Reputation Marketing with Phil K. James

Google Reviews...matter. But it's difficult to get them. The usual way this works is that the business asks for a customers email. Sometimes you get it but far too often you don't.  If you do get the email that results in the business sending out a note asking for a positive review. You might get it but more than likely not because it's not "in the moment".

So, let's fix that and allow your customer to leave you a positive review moments after they have raved about the service, the food or the job.  How does that happen? Meet Phil K. James my friend and the owner of Good Milkshake Digital who for nearly 15 years has been helping businesses, mostly restaurants, with some great creative the drives customers.  Now, he has a system that allows your satisfied customer to instantly create a positive review which in turn moves you up the chain in a Google search.  How does all of this work?  Listen to our conversation from a recent segment of Insight on Business and learn. It will blow your mind...and it works.

Thanks for Listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Little Things Make the Difference

I'm a big fan of fountain pens. Bought my first Montblanc (image) back in 1987 to celebrate a big job promotion. I remember going into a store some months prior to that and looking at them. The staff person asked me if I wanted to buy it.  I said, "No, not yet, I've not done enough to deserve it." She looked at me and said, "That much guilt? You must be either Jewish or Catholic." She guessed right.

Fast forward to this year when I gave my Bride a fountain pen created by Rob Beers of the Quill & Nib located in Valley Junction in West Des Moines, Iowa. I filled it with some standard black ink but she wanted a color and suggested green. So, back to see Rob and picked up a bottle of Iroshizuku (colored drops) ink. Pricy? A bit but the color was right and after I cleaned and filled her pen she commented on how smooth the writing was. What? The kind of ink makes a difference when it comes to the ease of writing? I had no idea that such a little thing would make such a huge difference.  So it was back to the Quill & Nib for a bottle of black ink. And, yes, it is amazing!

The story here isn't so much about ink but about the little things that can make a huge difference when it comes to performance. So the question to you might be: "What small changes can you make to your business that will pay huge dividends for you and your customer?" It's worth thinking about and then taking action. You never know until you try it.

One more thing. Several years ago I sat down and did an interview with Rob. It was a Small Business Spotlight for our program Insight on Business the News Hour. Years ago Rob was chided by his Mother suggesting that he get a "real job". A guy that marches to his own drummer, he decided to go into retail but in something very special. Rob liked custom and high end pens. Have a listen to that 2019 conversation below. While the Quill & Nib is a great store he doesn't have a website or do social media. You want to connect you'll have to call him at 515-223-6299. This way you can also support local.

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays! 

Adding Value That Lasts

Recently a non-profit client that we've worked with for nearly twenty years began asking their members for donations that would go toward various programs at their upcoming Conference and Trade Show. It's sort of a new thing for them. In discussing all of this with the staff we asked the question, "What value added opportunities are you offering the donors?"

We were told there would be signage, mention in their printed magazine, social media notices and, perhaps, even a "thank you note" sent to the member company. 

All good and proper but in our mind much of that is fleeting. (However, we do know that a written thank you is something many people hang on to...simply because it's such a lost art.)

Our next thought was, "What can we do that will really ad value to that companies brand? What can they use over and over again to boost their business and explain to others who and what they are?"

It's here that we suggested doing recorded interviews with the higher level donors and adding video to the interview. Then packaging all of this up and sending the video interviews to the company following the event. They, in turn, could use those on their website, in their social media or their video platform.  No additional cost but done in such a way that our "thank you" lasts and lasts.

We got the "go" and so looking forward to adding real value to these corporate donors.

Thanks for reading! 

 

 

Know Your USP?

For decades we’ve told our clients about the importance of staying on message. And, it’s one of the most difficult strategies to employ. So many times we see advertisers go off message because they pick up a hot new topic. While that’s not a bad idea if it collides with your USP you’ll end up confusing consumers.

So, what is a USP?  It’s your Unique Selling Proposition. In other words, what is it that your company does better than anybody else?  To be sure, this takes some real thought and that takes time.  Let me give you several examples of very successful USP ideal.

Sam Kreamer is not only an attorney but also a CPA. His USP is this: “We get things done!” It seems that in his line of work many attorneys’ take so much time doing their job that often clients complain. He thought so much of his USP that it is also trademarked. (You can click on the image to enlarge.)

Von Maur is a regional high end department store that traces its beginnings back to 1872 and in 1928 became Peterson, Harned & Von Maur. Today, 37 Von Maur stores are scattered across 15 states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin; and still expanding.   For decades their USP has been, “Our only interest is you.” The firm does not charge an interest fee on their credit cards and when you visit the store the staff makes you feel like their only interest is in serving…you. Brilliant.

So, what is it that you do better than anybody else in your field and can you distill that activity into just a few words?  Do that and the rest of your marketing/advertising will be easy.

Asking For The Order...

I remember attending a sales meeting at one of my first broadcast jobs. It was a little odd because the "on air" people usually didn't mix with the "sales people" but I was curious as to what they did to keep us...paid.  I'll never forget his wise words that ended the meeting, "Never, ever leave the sales meeting without asking for the order."

So simple yet so profound. Both the sales person and the client know what the meeting is about. I mean I've had sales people take me to lunch, have a nice chat but they never actually asked for the order. 

But this post isn't so much about sales as it is about marketing. Ready?

I'm not sure how much time you spend checking out the various reviews a business gets, say on Google. My Bride always checks the reviews before she buys anything.  And that's where this story goes:

Not long ago I did some business with a printing company for a client.  We had created eight large posters for an event and sent them to our commercial printer who we've used for years for that sort of thing. They did a nice job, they turned the project quickly, we were satisfied and our client was blown away.

Then something interesting happened.

Weeks later I got an email from the owner of the printing company asking me my thoughts about their work and if I would recommend them.  I answered that I was impressed with not only the quality but also the pricing and the turn around.  He then asked me if I would rate them on...Google.

And, of course I did.

He asked for the order.

There is plenty of competition out there for whatever you are selling so, how can you stand out? Ask for the recommendation and make it public.  There are folks out there, like my Bride, who will dwell on those reviews and how many "stars" a product or service has. And it often makes the buying decision easier and more informed.

And, the best news is your cost is practically zero.

Where Are the Workers? Asked and...Answered.

Let's visit about the Labor Shortage.  A couple of weeks ago I was at an event organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. It is one of the largest business groups in the nation. The breakfast was designed to outline their legislative wish list for 2022.

During the Q & A session one business person asked this: “Everywhere you look there are businesses looking for workers but they are not there.  Where have these workers…gone?”

Well, the answer is complex but let’s take a shot but I can tell you it all starts with...money.

An MIT and CNBC analysis earlier this year found that even a $15 minimum wage wouldn't be a living wage for many families. Anecdotally, businesses paying higher wages haven't struggled as much with labor shortages and understaffing.

Show me the money…is what we’re hearing.

The love, hate your job issue is real. According to an Indeed survey of about 1,000 people who "voluntarily resigned from at least two jobs since March 2020," most of them (92%) said "the pandemic made them feel life is too short to stay in a job they weren't passionate about."

Flexibility is important:  One of the industries feeling the most pain is leisure and hospitality. Even if employers in that sector increase wages, they may have trouble finding workers because those jobs have to be done in person…and there isn’t much flexibility in scheduling.

According to one survey of 10,000 knowledge workers from Future Forum, workers want flexibility in both location and schedule.

Child care is an issue. First will the children be safe and secondly child care is so expensive that many parents have done the math and it makes more sense to stay home than  pay child care costs that may be more than their mortgage payment.

Fear of illness: As the pandemic stretches on…many workers just don’t want to chance getting sick. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that, in November, 1.2 million people didn't look for work because of the pandemic. In addition, some workers may be quitting or staying out of work because they're hesitant to get the vaccine, as more businesses put requirements in place.

Early Retirement: More workers have…also…retired early…we covered that moments ago…and now some may want to come back into the workforce…time will tell.

Immigration is also a root cause of the shortage: There are about 1.2 million adult foreign workers or work-eligible immigrants who are just not here because of the restrictions that have been imposed during the pandemic.

Job Disconnect: There is also a job disconnect between available workers and the jobs that are open. 48% of jobseekers surveyed by FlexJob said that they're frustrated with the job search, because they weren't finding the right positions — and the ones that are open pay too low.  Back to pay again.

Job burnout is another factor: Some workers are resigning because of burnout, putting added stress on employers and the remaining employees. Workers are taking on extra duties as companies struggle to fill positions, leading these workers to also feel burned out.

Technology is also to blame:  Qualified workers might be applying for roles that fit them, but hiring managers don't even know. Some are getting filtered out by hiring software. As the Wall Street Journal first reported, a Harvard Business School study found that over 10 million workers are filtered out by hiring software.

Employers also filter out workers because of preexisting biases and inequities.

Roughly 70 million workers don't have a college degree, but are known as "STARS" — Skilled Through Alternative Routes. They account for two-thirds of American workers, but many may be filtered through educational requirements…that often really don’t match the real world job requirements.

Often felons are filtered out:  And there continues to be a big divide when it comes to white workers vs. black workers…with black unemployment still high.

Entrepreneurship:  Finally…people are done working for others and want to become their own boss.   According to Bloomberg's reporting on business applications from the Census Bureau, there have been a record number of applicants in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the first nine months in previous years.

The US reached its highest number of unincorporated self-employed workers during the pandemic so far in July 2021 — also the highest number since the last big crisis to hit our country in 2008.

So, where have all the workers gone…?  Lots of possibilities.

About Insight on Business the News Hour:

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Staying Vital in Small Town Iowa

It's a return visit from Lyle Muller of Iowa Watch - The Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism. Today we're talking about the 1118 incorporated and unincorporated communities in Iowa and the success/failure of business, population growth and quality of life. How some small communities are doing when it comes to all manner of business issues. We'll also talk about broadband and how some towns have been able to go it alone. It's a fascinating conversation that is not unique to Iowa.  Here is that article and here is our conversation. 

Thanks for listening! 

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Getting Stuff is Getting Harder

There are two signs Americans are seeing almost everywhere. The first are the "Help Wanted" signs or the "We're Hiring" flags posted in the hope that somebody...anybody will show up. The second most common sign is "Out of Order". Here it is on an ice machine at a very nice property at Lake Okoboji in Iowa. The staff told me it's been out of order for a couple of weeks. "We just can't get parts", she said before she took my ice bucket into the closed restaurant (COVID Hours) for a fill up.

Getting stuff is getting harder and it's no wonder. As I write this there are 125 cargo ships at anchor off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California. Two weeks ago there were 75. Some have been there for weeks waiting to dock. But there are fewer dock workers, fewer trucks, fewer drivers.

The trucking industry says it is anywhere from 50,000 to 75,000 truck drivers short. I spoke to one industry executive who told me they are no longer able to guarantee delivery on a specific date. His company recently had to settle with a customer who shipped a trade show booth by truck only to have it show up days late. 

Retail experts are saying that if you are planning on giving gifts this holiday season you might want to purchase them now because inventory is low and there isn't a light at the end of the supply chain tunnel. It's becoming more likely that what sits under the tree this year might be a picture of the gift...rather than the real thing.

All of this has a serious impact on price. If you remember your old Econ 101 class on supply and demand you get it. High demand and low supply means higher prices for consumers.

Maybe we're starting to get it. Retail sales numbers for August were up by .8%. Economists had predicted a drop of .7%. That is a major miss on the guess and should be a bright spot for the economy but what about the future?

I'm a journalist and a marketing/advertising professional. I don't have much of an answer other than to suggest that you shouldn't over promise, or perhaps even promise, delivery of your stuff by a date certain. Be honest with your customer. Let them know upfront that supplies are tight and that you'll do your best. 

Consumers have become conditioned to "one day shipping" so it's going to be tough for them to wait but, waiting is becoming the new reality.

One other point that makes a big difference is how you and your staff handle the supply chain crisis. The cheery woman at this property with the "Out of Order" sign told me there was another ice machine at the far side of the facility but then said, "Let me have your ice bucket, I'll fill it from our restaurant machine. It will only take me a minute."  Sure, I could have walked the hall but she made the effort, was honest and it was truly appreciated. And that little gesture boosted their brand and in the end that is what I'll remember.

Effective Communication Tools for NIACC

Hello...as I indicated in the video below I was to have presented a business class this past Monday on Zoom. For some reason students were unable to connect and I really feel bad about that.  So....check out the audio portion below the video to hear about my thoughts regarding Effective Communication for business and your personal life. My thanks to Rowena Crosbie and Deborah Rinner for their insightful book, "Your Invisible Toolbox - The Technological Ups and Interpersonal Downs of the Millennial Generation". I use this fantastic book all the time and highly recommend it to you. What is really neat is that while over 100 topics are discussed none are longer than two and a half pages.

 

The audio portion of my presentation on Effective Communication is below.  All you have to do is click to listen.

NIACC Effective Communication August 2021

Thanks again and I truly hope we've got the Tech Bugs behind us.  Hope to visit with you each Monday at Noon through the North Iowa Area Community College. The link to the program is here.

You can reach me a number of ways: [email protected] or [email protected] or my direct line is 515-331-3207.

Take care!

Join Me at EntreFEST!

It will be really special! People from all over the country will be converging on Cedar Rapids, Iowa for EntreFEST June 10 - 11. Why? Great question.  People will be coming to learn and earn for their startup dream or their current entrepreneurial business. On hand will be a host of speakers on topics from finance to marketing to wellness, diversity, sales...you name it. If it has to do with business you'll find something here that clicks.

This will be my first time at EntreFEST and I'll be speaking on Podcasting for Business. I'll cover topics from why podcasting rocks to equipment, sales, promotion and more. Plus, for those who want some "one-on-one" time I'll be available for questions and offer some coaching tips.  So why me on podcasting? We've been doing the daily Insight on Business in podcast form and on the radio for a dozen years.

In addition, because we do this every day.  I'll be there to record some "evergreen" business interviews that we'll use over the next several weeks.  Hey, you get to be part of our "studio audience" as well. 

Here is your link to purchase tickets for EntreFEST 2021 and BONUS...if you use the promo-code LIBBIE you'll get 20% off the price.  Also, if you're not keen on making the trip you can join the event virtually as well.  So, no excuse for anybody anywhere on the planet to miss this great event.

See you in June!