|
|
 We all heard about the benefits of being first movers, but what does this mean? Is it always good to be first mover?
Toyota Prius, for instance. Absolute first mover. It was created in 1997 and it aimed to save us from greenhouse effect. An “innovative” hybrid machine of gasoline and electricity, able to get more than 90 miles to the gallon. In theory it didn’t have a choice besides being a great success. Instead well… I really haven’t seen people rushing to Toyota to get theirs: A name nobody is sure how to spell, ugly as hell, and aimed “everybody” as target group.
Toyota has “sinned” in many fronts, and I guess people have written books about it. As I see it, the core of the problem is that Prius was a technology driven development, that didn’t take a specific target group/ hive into consideration. Some people could say: “They thought about environmentally minded people…” But did they? Did they understand what the target group likes, how they should appeal? What really matters? Did they understand how to make the hive “fall in love” with their car? This is a typical example of technology driven development…
Being the first mover is just not enough. You need to understand your target group needs, as they were your own needs, in order to be able to exploit the position.
The successful branding is a consequence of the ability of finding a “market void”, the unexploited market need and fulfill it IN A WAY THAT YOUR TARGET GROUP “FALL IN LOVE” WITH IT.
I guess Toyota didn’t make it easy for anybody to fall in love with Prius, not even their desired “target group” who ever they are…
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
already
 Often sales mentality dictates that just about anything should be done to turn a prospect into a customer, including stretching the truth, promising more than what can be delivered. We’ve all heard “The customer is king, the customer is always right”. I would rather say “If the customer is king then honesty is god”
My postulate is that being able to say “no” and to be honest is an investment, not a bad thing nor a failure.
You may lose an immediate sale, but what you are doing is investing in your image, and branding yourself as a trustworthy partner.
You will give a strong positive and unexpected experience, and without any doubt your company will be the first choice when the prospect actually needs your services/products in the future. And not only that, you will be awarded with a faithful customer that can act as a good “viral sneezer” on your behalf. It is better to create a long term business relationship and achieve what is known as a “deeply felt affection” in branding terms rather than a quick one-time deal!
“The core of branding is not to be a known trademark. To have a successful branding is to achieve a status where loyalty reaches a deep emotional level, the so-called “deeply felt affection”. And this “deeply felt affection will without any doubts reflect on your results.”
I have experienced both as a customer and as a marketer that honesty pays, even if it means that you may be sending the potential customer away for the time being.
I was trying to arrange an event abroad. Several challenges came up and these of course needed to be overcome in order to make it happen, make it come true. I was well aware that it was a difficult and complex arrangement due mainly to time constraints, but instead of just giving up and postponing the event, I decided to give it a try. I contacted a large well known travel agency to help me out and the employee sounded very service minded and positive. He understood the challenges and would look into it ASAP. Great, I thought. And I waited, and waited… I never heard from him again, probably because he couldn’t confront me with the truth that he wouldn’t be able to deliver what he had promised me.
In the beginning I took his positive attitude as “good service”, but I eventually realized that a true good service would be if he had told me up front that my request was next to impossible and couldn’t be achieved within the desired time frame. See, that would have been customer-focused and honest but he was probably afraid of losing me as customer. He was keen to give me what he perceived as a good service. Basically he told me what he believed I wanted to hear: That it was possible and he would get back to me with a reply in no time.
If he had said “no” I would have found a new and more realistic date and he would have a very good chance of obtaining my confidence and even my loyalty (and my money).
I have postponed the event – and probably won’t be using this travel agency again, not for this event or for any others. Due to a single employee I now have this travel agency marked as unreliable in my book, which means that I will go to a competitor the next time.
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
already
I’ve posted a question on Linkedin regarding Boilerplates; what they are and how to use them. It turned out a very interesting discussion and a good complement to my previous post “Boiling the plate”.
Traditional understanding and use of Boilerplates
The original understanding of “boilerplate” refers to a standardized text that is re-used in different circumstances without being changed.
As Bob Kalsey writes in his answer:
“The only place for what is traditionally called “boilerplate” in most business communication is the fine print that companies often require to be placed on all or many of the documents they release. It may include company descriptions or legal, trademark and copyright notices that would appear in ads or at the bottom of press releases and such. These blocks of text are more often the handiwork of lawyers than of creative writers. (…)
(…) communications such as business proposals and personalized sales letters may well contain reusable standard text—boilerplate—that describes the company, its personnel, and the products or services that are the subject of the letter or proposal. (Nearly all of a document may be boilerplate, as with a contract form, when only a few specific details vary from project to project, use to use.) These communications, though, are not intended for mass distribution without customization of the text, to personalize it for the specific recipient.”
Tim Berkesch gives a very practical example on how his company has optimized business using boilerplates:
“Our company also receives Internet leads daily and we have found it necessary to prepare boilerplate material so we can respond to them in a timely manner. Boilerplate material does not have to be something negative for either the sender or the receiver.
Many people who contact us want standard information that can answer questions in order for them to proceed with their vendor evaluation. Anything we can do to provide that information as quickly as possible helps us build a relationship based on being helpful and providing a quick response.”
Boilerplates: Traditional X Modern uses
It’s not a matter of choosing sides; both ways of usage can be very effective depending of what your needs are. You can use the one or the other, or both!
| Traditional use |
Modern use |
- Legal, trademark and copyright notices
- Company descriptions
- Contract forms, proposals etc. (personalized boilerplates)
- Standard answers to information requests
Boilerplates were originally created in an environment where companies acted locally, targeting a homogenous group. They can be used to reply to very specific requests, where the customer does not expect a personal answer but a quick clarification. |
- Tool to be used internally, that facilitates management of communication consistency and flow (please see my post “Boiling the plate”)
Suited for larger companies with heterogeneous target groups and enterprises acting in different countries, targeting different cultures. |
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
already
Update: 03rd. February 2009 – please read the related post “Boiling different plates”
Personally I’ve been addicted to Boilerplates, as I find them a fantastic tool that makes marketing and communication much easier to coordinate and to produce.
A Boilerplate is a piece of text that can be used as basis for any kind of communication, a kind of internal “press release” if you like, stating the message to be transmitted.
What to take into consideration when writing a good Boilerplate:
Background information:
- Description – What it is all about: Are you presenting the company, a service, a product? Here you can include the most important features for the target group. The description of the product is not necessarily an integral part of the Boilerplate text. I’m normally provide it for the sake of the copywriter.
Boilerplate:
- Benefits – The Unique Buying Propositions: What is the value FOR the customer, as THE CUSTOMER would perceive it? (I always emphasize it because we tend to think we know what the customer wants and forget to actually investigate what they really need).
- Differentiation – What makes you better than any alternative (direct or indirect competition), what makes you special. Why YOU and not somebody else?
The boilerplate language should be clear and neutral. The texts created based on the boilerplate should be the ones adapting the language to the target group and tailored to the intended media.
I made a rough sketch illustrating how I work and how I see the relation and flow between the different tools. It’s from the top of my head and I’m probably forgetting something. Please tell me if you find pieces missing!
Let’s call it the Profeta model 
 Copyright Suzana Profeta If I’m going to target a new market segment I have new Unique Buying Propositions to present (I always work with UBP instead of USP, which is the most commonly used) I create a Boilerplate; a short text (no more than a page) presenting the Value Proposition with the new UBPs, just as in a press release. This can also be handed down to a copywriter or journalists if needed.
This text, this Boilerplate, becomes the core of any communication. The Boilerplate is adapted to different media so it can “work” on the internet, on news papers and in any other kind of collateral you are planning to produce.
Every time I have a campaign, launch or any significant marketing activity I ensure that there is a Boilerplate ready together with the most important information so my team or potentially the advertising company are all well prepared and well informed and consequently can do a great job.
If you are wondering why the name “Boilerplate” here is what Wikipedia writes about it:
“Boilerplate is any text that is or can be reused in new contexts or applications without being changed much from the original. (…)
The term dates back to the early 1900s, referring to the thick, tough steel sheets used to build steam boilers. From the 1890s onwards, printing plates of text for widespread reproduction such as advertisements or syndicated columns were cast or stamped in steel (instead of the much softer and less durable lead alloys used otherwise) ready for the printing press and distributed to newspapers around the United States. They came to be known as ‘boilerplates’. Until the 1950s, thousands of newspapers received and used this kind of boilerplate from the nation’s largest supplier, the Western Newspaper Union.”
I have a template I always use whenever I have a new Value Proposition at hand. Please feel free to ask for it on the “Comments” field below and I will mail it to you.
I already have gotten questions regarding Unique Selling Proposition against Unique Buying Proposition. I guess it will be the theme of the next post!
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
already
 I have had a couple of requests lately regarding Value Propositions. It seems to me that there are still many companies confused about what Value Proposition is and how to use it.
Value Proposition is basically an internal strategic “MAP” to be used as core of any communication to be made externally or internally at the company.
Before you go on with the strategic work and describe your Value Proposition it is imperative that you have defined very well WHO you are and WHAT you do.
It seems obvious. But often the biggest problem when working with the Value Proposition is that managers don’t have a clear picture in their minds. And the picture they do have is not necessary the same across the group.
The Value Proposition should take into consideration:
- Target group – who is the communication intended for?
- Offering – what are you presenting with the Value Proposition? The company? Products? Services?
- Benefits – what’s in it for the customer? What is important for the customer, and which value do THEY experience? You shouldn’t guess here, but get real feedback regarding what it is important to THEM. I’ve often experienced that it can be very different from what you had imagined before getting the feedback.
- Differentiation – What makes you better than any alternative (direct or indirect competition), what makes you special. Why YOU and not somebody else?
- Realistic – Ensure that you have “proof” for what you claim you can do.
In order to have a successful Value Proposition it is important that it takes the customer needs into consideration – from the CUSTOMER’S point of view.
Everybody knows the classical example: “Now with 1000 MB!!!”. Well, what does that mean? Why is 1000 MB good for me? Why is 1000 better than 500, and why not 10000 instead? What do I get for that? What’s my benefit and most importantly – what is the value of it??
According to Neil Rackham, the final Value Proposition document should cover:
Capability - what you do and how you do it
Impact – which benefits can be attained through your capabilities
Investment – the risk of your capability and impact.
The value offered must be higher than the investment the customer will make:
Value = Benefit – Investment
Remember; the Value Proposition is the CORE of any communication, not the communication itself.
Things to consider when designing your Value Proposition:
- Make it clear – don’t use loads of complex words. Write it so even your kids would understand it.
- Make it concise – Don’t write a book!
A good idea is to write in short bullet points so it is easy to read and understand – it also makes it easier to keep it simple in this way.
Outputs from the Value Proposition document are usually
- Mission Statement
- Vision Statement
- Elevator Pitch
- Boilerplate
The Value Proposition work is usually meant to target external relations such as customers, partners, suppliers, job candidates, but the work can be done to position just about anything. For instance a department can define their Value Proposition towards the rest of the company. Strange enough it is usually IT departments that choose to clearly position themselves. I haven’t heard of many marketing departments doing it – sad but true…
As a product manager I always defined the Value Proposition as a part of Business Cases for new products. I also ensured that existing products also had a Value Proposition defined so I would be able to produce Elevator Pitch and Boilerplates for them.
I will write later about Elevator Pitch, Boiler Plate, Story Telling etc. Please tell me if there is a subject you rather read about first!
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
Guidelines for personal branding – be internationally known as expert in your field!
 Today I was advising a friend on how to promote himself as an expert on his field, and I came up with a simple how-to list that may help others come across with their message and achieve a worldwide reputation on their field.
It sounds very complicated, right? But in these social-media-and-blogging-days it is really not that difficult. It requires however that you have the following on place and are persistent:
- Which image you want to have: Are you an expert in what?
- You actually have interesting and relevant knowledge to share.
When the most important is on place you need to find time and be determined. It takes lots of hard work to get there.
1. Build up a blog from where you can share your knowledge with the world.
There are many free-of-charge blogs you can use. I use WordPress and it works for me just fine. Remember to install a good anti spam otherwise you will go dead very fast. You can find one free of charge on WordPress. You don’t need to be a programmer to set up your blog. Read guidelines carefully and ask for help when you need it, and you will be fine.
2. Build up a blog that looks nice – otherwise people won’t bother to read what you write!
WordPress has millions of very nice free-of-charge templates you can use.
3. Write articles often, publish them every 5-7 days
Don’t let it go more than a couple of weeks between or your blog will die.
4. Make the articles short and “readable”
Don’t use too complicated words, and if you do, explain them. Imagine that the people that are reading you don’t know anything about the subject.
5. Include the relevant keywords on the tags, so search engines can find your articles.
6. Include your blog in search engines such as Technorati, Google, Yahoo etc.
7. Buzz it
Every time you write an article on you blog, make a link to it on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Plaxo etc, so your network is aware of what you are writing and can help you create a buzz. You can also mail the link for the article to your network and ask them their feedback and comments.
Participate of discussions on your field in different social media such as Linkedin. You can quote articles you’ve written linking to your blog.
- Comment other people’s blogs, linking to your own blog (HINT, HINT…)
8. Trackback & Feeds – Ensure that your blog’s track back is on so you can see if other people are linking to your blog and that RSS feeds can be used.
9. How are you doing?
Put a visitor track on your blog. WordPress has also a very nice (free) tracking service for the blogs they host. If nobody is visiting your blog you need to increase your “buzz work”.
You will find out along the way what works best for you, which social media to use, where you can get the best feedback.
I hope you can use this advice, and please let me know how it works for you!
Cheers!
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
I just heard from one in my network about his experiences while looking for a job. He went through a series of interviews and was offered the position. Without getting into details here on what exactly happened, the company managed to step on his toes BIG TIME, so he decided not to take the job. He told the story to me and a group of people. The common reaction was outrage, a company acting like that couldn’t be trusted; one of people on the group was about to apply for another position at the same company and right away he decided not to. A third person was looking for a new supplier within the company’s business area, and concluded that she wouldn’t take the company into consideration as a possible provider anymore. My thoughts went to branding.
 Copyright: www.lsd.eu Gallup has studied the dynamics of brand loyalty extensively. The conclusion is that loyalty is not rational, generated by trust and satisfaction, it goes deeper reaching an emotional level which results in “deeply felt affection”.
All interaction with “the world outside” can generate some kind of “deeply felt affection”, also called Brand Equity, which can be both positive and negative. As large the impact of “positive loyalty” can show on sales, as destructive “negative loyalty” can be. A customer that has experienced frustrating contact with a company, depending of the degree of the frustration, is likely not only to discontinue the relation, but also to tell about his/ her experiences to others generating a strong negative branding. This is true not only to customers but to other non-formal relations, such as in the example above of a hiring situation.
Companies are aware of the impact of negative branding in formal relations, but often are oblivious to the impact non-formal relation can have on branding. Such as people stay faithful to brands that earn both their rational trust and their affection they also “stay faithful” to the “negative loyalty” acquired on the personal level.
Strong negative branding equity generated from personal experience is much harder to recover and has a much deeper impact as it also generates persuasive negative word-of-mouth.
Great companies become great by reaching the hearts and minds of customers. Be sure that your company is not going to the opposite direction due to slacked non-formal relations.
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
 After a period working with business development and product management, I’m back home working with “pure” marketing. Branding has become one of my favourite subjects and I think my experience and knowhow can also benefit others (than my employer).
There are several good articles on the web on branding: What it is and how to define your brand, so I won’t use time on that on this blog. I intend to share some of the knowledge I’ve acquired through the daily work, and hopefully it will help others on their daily challenges.
Cheers!
In this blog I intend to share some of my experience and knowledge in different subjects including marketing, business, strategic work, etc.
I hope to keep a very practical approach so it can be useful to others in their daily work.
If you want to get updates on new blog posts please [SUBSCRIBE] to this blog
- Follow the guidelines from the link and a password will be sent to you. Please tell me if you get any difficulties with that.
You are welcome to leave a comment on my guestbook and let me know what you think about the site.
Besides my blog you will find my portfolio including my artwork and photos.
*All photos on the site are Suzana Profeta’s copyright unless something else is stated.*
Forleden kom jeg forbi en blog, som diskutere hvor surt det er for små virksomheder når de skal inddrive gæld hjemme (Danskere er dårlige betalere!). De oplever ofte stor tab og ligegyldighed fra de skyldner, selvom om de truer med foged.
Skyldneren påstår ofte, at der er mangler på varen eller ydelse. I stedet for at give virksomheden en chance for at rette på fejlen nægter de blot at betale. Selvfølgeligt er det ikke lovligt, da i følge loven skal sælgeren have en chance for at afhjælpe problemet, bytte osv. Mindre virksomheder ved ofte ikke hvordan de kan gå videre med sagen og får deres penge hjem igen. Det ender ofte med stor tab, som de ikke har råd til at have.
Her er nogle erfaringer jeg har opbygget igennem årerne:
- Trusler om foged og rykker fungerer ikke rigtigt, med mindre de dårlige betaler ved, at der ikke er tømme trusler. Man skal ikke blot true, men man skal handle derefter, derfor skal man sikre sig, at man er på den rigtige side af loven.
- Min erfaring viser at brugen af RKIs lyserød rykker som (3. rykker) resulterer i straks betaling af ca. halvdelen af gældssager.
- Hvis debitoren stadig ikke betaler, viser erfaringen, at ved at sende en gæld til inkasso er der mindst yderligere en firdel af regningerne, der bliver betalt.
- Hvis man vælger at følge inddrivelsesprocessen med RKIs lyserøde rykker og inkasso, har man 75% chance for at få sin penge hjem igen. En væsentlig reduktion af tab.
- Når en virksomhed eller person bliver registreret i RKI mister vedkomne muligheden for at få lån og kredit hos seriøse banker og virksomheder, og derfor er de fleste, især firmaer, ikke så meget for at stå i registeret – derfor er der ofte succes ved at anvende RKI.
- Der findes i Danmark flere inkasso virksomheder som kører på ”no pay, no gain” konceptet. Jeg har selv aldrig brugt dem, men det kunne være en idé at google sig til mere information. Jeg menes om at have talt med et par tandlæger, som var rimelig tilfredse med det. Den slags ordning er godt, især for mindre virksomheder, der normalt ikke har råd til inkassoinddrivelse.
- RKIs lyserød rykker kan købes i ”pakker”, som ikke er så omkostningsfulde for mindre virksomheder. (5, 10 og 20).
- Jeg ved også, at Experian har speciale rabatordninger til forskellige brancher. Det kan betale sig at ringe til dem og høre.
- At få hjælp gennem RKI er ofte billigere end man forestiller sig det vil være – og en del billigere end blot at afskrive gælden.
- Der er en del hjælpe at hente hos Experians kunderservice (Experian er firmaet som håndterer RKI registeret). De er meget søde og kan ofte fortale dig, hvordan du bedre kan gardere dig eller inddrive udbetalte regninger hjem.
- Vent ikke for længe med at handle vedr. udbetalte regningerne. Der vist nok ændringer i lovgivning fra i år pga en EU harmonisering på området, men forældelses frist plejer at være 5 år, jeg kan ikke lige huske ændringerne. Jeg mener at have læst noget om det i Experians nyhedsbrev for nogle mdr. siden. Spørg dem om det. Du kan i hvert fald gå tilbage op til 5 år for at få din penge hjem igen.
Din virksomheden kan også undgå at komme i den situation med at få sig en dårlig kunder:
- Tjek om dem du giver kredit til (firma eller person) er i forvejen kendt i RKI registeret. Hvis vedkomne er det, sørg for, at du får betaling på forhånd – og ikke giver kredit!
- Hvis det er en stor ordre, som bliver betalt på afdrag, eller med flere leveringer (og betalinger) kan det være en god idé at overvåge kunderne (Kredit Vagt), om de kommer i RKI registeret. På den måde kan du ændre din ”kreditpolitik” hurtigt, lige så snart der er faresignaler, og kræver f.eks. at i fremtiden regningerne bliver betalt eller delvis betalt FØR du leverer varen eller ydelsen.
- Det er også en god idé at overvåge de kunder du har og ikke kan betale regningerne. Hvis dem som skylder dig bliver slettet fra RKI betyder det sandsynligvis, at de begynder at betale deres regninger – og at du har bedre muligheder for at gøre krav på det de skylder dig.
- Man også købe sig til en kreditscoring om firmaer. Man kan få en slags ”trafik-lys” overblik, så man hurtig kan forstå om en virksomhed er ved at blive til dårlig betaler, samt hvad er den maximale beløb et firma har råd til at betale. Det bliver beregnet baseret på firmaets indsendt regnskaber, samt at de bliver tjekket i registeret. Jeg har aldrig selv brugt denne, men har kigget over en kollegas skulder og det så ret smart og overskueligt ude.
Subscribe on your profile to be notified when posts with similar subjects are published.
|
|
