Gift Certificate Marketing, Don't Forget the Follow Through - Dumb Marketing Move

This week’s Dumb Marketing Move goes to Mango Moon.

There’s a new craze for half off gift certificates for local companies. As a marketer, I think it is great because these small companies, whether they are a restaurant, a gym, or a retail store, can gain some major exposure by partnering up with websites like Groupon.com, and HalfOffDepot.com.

So why am I awarding Mango Moon Restaurant this award if they used one of these websites to gain exposure? It was in their follow through. Gift certificates are a way to get people in the door, but you can not forget the follow through.

I had friends of mine go to their restaurant and use all of the gift certificate except $4. And they didn’t give them the balance for a return visit, not $4 in cash; it should have been $4 to use at their restaurant for another visit. It could have been in the form of a business card someone fills out, or even just printed on their receipt. Sure, $4 might seem like they shouldn’t honor it, and plus they already ate for ½ price with the purchase of this gift certificate. But the kicker, Mango Moon could have had return customers with that $4, and they would have spent much more than that! As soon as my friends told me this last night, that’s when I realized I needed to tell everyone out there with a business. (Note: Have you had this experience? Tell us about it below!!)

They blew their chance! Since I wasn’t there, I don’t know if it was just a server that made this decision, but it should have been communicated to everyone on the staff to honor anything leftover on these certificates. The first step with Groupon, or Half Off Depot, is to gain a customer. They accomplished this. The second step, get them to come back! Isn’t that what you want with all of your customers? So, now did their ½ off gift certificate work to gain them business? I have to say NO, because they didn’t follow through on something small and seemingly insignificant.

Lesson Learned: The small stuff counts! Even though your customers are getting an amazing deal the first time around, and might be cutting into your costs, you have to think about the future. How much will your customers be worth the next time they visit, and the next time and the next time? Your customers, and potentially loyal customers, are sitting at a table in your restaurant. They are already there, waiting to be reeled in! Don’t let them get away.

And remember, as an owner you need to communicate to your staff what you are doing marketing wise, so that they will be able to follow through for you. Make them feel part of the team, and part of the life of the business.

Keep Your Emotions out of Company Reviews - Dumb Marketing Move

This week’s Dumb Marketing Move goes to Ocean Avenue Books!

In today’s world of social networking anything that is said about your business is forever on the web, good or bad. Unfortunately, Diane Goodman of Ocean Avenue Books found out the hard way by making a Dumb Marketing Move.

She took a criticism on Yelp.com to heart. [From Wikipedia - Yelp. is a Web 2.0 company that operates a social networking, user review, and local search web site. Over 25 million people access Yelp's website each month, putting it in the top 100 of U.S. Internet web sites] Especially as a small business owner your business is your heart and soul, and you only want people to say glowing things but that’s not the real world.

Goodman, sole owner and employee, read a harsh review of her store "This place is a TOTAL MESS," wrote somebody who went by the handle Sean C. "I think this place needs to close down for a few days and do a thorough cleaning and organization and get rid of all the crap!" and she decided to reply to the reviewer. Here is their Yelp Page. This is where it turns bad, she told the reviewer to say it to her face and many other words that a business owner should never say to a customer. It just escalated from there all the way to her getting booked for battery! This might be an extreme case, but this proves it happens. Read the full story at Inc.com: You’ve been Yelped! http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100201/youve-been-yelped.html

Lesson Learned: Social Media puts your company in front of potential customers, and it’s a great tool when used correctly. If you feel the need to reply to a bad review, remove your emotions and reply as if they are in your store. Take it even further, apologize and address the problem. When someone complains, that means there might be a deeper problem and it SHOULD be addressed. It also shows your customers and potential customers that you are worthy of their business. But also remember, people are more likely to complain than to compliment!

SIMPLE Website Design

Don't you just love those beautifully designed websites with all the animated, and flash (whatever) technology that takes you forever to navigate the site?

There is an old marketing maxim you might want to try when developing your site, It is known by the acronym K.I.S.S. or Keep it simple stupid! 

I'm sure you're all much more smart than that though...cause this is common sense!

Communicating To Your Customers

Main Entry: cur·mud·geon
Pronunciation: \(ˌ)kər-ˈmə-jən\
Function: noun
1 archaic : miser
2 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man

Features VS. Benefits, Which is Better??

Why is it that so many advertisers have failed to grasp the basic understanding that people don't buy features, they buy benefits

If features are communicated from the advertiser's perspective rather than benefits of the targeted audience's perspective, they are doomed to failure or at best minimal success. After all the singular most important interested the individual has is themselves and that which will benefit their lives and those they care about. It is just common sense. . .which unfortunately has become the uncommon factor in most marketing efforts.

Best, Curmmie