sum of all you do.

OK, I do schedule my dental appointments right after lunch and usually have a glass wine with my salad too.

For more on strong brand concepts, view: Want to be a standout brand? Avoid these 5 costly mistakes.

Is my timing good or what? NYC got hit with a major snow storm today. I left 24 hours ago.

Have you ever wondered why a business opens up in the center of lots of direct competition. Are they crazy or smart? I think they are smart if they play their cards right. Brick and mortar ventures understand that physically locating your business surrounded by like businesses has many advantages – it makes it easy for customers to find your category (restaurants, art galleries etc.) and they can easily stumble upon you, you can jointly promote the area with a common theme of offerings and you can network and refer business to each other.

That’s what I experienced in NYC last week. I was in the market for a new coat. I had two old ones that I enjoyed for years, but was ready to trade up. I headed to 29th and Broadway, the fur district in the city. I started with the place I purchased the older coats, since I had done business with them in the past. They suggested I go to Madison Avenue Furs, sell my old coats and then come back and shop. Apparently, this shop they were referring was known for paying a fair price for coats. I headed to the cash opportunity store, stopped in four other stores to do a little more research and see if they would give me any thing for my old coats. Two of them also suggested selling my old ones and coming back.
It was really cold and windy in New York and I was ready to get a warmer, new coat and couldn’t find the place that everyone was speaking about. Yikes, so I popped back in one of the stores and asked for more directions. They were so nice and walked me down to the store; knowing that they could potentially lose a sale to this store they were taking me to.

I entered the store and was greeted by a friendly sales associate. I explained what I was looking to do. She said no problem. I needed to see the owner and in the mean time, was I interest their collection? I said “sure”. She showed me all kinds, price points and different styles. I never felt pressure to select one or did I feel intimidated, which I have felt when I was making a purchase of this magnitude in the past.

Larry the owner of the store came over and introduced himself. He toured me through the store explaining that he was a third generation furrier. Most of the merchants in this cluster of retailers were all family businesses that have been around for decades. Again, no pressure from Larry, he was knowledgeable and helpful. After finding a coat that I really loved, Larry gave me the options, the amount of straight cash I could get and go, and what the trade in amount was that he would take off the coat that I liked. I thought about it, consulted with my shopping buddy, Jill and decided to take the money off and buy the coat from Larry’s store.

After a morning of shopping, Larry had a new customer. Why? I really loved the coat, I trusted him, we had chemistry, I related to him as he was my age, not my grandfather’s, I believed the price was fair for the purchase and I was buying what I wanted and was not being hard sold.

So how can this swarm of competition theory work for your business?

1) Be confident in your business and embrace an attitude that there is plenty of business for all.

2) Develop relationship with your competitors, let them know of any special services or products that you offer that can help them look good in the eyes of their customers.

3) When you can’t help a customer, send them the referral to your network of competitors.

This concept is not limited to retail or brick and mortar businesses. If you have an online business and write a blog, compliment your competition, share links and even consider bundling an offer with some of your competition. And if you have a strong feeling of trust with one of your competitors explore a joint venture opportunity. I realize this will not work for every business model, but it will for many.

If I had to look in my crystal ball, I’m putting my money on Jimmy Fallon. Tues. I was fortunate to get to go to his show with one of my best buds Jill Griffin, author of Taming the Search and Switch Customer (Jossey-Bass), and two new friends from New York city, Meagan, who works with Peter Shankman, fellow entrepreneur and founder of  Help a Reporter, a great website for connecting journalists to story resources and Julie, a music publishing pro.  It was a very memorable event. Here are a few things I took away.

To start off with tickets for the show are only available for a limited time window. Fans need to call the NBC studios about 30 days before the desired date as they only release tickets on certain days and then they are gone. I called for 20 days straight, the more I called, the more determined I was to get the tickets.

Limited time windows to purchase anything, drive the emotion.

Once I spoke to an NBC staffer, it was an enjoyable experience from then on. They were super friendly and seemed just as nice as Jimmy’s persona; a consistent extension of his brand. Within minutes of the call, I received a pleasant notice explaining all the ground rules and details to attending the show.

They made the entire ticketing process simple and hassle free.

A few days before the event, I received another friendly notice, telling us where to go to get our tickets and how to fully enjoy the show.

All the staff at the studio reminded me of Ross the intern, who got his big break with Jay Leno.  Young, happy and eager to help.

The check in process was seamless.  We were instructed to meet at NBC store, an environment full of branded Jimmy Fallon goods. Friendly, helpful people dressed in gray NBC suits with crisp shirts and big smiles were everywhere. Security was a breeze and we were moved into a holding area and asked who wanted to be on stage and jam with the Roots, Jimmy’s house band. Of course we did. We were given special wrist bands and more instructions to be sure we added to the show’s natural charm and fun.

Inside the filming studio, the room was decked for the holidays, not one inch of real estate was missed. About 15 minutes before show time, a warm up comedian, warmed us up. Without fabricating the show, the pre host provided more branded guidance, so that the show’s audience would not misbehave. He also danced like a champ, chatted with many guests and kept the room’s mood at a high energy level.

The Jimmy Fallon experience lasted over two hours, even though he was only on an hour.

Before the opening featured guest came out, Jimmy did two entertaining side stints. The first one was called “Tweeter hashtags”. Viewers contribute their goofy tweets from one of Jimmy’s hashtag topics. Tonight’s hashtag was: HOHO Hell no! The second one was a continued segment called “The 12 days of tacky Christmas sweaters”. A lucky audience member was gifted a very ugly coiffed with trinkets knitted master piece.

The stints were touch points and 100% on brand all with Jimmy’s contemporary and silly style.
Social media is an active strategy for building the show’s fan base.

Every minute of the show was fun. Jack Black was the featured guest. Jack, so consistent with his over the top funny brand, bolted on to the stage with a song and dance. From there the chemistry of Jimmy and Jack kicked in, they were smooth and added to the authentic personality of the show.

Next was a random, crazy performance where Jimmy and Jack banged on larger than life drums all to the tune of The Little Drummer Boy while spewing red and green paint all over the stage. Watch them get in the spirit.

The show ended with a special, rocking performance by the Roots, probably the hottest TV band going. The performance was magical, but what made it even better was more audience engagement. 30 or so of the guests, including my pals got to stand behind Roots and sway and groove to the tunes and have even more fun.

So how can you include your customers in your product delivery? Not only adding to the offering, but the experience they receive?

And for any of you who feel like you are not on your game yet. I started watching Jimmy Fallon when his show first launched. In the beginning, he appeared awkward and he wasn’t that good. Today, he’s smooth, in the zone and his popularity continues to grow. Brilliance takes working at it.

Jimmy has been crafting his craft for many years and even though he was a solid stand up guy and SNL hit, a new gig of any kind takes time to get right and Jimmy likely still has nights where he tells joke that bombs.

In closing, comedy and humor in any form feels good. Is there an opportunity in your world or venture for little more random, silly,  gut-busting funny material or content?

More from NYC on Thursday.

It’s freezing in New York, but fun and stimulating!

First thing, check into my hotel. I am staying at a small boutique property on upper West Side (I’ll share the details on this property at the end of my trip). Are you traveling to a big city and want a great deal on cool hotels? I always use Hotwire.com. You can pick the number of stars and which part of the city you want to stay in. You get a choice of many, showing prices and star rankings. I’ve never been disappointed and sometimes save 50% off rack rate.

Worried about bedbugs? Go to Bedbug registry and make sure your chosen hotel won’t have uninvited guests in your bed. My hotel is awesome – it was not listed, WHEW!

Our first adventure: A food tour of the Lower East side via City Food Tours. This is a great way to taste and learn some history about New York’s fabulous food. Most tours are a couple hours long and range from 40-90 bucks per person. They include a knowledgeable guide, outside exercise and samplings of 5-6 culinary bites along the way. We discovered: The Essex Food market, a gem, which houses Roni-Sue chocolates, an artisan spot with truffles and to die for chocolates in every variety. The Pickle Guys, one of the few pickle places around. Economy Candy, a massive store that feels like a mall of a million sweets. The Roasting Plant, a great coffee cafe founded by a former Starbucks  staffer who turned a vacuum into a Javabot® coffee roasting system and lastly, one of the best slices of pizza from San Marzano Brick Oven Pizzeria.

A great afternoon! More marketing commentary coming. Packed agenda.

Robert’s at the Museum of Design.

Prohibition a neighborhood spot for live music acts. Rachel Platton performed and was an amazing, fresh and entertaining sound. She’s a New Yorker who is hitting the world tour scene. Check out her schedule, and check her out.

Tues. night
Went to Jimmy Fallon Live with Jack Black, recap coming, was tooooo much fun and got to hang and dance with the Roots. I’m now the proud owner of an official drum stick too.

Weds.
Got to run, sorry for the short hand, promise to fill in. Headed to Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Review coming too with lots more street stuff.

In January, I decided to make 2010 my fittest year ever. So far, so good. I made a plan, stuck to it and have seen results. I have been hitting the gym, running, logging one hundred plus miles on my bike every week and I have been participating in road races. I will be thinking about goals for 2011 soon. A scenario that played out during my fitness quest made me think about marketing planning for the coming year.

I recently won a $100 gift certificate to a local merchant who sponsored one of the events I’d entered. I had frequented this establishment once or twice, but, I was loyal to a competitor. I was looking forward to picking up some new workout gear and, perhaps, being convinced to change my loyalty. If I had a good buying experience, I might have been swayed since this store is walking distance from my house and my “favorite” store is a twenty minute drive. Here’s what happened.

I walked into the store and started to browse. An employee, or was it the owner? approached and asked if I needed any help. I smiled and said, “no thanks. I am just looking. I came by to use the $100 certificate I won in the raffle at the race that you sponsored!” He looked at me with an expression of disdain, groaned and went back to another part of the store.

Did I feel compelled to spend more than the $100? No. Did I feel welcomed? No. Did I want to grab a bunch of stuff and leave as quickly as possible and tell a bunch of people how obnoxious I though the salespeople were? Yes.

I collected my $97 worth of merchandise, checked out and left wondering why they bothered to offer the gift certificate. Clearly, they did not want to gain a new customer, or they would have acted like it once they got the new customer in the door. Perhaps they hoped that most would not be cashed in since the bulk of participants for this race came from out of town, but they would get some name recognition as a sponsor? Only they know.

Anyone who is in business would always like more customers, and there are lots of ways to achieve that goal. The last quarter of the year is usually the time when we review how we did this year and start thinking about our marketing plan for next year. While you are putting together your strategies and tactics, ask yourself the following questions.

1.      Do I really know my brand? If you were to describe your brand to a complete stranger, would you be able to express the core of your business in a sentence? Would it be memorable and unique or would it sound like you were describing one of your competitors? You need to have a laser focused, crystal clear vision of your brand before you can engage in any marketing activity.

2.     Do I know my customers? Do you have a good customer database? Do you know who your best customers are and why they decide to buy from you? Do you know their buying habits? Do you know enough about them to be able to provide them with a solution to a problem before they come to you with it? The only way to build deep relationships and a solid repeat customer base is to be able to have answers to these questions.

3.     Do I know what I am selling? This is similar to your overarching brand strategy, but specifically, what are you offering to the market place. Do you know the practical, as well as emotional benefits of your product or service?

4.     Do I know what my customers are buying? Similar to the preceding question. Do you know both the practical and emotional benefits your customers are seeking? Are they aligned, or is there a gap? Make sure that they are one in the same before you start any marketing communications. This will require some customer research which you can conduct on your own. You can have conversations with your customers, you can use free polling software on your website or you can start a discussion on your blog or your Facebook page. You can also monitor conversations on line, search Twitter and find out what people are saying. Be creative in your data collection. Also, be transparent. People will be willing to talk to you if you tell them why you are seeking information.

5.     Do I know my customers buying habits? Where do they interact with your company? At a store? At your store? Online? You need to know the where they are and how they buy in order to get the most impact from your marketing efforts.

6.     Do I know who my competition is? Once you know thyself, you need to be aware of all the other firms that will be vying for your customers’ attention and dollars. You should be aware of their market positioning and marketing and sales strategies, as well as how they are perceived in the marketplace. Knowing this will help you differentiate yourself. See number 1.

7.     Am I aware of my growth? Are you keeping tabs on things such as sales and market share so that you can measure results? You can’t measure that which you don’t track. It doesn’t require sophisticated software. You can build a simple excel worksheet and keep track of a few metrics. If you have a website, Google Analytics has a heap of free tools that you can use to track traffic, referrals, time spent by visitors, and which pages are the most captivating.

8.      Do all of my employees know what our brand is? You can do all the brilliant marketing in the world, but if one of your touchpoints is off, you’ve lost credibility. Marketing may be a department, but everyone in the organization needs to know, live and breathe the brand.

9.     What are my goals for marketing dollars spent? As in the example I cited above, the sporting goods shop might not have thought through their promotion. Did they just want their name on an event? Were they interested in new customers? They got a new customer in the store, but they certainly didn’t retain them. They should have had some sort of informal plan as to how to treat that new customer, or any new customer. Essentially, it all goes back to branding. If that company had made customer service a core brand value, I would likely still be shopping there. Do you know the difference between actions that will cause a splash or temporary spike versus those that will create customer retention and loyalty?

10.  Do I know what it costs to get a new customer? To retain an old one? Every marketing text book will tell you that it is cheaper to retain customers than to get new ones. Do you know the costs? Do you do things to retain the group that is cheaper to keep? There are some banks and other businesses that offer discounted rates to new customers. As an established customer, those kinds of tactics irk me since all I seem to get are mystery charges every month that I have to spend time on the phone getting resolved and removed from my bill.

11.  Have I kept track of what works? Looking back over the year(s), do you know what has worked? Do you know what has been a real stink bomb. Can you build off successful tactics in the past while developing new, creative strategies?

12.  Am I willing to take some risks? That answer has to be yes. Carve out part of your marketing budget and your brain space to allow yourself to try something new and different.  The only thing you are allowed to do if it doesn’t work is say, “that didn’t work, we won’t do that again, but we will take another risk.”

If you need help nailing down #1 on this list, you might find the Differentiate Your Product or Service Ta-Do List helpful. http://tools.oddpodz.com/ebooks-and-downloadable-tools/ta-do-lists/differentiate-your-business-product-or-services/

This past weekend I journeyed to the Windy City of Chicago. A little business and a lot of fun produced these inspirational ideas and a couple revelations too.

I was in Chicago to meet with a client that I’m building a new website for and to get a big city fix of culinary, cultural and entertainment experiences.

I arrived Friday night. Flew on Continental with my One Pass miles, first class, love that reward stuff! My flight was nice until we were about to land and I realized I forgot my cell phone in Tampa (Revelation #1 – forgetting your cell phone totally sucks). I was mad at me for being an airhead and also I was a little freaked out, because without a cell phone in our modern world, you are very disconnected, pay phones are in the same museum as dinosaurs.  And since I don’t know how to send smoke signals and I needed to let my driver know I had arrived, it was time to bum a phone from a fellow traveler. Fortunately a kind man helped me out. I buzzed Diva Limo (that really is their name), I’m here.

Just as I gave him back his phone and he jumped in his car, it hit me, I didn’t tell them where I was. Damn, I need a freakin phone. This was bad, stress full throttle. We are all so dependent to our gadgets. This will teach me, travel item check lists are not that goofy. So I flag down another kind man, may I please use your phone for a quick call?

Headed to downtown. The traffic volume is on steroids. It takes almost two hours to get to my hotel. I finally get there, what a great city!

Here are my trip highlights and inspiration (in no special order).

1) Visual details count.
Downtown Chicago is beautifully landscaped and clean. This visual detail adds to the world class experience of the destination and Chicago’s brand.

2) Distinction can be leveraged in any industry and segment.
98% of all Sushi restaurants look and feel the same, that was until I experienced Friends Sushi. This quaint neighborhood spot takes sushi to a new place. Imagine a retro, hip lounge with white vinyl furniture happy, cheery atmosphere. That is Friends Sushi. Not only was the food awesome, the staff way friendly, but the overall experience very memorable. Their name, logo and all touch points were delightful.

3) Slick and professional is not always the answer.
We went to Second City for our fix of comedy and improv and on the way stumbled upon a retail gem called The Spice House
Old-fashioned with a sensory-explosion, this spice boutique has been serving up flavor in small bottles for over 51 years. Nothing is fancy and that makes it so cool. And there is not shortage of human interaction and experience. You can taste, mix, blend and talk to hard-core spice experts. The authentic, no slick approach to this brand is simply irresistible.

4) Methaphors are so powerful.
Sunday I hung out in the Wicker Park area. This funky, artsy pocket of interesting businesses is worth checking out. Piece Brewery and Pizzeria is another amazing little find. This neighborhood dinner combines pizza and brew, sports and a united spirit of casual and calm. The name Piece, certainly applies to the slice you get of New- Haven style thin crust pizza, but the logo has a much bigger story of peace. Beyond the signage, all of their merchandise is branded with a brilliant graphic mark (piece of pizza) and a very nice Karma-enriching symbol of peace. I even felt nicer when I walked by the place.

5) Packaging is a compelling story teller.
Just when I thought I’ve seen every which way you can spin soap, I discovered Mojo Spa. Mojo Spa began with one woman’s quest for the perfect lip balm. Amanda Kezios, a personal chef turned beauty product inno-vator, made use of her talents in the kitchen to concoct a unique & natural lip balm that could cure her dry chapped lips. Mojo Spa creates over 200 bath & beauty products inspired by comfort foods & nostalgic treats. Their products utilize natural food ingredients, aromatherapy blends, positive affirmations, healing crystals & sound therapy. All our products continue to remain handcrafted, in small batches, with lots of care & attention to ensure quality & freshness. From the tastefully inviting window display to the culinary packaging of beauty potions as cupcakes and other goodies, this place delivers on their promise, where beauty meets comfort.

(Revelation #2) - Brand equity is a forgiving force.
I’m a loyal fan of Starwood properties. I patronize all of their brands and have never had a disappointing experience, until this trip to Chicago. We stayed at the Westin downtown. From the moment I stepped in the lobby it felt stressful and rushed. I’ve stayed at the Westin in Times Square and never quit felt this vibe, maybe it was just a crazy week. The staff all seemed to be on a high dose of grumpy pills too, except for Lorenzo the doorman. He shared with me that he had been working at that location for 47 years. Wow. I can see why, he was a stellar brand asset, kind, friendly, with a no rush attitude, made you feel like a movie star, until you had to ask the concierge a question, not so nice. I understand sometimes life does interfere with delivering on your brand promise “Relax here” and  like I said, I’m a loyal Starwood customer, so I forgive them and will not harbor this bad experience, in fact I’ve already erased it from my mind and will be booking another Starwood property soon. Had this been a brand I didn’t have this relationship with, I would have surely kicked them under the bus for good.

Happy branding! Till next time.

According to a recent survey by Pew Research, the commercial use of the Internet among Americans continues to grow: 58% of US adults say they conduct research online about products and services, up from the 49% who said so in 2004, while roughly one-quarter (24%) have posted comments or reviews online about products they buy. (thanks to MarketingProfs for posting)

I am one of the 58%. I am a research nut who conducts online searches for both personal and professional products and services several times a day. I came across two companies yesterday while conducting online research. One of them is now a contender for my business. The other, sadly, lost terribly.

Here is some background. I am looking for a new washing machine since mine has decided that it no longer wants to clean my clothes. At this point, I don’t want to search by features, colors or price. I need to know which ones will fit into the predetermined and unalterable spot for the washing machine. All the major and local appliance stores’ websites offered the same search parameters: color, price, most popular, highest rated.

I went to Google and typed in “appliance by size.” The results listed, among others, a site that “aims to make it as easy as possible to find the products that fit your space – be it furniture, home electronics or even large appliances. You can find all the products you need for your new apartment in a size-friendly search environment.”

Great! I thought, that’s exactly what I’m looking for, so I went to the site and entered “washing machine” in the search box. The auto-fill suggested the following: combination microwave & wall ovens, convertible dishwashers, countertop microwave ovens, double wall ovens, waffle irons (aside: how big do they get?), and wall air conditioners.

When I typed in “washing machine,” I received the reply “no entries found.” What I did find was that I was annoyed that the site didn’t work. I would have been happy to spend lots of time on the site looking for what I needed. This might have provided them some ad revenue and perhaps some affiliate income if I purchased on line. I likely would have highly recommended the site if it worked. Instead, I went back to the google search results and found www.ajmadison.com. Kudos to them on a website well done! Not only is the site super easy to navigate and search, (they allowed me to search by appliance size!) but they have also embraced social media. The highly informative and engaging social medial channels are FREE and cost them only their time to assemble and post content. Under the AJ Madison Community umbrella, they have the following channels and descriptions listed. From the AJ Madison site:

Facebook: The AJ Madison Facebook Fan Page is updated every day with the latest deals and product specials. The AJ Madison Experience (found under the “Boxes” tab) presents a simple, ever-changing interface with deals and links to the site, while Shop AJ Madison allows you to browse and buy from our entire site, all while logged into Facebook. Become a fan today!

Twitter: For information about promotions, as well as general appliance news (and some surprises), follow us on the official AJ Madison Twitter page (@AJMadison). On average, we tweet several times a day, and deals are normally announced in the morning.

YouTube: We periodically update our YouTube channel with new informative product videos. In the near future, we’ll have a steady stream of content and new videos to keep you apprised of the latest appliances and how to use and maintain them.

Tumblr: Every weekday, we update our Tumblr page with information on a new “just-in” product. This is a supplement to the New Products RSS Feed, with our own views on the featured appliance thrown in for good measure.

Flickr: Each week, we showcase a new product from the AJ Madison showroom on our Flickr page, giving you original images and in-depth looks at our newest appliances. Subscribe to our Flickr stream or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.

Appliance Authority (blog): You’re on AJ Madison’s Appliance Authority blog right now! We update our blog several times a week with how-to guides, top rated product spotlights, buying tips and more. Check back here every weekday for a new post, or you can also follow it via this RSS Feed.

Google Buzz: We’re proud to be one of the first companies on Google’s new Buzz network. Though we’re currently experimenting with this brand-new platform, Buzz integrates all of our other profiles (Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and more), and we add daily deals, news and information right from our Brooklyn office. If you’re a Buzz or GMail user, or just generally curious, visit our Buzz profile and follow us today!

And, it gets better! I tweeted, “@AJMadison I love your website! So well done and informative. If I still lived in NYC, I’d be purchasing my new washing machine from y’all.”

In less than an hour, they responded, “Thank you, friend! We still deliver to your neck of the woods.”

By being on top of their social media channels, they created a direct, personal, immediate dialogue with a potential customer that lives 800 miles away. That kind of responsiveness makes them a top contender for my business.

Key takeaway points:

1. If you sell a product or service that people are likely to research, write rich content and reviews and create lots of search parameters that will attract researchers to your site.

2. Leverage social media channels. Distribute all that great content through Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, etc.

3. Monitor those channels. Read and respond to potential buyers. Read and contribute to discussion boards and forums in which your products and or services are the subject. Become a trusted authority.

4. Provide solutions. I tweeted that I would buy from them if I lived closer. They responded, “no problem, we can do that.” I went back to the site and saw that FREE DELIVERY was offered to my zip code on the item I was considering.

5. Read the bad stuff, too. You might find that unsatisfied customers posted their complaints online. If possible, try to reach out to them and resolve the problem. Research shows that customers who complain and are satisfied with how the complaint was resolved are up to 8% more loyal than if they had no complaint at all.

All annoying,  all unnecessary, even if you work on commission.

My good buddy, international sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer said it best, “People don’t likes to be sold, but, they like to buy.”

You know who I’m talking about, it’s likely one of your relatives, I know it’s one of mine. They are always pushing food on me, try this, eat this, have some of this. The more I say “no thank you”, the more they push, the less I want it.

Does it make me want to try the food? Heck no. It aggravates me, same goes for pushy sales people.

I understand in tough times, we all want the sale, but instead of pushing, try pleasing, providing value and supplying pure helpfulness.

4 pleasurable ways to get customers to want your stuff instead of running from it.

1. Share a tip or secret about your product or someone else’s.
2. Send an unexpected handwritten note with a special offer, personalized and just for them.
3. Randomly offer a free trial or sample of a service or product with no strings attached.
4. Add a bonus gift to a small purchase.

Jump in your customer’s shoes today, and you can.

If you have a marketing role as an entrepreneur or a professional, you’d better be able to get in those customer shoes or you are in big trouble.

Today’s marketers of the most successful companies have a special skill.  Call it enterprising empathy—an astute ability to walk in the shoes of customers, see the world like they do, own their values and feel their most important needs, desires and pain.

This week, I’m in Aspen CO, a very elite mountain town and resort community. I’m staying at a several million dollar condo, surrounded by wealthy guests who sport everything from designer Prada garb, to Rolex bling, to Gap brand distressed jeans and no name flip flops. Nothing is inexpensive. There are masses of fit and attractive people every where and you experience an extreme attitude of quality and thoughtful service.

Businesses that do well here, even in the recent tough economic times understand the values of their market and know what makes them tick. They put on the Cole Haan and Jimmy Choo shoes, no matter how they personally see the world.

Is marketing to the affluent about entitlement, status, design, attention to detail? Or maybe a mix of all? Likely it depends on what they are selling to what affluent segment.

As a marketer or entrepreneur, especially if you are a successful one, it can be easy to put on the shoes that best represent and fit you. You are successful and affluent, you live a lux life, it’s a natural way to serve your customers the way you want to be treated.

But here’s the challenge, your customer or clients may be very different than you. They might be unemployed, have less disposable income, wouldn’t know great design, if it bit them in the butt or even be flat broke. They can also be older and have a very different set of values.

Yet many marketers and entrepreneurs try to push their values and preferences on their customers and wonder why sales are weak. DAAH!

Empathy is truly essential in effective marketing. Doing things just the way you like them can be the kiss of death, unless you are a mirror image of your customers, which often we are not.

On your next marketing challenge, try these strategies.

1) Loose all your beliefs
What matters is what your customer believes.

2) Don’t fall in love with your first idea.
First ideas often come from values you embrace.

3) Have an open mind to things that seem weird, stupid and crazy.
A Gen Yer views the planet, technology and TV advertising completely different than a 75-year old grandmother.

4) Shut up. Watch and listen to the target market.
Marketers tend to talk too much, often filling the heads of their research pools with their beliefs and then the market pool or research subjects will just agree with what you’ve thrown at them.  This will not produce gems of relevant marketing brilliance, but more of what you like.

When creating marketing plans for clients or your own business, think about what the buyer really wants and will respond to.  A Walmart fan may not even know who Frette is and most senior citizens are not digitally dominated. And don’t forget the importance of gender wiring. There is a huge gap in how women want their info and what men think and don’t think about.

For the most effective marketing ideas, jump into the buyers’ shoes. Leave your boots, heals and running shoes at home for your personal journey.

In this guest blog post, Jill Griffin, the loyalty maker answers frequently asked questions about customer win-back. Plus, 7 ways to keep them loyal.

What is customer win-back?
Win-back is a process for recoverying lost customers.

Most firms consider the lost customer a lost cause but research shows that lost customers represent a rich source of revenue for any firm.

What is the difference between a win back and a save?
You win back a customer who has stopped buying your product or service completely. You save a customer from defection who is still buying from you but is showing signs of possible defection. We devote a complete chapter to save strategies in our book, Customer WinBack.

When a customer is lost, what are the criteria for determining whether that customer should be regained, and if she should be regained, how do I determine her priority in relation to other lost customers?
Two key concepts – second lifetime value (SLTV) and reason for defection are important to answering your question. First , a word about SLTV. The term originated with Dr. Bernd Stauss, a professor at Catholic University in Germany and Christian Friege, marketing director at Doubleday Direct, and means the value of the relationship once the customer is regained. Generally speaking, you’ll want to give customers with higher SLTV more win back priority in regard to investment than those with lower SLTV. However, SLTV is not the only criteria for setting win-back priorities. You will also want to pay attention to reason for defection. There are a number of reasons why customers leave and you want to target lost customer who are less likely to leave you again. We look at 5 different reasons for defection in our book, Customer WinBack and explore best strategies for each.

After you have determined that the lost customer is worth winning back, what’s next?
1. Ask the customer this question: “What can we do to win back your business?”

2. Listen closely to what customers tell you.

3. Meet the customer’s requirements and when you’ve corrected the problems that led to the defection, communicate the changes you have made. Ask again for the customer’s business.

4. Be patient with the customer. Be open. Remember, some wounds heal slowly.

5. Stay in touch with the lost customer.

6. Make it easy for customers to come back to you. Avoid the “I told you so” stance.

7. When the customer does return, earn his or her business every day.

What are the financial rewards related to win back? Is it worth the effort?
A study by Marketing Metrics has found firms have a much better chance of winning business from lost customers than from new prospects. The research found the average firm has a 60 to 70 percent probability of successfully selling again to ‘active’ customers, a 20 to 40 percent probability of successfully selling to lost customers, and only a 5 to 20 percent probability of making a successful sale to prospects. Bottomline, win back can bring big rewards.

Are there benefits to win back beyond the bottom line?
Win back programs can help you…

1. Uncover improvement opportunities. Dialogue with customers who are on the brink of defection or who have already defected can help you pinpoint opportunities to improve product and service delivery, correct miscommunications and identify new product opportunities.

2. Develop an at-risk profile. By analyzing lost customers, you can develop a profit for detecting at-risk customers.

3. Limit negative word of mouth. A lost customer recovery program can help you limit negative word of mouth from unhappy customers who defect and encourage positive word of mouth from the customers who are regained. Conversely, if their concerns are left unaddressed, defecting customers can be a deadly source of informal negative publicity.

Why is now a good time to focus on winning back lost customers?
1. Never before have technological tools for winning back lost customers been more available or affordable. From e-mails to off-line direct mail services ordered online, a host of new tools are emerging to help you reconnect with lost customers.

2. In any market space, there is a limited number of best customers so you need to keep yours close. In All Customers Are Not Created Equal, Garth Hallberg points out that “for most categories (of business), one third of the buyers account for at least two-thirds of the volume. The ‘high-profit segment’ generally delivers six to ten times as much profit as the low-profit segment. Moreover, they are critical, not only because of their profit contribution, but also because of their relatively small number.”

3. Win-back programs can give you a real competitive edge. A combination of strong acquisition, retention and win-back programs can help you bullet proof your firm against competitive attacks. Conversely, if your competitor gets strong win-back programs in place before you do, your chances for recapturing and keeping the best customers are reduced considerably. In many things in life, there is true advantage to being first. Win-back programs are no exception.

Want more on loyalty? Check out Jilll’s books, Customer Winback, Customer Loyalty, Taming the Search-and-Switch Customer: Earning Customer Loyalty in a Compulsion-to-Compare World