Saturday, November 23, 2013

Where's the green shoelaces?!

Look closely and you'll notice green laces on the shoe. See 'em? 

How can green shoelaces be that important? Well, that's just the point. Seemingly trivial, but because they're just shoelaces is what makes them so terribly important. Let me explain.

Companies need to understand that every facet of their business is open game, however big or small they think it might be. Everything can be unearthed and dissected, as your customer will have a very wide range of wants, needs and gripes. 

I recently picked up a pair of wingtip brogues (pictured on the left, but with the left shoe also included) from Kenneth Cole. To be honest, I hesitated to buy anything from Kenneth Cole's website at first. That's because the company doesn't offer (as of this writing) free shipping (unless there's a special promo going on) and returns. To get free shipping both ways (a la Zappos), you have to sign up for ShopRunner, where you'll be required to "add payment" (which probably means providing your credit card number). Simply lame, Kenneth Cole. Get with the program like all the other online retailers!

I first checked out the shoes on their website as the Kenneth Cole store at my local mall closed down (not to mention that going to the mall takes too much time and effort).

I placed my order, received the shoes and they fit perfect (thank goodness or I'd have to fork out some dough to ship 'em back). But I did notice that they didn't include the green shoelaces featured on the website. True, I got the black ones (and seeing the green laces is not why I purchased the shoes); but where's the green shoelaces?! 

To my initial point in my post, they're just shoelaces, so why didn't they just include them? So naturally I'm going to bring this up to customer service. Which I did. Below is a copy and paste of my communication with Kenneth Cole's Client Services Team if you're interested.

Have you had similar experiences? If so, please do share. Or you can just tell me I'm nuts or nit-picky.


Me:  

Hi there. I received my shoes and really like them! However, I noticed that the laces they come with are black; which is fine, but I did notice on your website that the shoes are featured with green laces. Is there any way to get a pair of the green laces?

Thanks...Giovanni

Client Services:

Dear Giovanni

We understand that website shows the shoes with green laces and we have submitted an inquiry to see if we can send you a pair. Your reference number for this inquiry is 12167022. We will contact you through email within 3-5 business days with a response. We appreciate your patience and understanding.


If you have additional questions, please visit our online Client Services section. Again, thank you for contacting us.

Best Regards,
Melissa F.
The Client Services Team
www.kennethcole.com


Client Services:

Dear Giovanni,
We appreciate your order 3045753086. We apologize, but upon double checking our inventory, we have found that the Rig Wall oxfords do, in fact, come with black laces, not the green laces as pictured online. As the embellishments on our merchandise are manufactured specifically for the item, we do not have the green laces and are unable to provide laces to you. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you.

We are very happy that you like the shoes, but we will certainly assist you with a pre-paid return label should you wish to return them due to the incorrect laces. Please let us know and we will process your label within 1-2 business days.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We value each one of our clients and look forward to assisting you again soon.



If you have additional questions, please visit our online Client Services section. Again, thank you for contacting us.
Best Regards,
Marci C.
The Client Services Team
www.kennethcole.com

Me:
 
Thanks. I'll keep the shoes. Is there another shoe lace color you can send me? 

Client Services:
 
Dear Giovanni,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the laces from order 3045753086 and we have resubmitted your inquiry. We assure you we are doing everything in our power to provide you with a timely resolution. Once this inquiry is completed, we will contact you through email at kgella@yahoo.com with a response. Please refer to reference number 12167022 for this inquiry. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.

If you have additional questions, please visit our online Client Services section. Again, thank you for contacting us.
Best Regards,

Karen W.
The Client Services Team
www.kennethcole.com

Client Services:


Dear Giovanni,
 
Thank you for contacting us regarding additional shoe laces for the Rig Wall Oxford. As a fashion brand, the majority of our styles are seasonal and made in limited quantities. At this time, we unable to provide replacement parts and we do not maintain inventory of additional parts that can be mailed to you. These parts include, but are not limited to: buttons, zippers, wheels, hardware, snaps, shoe laces, etc. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.



If you have additional questions, please visit our online Client Services section. Again, thank you for contacting us.
Best Regards,

Virginia S.
The Client Services Team
www.kennethcole.com



Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Typos as a pet peeve and my quest to rid the world of them

It has to be some sort of sickness. There's probably a medical term for it. Or perhaps it's simply madness on my part? That constant need to look for and find typos. And that surge of excitement and energy that overcomes me when I find them. I'll call it Typo- Finder's High. As a runner, I can attest that Runner's High is something completely different.

I received an email from Shoebacca, an online shoe, clothing and apparel retailer and as luck would have it, their email contained a typo. Yeah!

Geez. I'm sure this email was blasted to many of there customers. Don't get me wrong, I like Shoebacca because of their underdog status. There's a lot to be said about not being one of those mega-retailers like Amazon and Walmart. And interestingly enough, Shoebacca's got some pretty cool kicks at kick-ass prices (no pun intended).

But I just can't forgive Shoebacca for there typo. Simply inexcusable. Shame on you. Come on now! You already have the flipped "E" in your logo and tagline. We'll give you that (for creative license).

If you need help proofing, don't hesitate to ask me. I mean it.

But don't worry, despite you're error, I'm still a fan.

How many typos did you find in my post? Tell me how many. And did you get Typo-Finder's High?

Sunday, September 29, 2013

An important note from Squidoo

If you're not familiar with Squidoo, it's essentially a user-generated website where users can create pages (called lenses) for subjects that interest them. These pages can then be used to sell products for profit or charitable donation. Topics run the gamut including food, books, travel, arts and many others. And, oh yeah, it was started by that dude named Seth Godin.

I visited the site in hopes of finally participating in the dialogue when a very interesting notification window popped up. Being a content guy myself, I was quite impressed by the notice, as it provided some guidelines on how content should be created on the Squidoo site. Creating engaging, digestible content isn't about trying to game the system; rather, it should be about real, authentic and personal content.

I repeat, it should be about real, authentic and personal content.

So kudos to you, Squidoo for taking this approach with your community. Many other content creators (myself included) should take heed and follow your mantra!

I've copied and pasted the word-for-word text from the pop-up notice below... 


An important note from Squidoo to all of our members!

We have a challenge and we need your help...

Thanks to you and the millions of Squids who have embraced The Scroll of Originality, Squidoo has reached records amount of traffic, charitable donations and user revenue. We stand (we always have) for passionate, original content. Squidoo is about storytelling, first hand reviews and recommendations.

Our site is only as good as the pages our users build, and lately, too many people are taking a short-term view and building pages that don't work, pages the search engines don't like, and pages that are cookie-cutter instead of personal.

We need all of our users to reconfirm that they're committed to our approach to content. The important rules are still the same: share your passions, tell stories and be personal.
Starting in March, 2013, we'll be running scans on all of our featured lenses to more aggressively detect spun content, junk and keyword stuffing. If your lens gets flagged it will get locked (and eventually deleted without notice) but you have the opportunity to fix these lenses and make them better. And you can start right now.

Check out this lens which explains how you can fix some of the widespread problems we're seeing before you get flagged. It's entirely possible that your lenses need no improvement at all, but if you've actively swapped ratings, added countless affiliate links and focused on the short-term, we need you to take action now.

It's simple: go through your lenses, make them personal, delete extraneous affiliate links and ugly buttons. Make them the sort of thing you'd like to see, not the product of gaming the system and industrialized linkbaiting.

98.4% of Squidoo is amazing. If we work together, we take all of our pages where they need to go.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Part Two: Everything's negotiable. How much do you want to make a bet?

A few months ago I posted a piece entitled, Everything's negotiable. How much do you want to make a bet? I think the title was fairly self-explanatory. The eBay case study below further supports the claim in my post.

I won't apologize to eBay (okay, maybe just a tad bit) for constantly using them as a test ground, but what can I say? I'm a marketer and testing is in my DNA. But I love eBay and they're still making money from me. Thanks, eBay for enabling me to find unique stuff, sprinkled with the added excitement of negotiating.  

Below is a real-life communication thread between me (buyer) and the seller. The item I negotiated for was a brand-new pair of J.Crew Union Shorts.Consequently, when I originally saw these shorts at the retail store they were selling (as I recall) for $68.00. At that price, I should get the entire pant.

A few things to note...
  • The seller is from the U.S. and originally listed the shorts with a buy-it-now price of $29.99, plus $6.99 shipping. 
  • My negotiation with the seller transpired over a 24-hour period.
  • I left the communication as it was and didn't edit for spelling, punctuation, grammar, case, etc.  
eBay: A Case Study On Negotiating

Me: Will you take $25 with shipping to California already included?

Seller: Can u do the buy it now and ill do free shipping for 29.99?

Me: $25 is my budget :) Let me know if you change your mind.

Seller: Ok deal.

Me: cool...can you go ahead and update your listing and I will purchase? thanks!

Seller: offer 25 and ill accept and ill change shipping on the invoice.

Me: actually I found another pair of shorts that's a bit less. is $25 your absolute best price?

Seller: Yes. They in excellent condition and a steal at this price I think

Me: okay. I realize you say $25, but I'm going to throw an offer of $22 out there anyway. there's another pair of shorts I'm looking at. if you change your mind, let me know by noon tomorrow (Monday) pacific time; otherwise, I'll purchase the other ones although I'd prefer to pick up the one you have. thanks again!

Seller: We sort of agreed to 25. I would say honestly the 3 dollars wouldn't make a difference to me so ill agree to it but I truly won't go lower than that. Offer 22 and I will accept. If you decide u don't want the shorts no problem. 22 is my last agreement. Thanks!

Me: okay I appreciate that. so that's $22 with shipping to california already included, correct?

Seller: Yes!

There you have it. I closed the transaction at 59.49% off and saved $14.98. Do you have a "negotiation" story you'd like to share?

Friday, September 6, 2013

Successful selling is a result of constant drips

In Julien Smith's blog post, Waterfall he writes that the majesty and sense of wonder in our natural environment is made by erosion; one drop at a time over a long period, instead of one big waterfall. The same really holds true of anything, including sales. The more time and effort you put into it, the greater your successes.

Over the last few months, I've been talking to a client (a marketing agency) about some potential freelance work. The project would entail helping them with their social media strategy.

As a side note, if you've worked for an advertising/marketing agency like me, you'll likely be able to attest to this. They really do a great job at marketing their clients, but an absolutely horrible job at marketing themselves (of course, there are exceptions to the rule).

During some conversations with my client, they mentioned wanting to create one piece of content that can be used as their showcase piece; but as Mr. Smith's post suggests, a "constant drip" is a more sound strategy, instead of one big waterfall. Successful social selling requires a longer-term perspective. I think creating occasional pieces of content here and there is rather short-sighted and will miss the mark (and this has been corroborated by experts many times over).

Instead of focusing so much energy on one "be all, end all" piece of content, for this client to be perceived as a key player, content needs to proliferate. Not that they want to be ubiquitous, but they'll want to be more involved in the process. For example, joining the social conversation around various key areas of focus for them (like Big Data, since they're also a data company) can help with their search strategy (link building). Also, creating relevant, digestible content for their blog can help drive traffic organically to their site. Successful social selling is not a do-one-thing and that's it exercise. It needs to be more fluid and companies need to go along for the whole ride, as this is how it will pay dividends.

I really believe my client has a pretty compelling story to tell. Their suite of services is a solid value proposition for both existing clients and prospects. It will also help to build brand clarity and remove the stigma that they're just a "marketing" company. And unfortunately, the longer they wait, the further behind they'll get.
 

I've noticed that there are more content-specific roles out in the job marketplace. This has been confirmed by some discussions I've had with folks from various companies across different verticals. 

I'm curious to know if anybody else can shed some light around this. Are you hearing the same thing in your dealings with contacts, colleagues or clients? Please do share.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

When brand advocates turn into haters and naysayers

As soon as the public caught wind that Ben Affleck had been cast as the next Batman in the Warner Bros. Man of Steel sequel, loyal fans were quick to cry foul and turned into crowds of haters and naysayers. Some petitions have even popped up requesting that Mr. Affleck be barred from portraying one of DC's most popular superheroes.

The way I see it, what's really at stake here (for Batman brand advocates) is the possible deterioration of the brand. Fans simply won't stand for it. After having seen Christian Bale play the quintessential Caped Crusader in likely the best superhero trilogy in movie history, can you really blame 'em? Moreover, it's taken years for the Batman franchise to build its brand to what it is today, only to see it take a turn for the worse.

There likely will never be another Bruce Wayne like Christian Bale, and anyone you stack up against him will pale (likely) in comparison. But Mr. Bale already passed on the role of Batman, so let's not go there. Like it or not, it appears that Ben Affleck will be the next Batman.

You can be certain that Mr. Affleck is well aware of the shoes (and big they will be) he'll need to fill. His last lackluster portrayal of a superhero (Daredevil) in red tights is all in the past (thank goodness). Mr. Affleck has since directed and co-starred in some fairly solid movies, Gone Baby Gone and The Town. He's even become an Oscar-winning director with Argo.

Suffice it to say, Ben Affleck has grown up and even sharpened his acting skills. I read that he's now hitting the gym two hours a day so he can transform his physique. As my wife says, Mr. Affleck will make up in physique what he lacks in mojo.

I say let's cut the dude some slack. Who knows? He may just pull off the role. 

What's your take in all of this hullabaloo? Who's your Batman of choice and why?

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Never mind yesterday. Start "crushing it" today!

In Gary Vaynerchuk's book, Crush It!  he writes about how to use the power of the web to turn your passions and interests into viable businesses. Gary spent many years transforming his family's wine business from a local mom-and-pop shop into a national industry leader. And he did this by leveraging a number of social media tools. I've seen a few of his YouTube videos and it's classic Gary Vaynerchuk every time...no holds barred, energetic, passionate and authentic.

When I set out to "blog," I opened my Blogger account back in February 2009. It literally took me four years to publish my first post! I vividly recall catastrophizing as I sat (flabbergasted and in disbelief) in front of my laptop, figuring out what to write about. That's four years of lost time...four years of my life I can never have back...I despise the number four!

Thankfully, I'm a glass-half-full guy. So I stepped back, took a few deep breaths and shook it off.

You obviously can't change what was, but you have absolute control and can impact what will be.

I suppose since writing keeps me up at night (as I try to sleep, come up with new topics to write about or sit there in the wee hours of the morning typing away), that it's a passion of mine. Despite life's many twists, turns and distractions, I crave and need to do it.

In retrospect, I am making a living out of my passion. My ultimate goal as a marketer is to deliver more relevant, meaningful experiences that engage and inspire people to take action. And that usually involves lots of writing and developing content, which I've done (now I just need to figure out a way to make millions).

Gary writes that the time is now (certainly not the first time anybody's said this) to cash in on your passion. Never mind yesterday. If you have a passion, don't dwell on what you haven't done thus far. Instead, march ahead toward the future. Start "crushing it" today.

What's your passion? If there are any writers out there, have you figured out a way to make millions from writing? Do tell.



Tuesday, August 6, 2013

How Amazon pegged me as a Popchips popper

I occasionally get customer emails from Amazon. Today's Deal of the Day for 35% off Popchips caught my attention. For starters, I love Popchips! More important, how did Amazon profile me as somebody who'd be interested in Popchips? I've never purchased 'em, nor anything remotely close to a crunchy snack, for that matter. The only grocery item I've purchased from Amazon is chicken bouillon (don't laugh...I ordered it for my wife). Go figure. But I do like my Popchips (barbecue flavor). I'm curious to know how Amazon slices and dices data--their sources, how they append and overlay; how they make sense of all that data!

Coincidentally, I was at Target a few days ago and noticed two Google Shopping Express (GSE) employees perusing aisles--with carts on hand--filling them with stuff. On my way out at the parking lot, I noticed one of the Google guys loading up his GSE company car (a Toyota Prius) with his loot. I've seen the GSE cars driving around town and one can argue the name "Google Shopping Express" is suggestive; but I figured I'd engage the guy in a bit of conversation to satiate my curiosity about the GSE service.

It appears that GSE is being piloted in the San Francisco Bay Area. Essentially, the service caters to those who don't have a lot of time to trek around town to buy their own stuff. They use the service to save time and get their stuff delivered to them--the same day in most cases. Not a revolutionary idea (think Webvan, now a part of the Amazon family), but if there's one thing we know, Google is super smart and will do their darndest to do the GSE service right.

Sidebar: Google will pay you 38 cents per mile to drive your own car, but the guy I was talking to preferred to use the company car. He didn't seem too excited about driving a Prius (no cool factor, I suppose?), but he was proud of the car's sound system. I wonder if he's allowed to listen to his own music or if the car comes equipped with company-issued tunes (which makes me wonder about the type(s) of genre Google-issued music would be comprised of).

But, I digress.

Getting back to Amazon...

I'm still wondering about how I was pegged as a Popchips popper. And doesn't Amazon have a leg up on Google with this Webvan-ish service? AmazonFresh has been piloted in Seattle for several years, and now it's made its way to Los Angeles.

Have you used AmazonFresh and/or Google Shopping Express? What's your verdict and why? Please feel free to comment below.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Product form and function in the comfort of your hand

Products come in various shapes and sizes. A product that exemplifies the perfect marriage of form and function is the perennial writing instrument, the pen.

I suppose I'm a bit of a pen aficionado (a rollerballer, to be exact). If you do enough writing and note-taking as I do, you'll know what it's like to have the perfect pen fall beautifully into your hand; the smooth flow of the ink as it hits the paper, never skipping a beat, as if you're magically guided through every stroke. When you have the perfect pen, you'll swear as if you can write for eternity!


Another key aspect is the pen's design. Let's take the German brand Lamy, for example. It's evident that Lamy approaches their designs with a great deal of consideration. Just take a look at some of their product designers and creations. Like architecture, it is through Lamy's product features that they tangibly convey the competence of their brand. Though a smaller scale, a great deal of thought and effort goes into designing pens.

Let's not forget the other features and attributes of a pen. There's the type and quality of materials used--aluminum, acrylic, wood, plastic, resin, perhaps a combination thereof? Disposable or refillable? If you're into fountain pens, you'll have nib sizes to contend with. The list goes on.

What's your pen of choice? Do you have a favorite brand?

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Successful social selling is only about one thing...your customers

In today's social web, I still see companies using social channels to push their products (and often push them very hard). That's because they still view social media as a traditional marketing and advertising channel, where it's commonplace to try to get people to buy their stuff.

Social media is fascinating because for it to be successful, you need engaging, relevant content round-the-clock. It's true that traditional media also needs engaging and relevant content, but you can get away with being sales-y and "pushing" your stuff to people. That's because most traditional media is a one-way conversation. I equate a one-way conversation to a company that's hot and ready to sell when their customers aren't ready to buy.

If companies truly cared about their customers, they'd first take a step back; then they'd listen and take their customers' feedback into consideration (perhaps even action). By doing so, they'll have a healthy, two-way dialogue; and avoid lecturing customers about why they should buy their stuff. This two-way dialogue helps to create a one-to-one relationship with their customers, an ingredient that's necessary to survive in today's social web. From that relationship comes trust and loyalty, the very tenets that make a brand truly successful.

Like most simple concepts (yes, it is a simple concept), it involves some work to implement, and needs time to percolate. But diligence will pay off.

Unless companies like to hear themselves talk, I don't recommend they have one-way conversations in the social web--because they'll only have a captive audience of one--themselves. And that won't be terribly productive.

Have you come across any companies having one-way conversations out in the social web? Who are they and how can they turn their conversations into healthy, two-way dialogues?

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Don't dismiss the value of content and messaging

Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, "The medium is the message." In media theory, he proposed that the subject of focus should be the media's characteristics--not the content it carries--as it is those characteristics that influence how society perceives the message.

I won't get into a sociological dissection of Professor McLuhan's theory. I do feel that medium and message are important. You must factor both while conveying a message and trying to solicit a response from your target audience. 

I'd like to focus on the "message" portion for a moment, however.

While attending RampUp 2013, I had a discussion with the CTO of an ad platform company. This bloke was sharp, highly-technical and knew his stuff. After our initial introductions, we landed on the topic of messaging.

Off the gates, he (CTO) seemed to dismiss the value of content and messaging; and instead, placed more importance on the product's technology attributes.

I begged to differ. 

A company's product (technical or otherwise) is only as good as how it's conveyed and understood by its customers (users). True, product development is important, but I can almost guarantee that successful companies also understand the importance of identifying a market for that product or service; which, by the way, will need some content or messaging crafted around it. Moreover, the message must not only be clear and concise, but also targeted. It's a balance that content and messaging developers work hard at in order to engage and deliver results. 

At the end of our discussion, I feel we were both more educated; he (hopefully) on the importance of content and messaging, and me on the opportunity to further bridge the gap between IT and marketing.

Do you have a similar IT vs. marketing story or experience? Let's hear about it.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Extraordinary Entrepreneurs Partially Ignore the Experts

Reading and learning often puts me in a quandary. One expert says one thing, while another negates the other expert by saying something just the opposite. Who should I believe?


When it comes to entrepreneurship (and navigating one's career), Reid Hoffmann and Ben Casnocha hit the nail on the head in their book, The Start-Up of You...

"Books and speeches and articles on entrepreneurship proclaim to impart the top rules of the trade. The irony is that the extraordinary entrepreneurs tend to challenge the rules and partially ignore the experts--they come up with their own principles, their own rules of thumb. After all, the way you achieve differentiation in the market is by not doing what everyone else is doing."


True, being experts themselves, one can certainly partially ignore Mr. Hoffmann and Mr. Casnocha. I personally wouldn't given their achievements (and high-caliber book endorsements). Instead, I recommend you read the book. It's a quick read and you may just get inspired (like me).

Do you have a favorite motivational/inspiring book? Join the discussion on Linkedin.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Redbox: An informal brand case study

In a previous post, I indicated that Redbox was an irresistible brand. I want to prove my point further in this post. Below is an email correspondence I had with Redbox concerning an unplayable disc. I rented a movie and halfway through watching it, the picture went ballistic on me. As a result, I was unable to finish the movie.

A few things worth noting...
  • As you'll read in my online inquiry, I didn't ask Redbox to compensate me in any way.
  • Redbox explicitly states a response time of 24 - 48 hours for web inquiries (suffice it to say, their response time was lightning fast)
  •  There were no grammatical gaffes or typos in Redbox's communication.
If you're a Redbox customer, I'd like to hear about your experiences (good or bad). Thanks for sharing!

...Original correspondence starts below...


Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.


 Subject
Unplayable Disc
 Discussion Thread
 Response Via Email (JessicaO)06/11/2013 04:44 PM
Hi Giovanni!

I’m sorry to hear that your Blu-ray Disc didn't play properly. If you haven’t already, please go ahead and return it to any Redbox location.

It’s possible that the disc you rented was manufactured after your Blu-ray player. To play new Blu-ray Discs, you may need a firmware or software update from your manufacturer. We encourage you to check the manufacturer’s website or call its technical support team to find out if you need an update, and if so, how to get it.

To apologize for the inconvenience and cover the cost of the rental, I’d like to give you some promo codes good for a free one-day rental of any Blu-ray Disc or DVD of your choice, or a discount on a one-day game rental.

The codes can be used online or at the box and are valid for 45 days from today's date. Only one code can be used per transaction. Here they are:

XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

To use a promo code at the box, touch the PROMO CODE button when you get to the checkout screen. You’ll still be asked to swipe your card to cover any additional days you hold on to your disc. You won’t be billed for your first rental day, but you’ll see an authorization hold that’ll drop off of your account in 5-7 business days.

To use a promo code online or on the mobile app, click the “Use Credits or Promo Code” box on the checkout page, then select “Use Online Promo Code.” You won’t be billed for your first rental day, but you’ll see an authorization hold that’ll drop off of your account in 5-7 business days.

If you have any more questions, please contact us at 1.866.REDBOX3 (1.866.733.2693).

Thanks!

Redbox Customer Care
1.866.REDBOX3
www.redbox.com
 Customer By Web Form (Giovanni Ella)06/11/2013 04:30 PM
I rented Broken City and it played fine for the first half, but I was unable to watch the other half of the movie because it wouldn't play (even after cleaning)...the images got pixilated and distorted. Anyway, thought you should know.

Keep up the great service!
 Question Reference #130611-003143
Date Created: 06/11/2013 04:30 PM
Last Updated: 06/11/2013 04:44 PM
Status: Solved
Credit Card Last 4 Digits: XXXX
What can we help you with?: Unplayable Disc
Rental Location ZIP Code: XXXXX
We are here to assist you with: DVD/Blu Ray/Games Rental





Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Who in the world has a Discover Credit Card?

I've seen my share of Discover Credit Card ads. I've heard them on the radio and seen them online. There's even a billboard off Highway 101.

Discover is certainly not some fly-by-night credit card company by any stretch of the imagination. As a non-member, my perception of their brand is positive. Yet despite these attributes, I'm still hard-pressed to know anyone that has the card.

I've marketed credit cards, so I know Visa and MasterCard are the top dogs. Then there's American Express.

Where does Discover fall in the ranks? According to the Nilson Report, Discover is the fourth largest in terms of market share. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the top three.

As I look back at how my credit card relationships came into being, I remember that American Express was the first company to give me a credit card (in college). I'm not entirely clear on how my relationship with Visa began; and I've never had a MasterCard.

I'm on a quest to find somebody with a Discover Credit Card. If you have one, what drove you to get your card? What is it about the card that you value most? Thanks for sharing.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Redbox is an irresistible brand



 
Redbox has created an irresistible brand by delighting their customers--certainly not a new concept, but it's one that many brands can (and should) aspire to. This has become a key differentiator for Redbox in the otherwise unsexy space of video rentals. And they consistently delight their customers. Here’s how:

·         Convenience. They’re practically ubiquitous in terms of locations. You can rent titles from your PC or mobile phone and return them at any Redbox kiosk.

·         Service. I once reserved a title online and when I drove to the kiosk location, it was inside a supermarket that was closed for the long weekend. I emailed Redbox and they responded immediately by giving me free rental credits, with no questions asked. How's that for aiming to please?

·         Brand consistency. I consider myself a strong brand advocate. They’re a bit wacky but that’s what makes them even more unique and likeable. They’re frequency of communication is just right and Redbox can always count on me to read all their text messages and emails (perhaps it's because they’re messages are always relevant).

      As of Q2 2011, 68 percent of the U.S. population lived within a five-minute drive of a Redbox kiosk (Source: Redbox corporate information, December 12, 2011). With this many Redbox locations, every night can easily become a movie night.
 





Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Top 10 Digital Thoughts from LiveRamp 2013

I was going to do an additional LiveRamp write-up but stumbled across a post from fellow-blogger Anthony Power of TC Media. Anthony summarized (nicely) what various CEOs discussed during the May 30 LiveRamp Summit. Have a read at his post below...

Top 10 Digital Thoughts from LiveRamp 

Friday, May 31, 2013

RampUp 2013: On Big Data

I attended the RampUp 2013, LiveRamp Summit yesterday. It was held in the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Approximately two-third of the 1,000+ attendees were from outside California.

What is RampUp?

It's an educational forum uniting data, advertising and technology. The purpose of this year's summit is to engage in dialogue around the convergence of offline and online data (Big Data) in digital advertising.

Big Data is one of the latest key buzzwords in the evolution of marketing. Marketers face a fundamental challenge today, as they're inundated by mass amounts of data from every direction. How do marketers transform all that data into actionable information while creating meaningful relationships with their customers?

Big Data is BIG! 

Here's some high-level stats and comments from some panel discussions:
  • In 1970, there wasn't a single iota of data in existence; by 2003, there was 1.5B gigabytes.
  • There's about 5B gigabytes of traditional data being used by major brands today, coupled with another 5B gigabytes of structured data funneling through ad exchanges and social networks daily.
  • Sorting through this mass amounts of data is a fundamental challenge for companies--there aren't enough data scientists to "off-board" all the data.
  • Off-boarding this massive amount of data requires not only science but art--relying solely on system algorithms is insufficient. A human element is needed to factor in the strategic considerations.
Look out for future posts where I'll cover more specific information from the summit including attribution, re-targeting and highlights from keynote speaker Neal Mohan, Google's VP of Display Advertising.


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Everything's negotiable. How much do you want to bet?

Negotiating is part of everyday life. You may find yourself negotiating the terms of your lease, how much you'll sell your home, even where you'll have dinner tomorrow.

If you're not already negotiating, you should be; and you should do it whenever you can. You'll be surprised with what you can get just by asking.

When my wife and I purchased our Saab a few years ago from a Lexus dealership, the car didn't include the rear cargo cover. I called the Saab dealership to find out if they had one in stock and how much it cost. 

$450!

After getting over the initial shock, I asked the parts guy if the cargo cover ever goes on sale (Note: There's an art to negotiating. You don't want to ask for a discount off the gates. You need to engage in some dialogue first). He replied, "How about I give you a 15% discount?" To which I replied, "How about 20% and you have a deal." He said okay and there you have it.

Negotiating even works on eBay. I've made it my ritual to ask before bidding on an item. It works on any type of auction--even those that already have bids on them.

If you don't ask, you'll never know the outcome and miss an opportunity.

Now I do want to throw out a caveat. You can't just walk into Nordstrom and ask for a discount, or go up to your boss and ask for a raise. There's a time and place for negotiating. Use common sense and good judgement.

Which reminds me...I found a pair of sneakers on eBay and pinged the seller about lowering her price. She just responded and says she'll knock off $10 from her Buy It Now price.

Excuse me while I go negotiate.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Prolific Oven, yes. Prolific grammar, no.

I tried Prolific Oven's (Santa Clara Rivermark location) Eggs Benedict breakfast and I have to say it was quite tasty and reasonably priced. I give them props for being prolific at food preparation, but when it comes to grammar, they need a bit of help.

The possessive case in grammar can be tricky and often trips people up. Case in point, Prolific Oven's sign above their beverage bar. There shouldn't be an apostrophe in "Coffee's."

Sure, it's only one stinking sign, but that's no excuse! The rule of proofing what you publish still applies, no matter the scope or amount of copy.


Let's not forget there's a brand at stake, so pay attention.

Now I'm curious. Does the Prolific Oven location across town have the same goofed sign? 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Bill Gates coined the phrase Content Is King?!

Yep.

In 1996, Bill Gates coined the phrase Content Is King. Since then, the amount of content that's been created has grown exponentially (understatement).  

Companies need good and relevant content to expand their brands and influence. Whether it's branded content, sponsored content, native advertising or whatever, content is ubiquitous these days. Bill Gates may be right (again?) after all.

Go to Twitter and search any topic and you're presented with a plethora of content. Google the same topic and you're just as overwhelmed.

How do you sort through all that information in some well-thought-out, methodical fashion? If you're reading this blog post, I'm referring to you.

Please respond by posting your comment below. My inquiring mind wants to know.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Dissecting the Oakland Raiders logo while eating a Vietnamese pork roll sandwich

I frequent Cam Hung in Sunnyvale to get my occasional Vietnamese sandwich fix. It's the closest to an authentic Vietnamese sandwich in my 'hood (sorry, Lee's Sandwiches). Next door is a liquor store with an Oakland Raiders logo displayed on their window.

The Raiders logo is probably one of the more recognizable in football. As I sat in my car pounding down a tasty pork roll sandwich, I began to wonder. Logos are such a core part of a company's identity. How was the Raiders logo conceived? Who's the guy with the patch on his right eye? Sure, I recognize the logo. I've seen it all over the place, but how much do I really know about it?

It turns out that the Oakland Raiders logo has quite a history. And like true Raider fashion, they were embroiled in controversy even at their inception (I guess you gotta hand it to them for brand consistency). The guy sporting the eye patch is modeled after Randolph Scott, a Western films actor from the 1950s.

I won't say which Bay Area team I'm a fan of. But I will say this. When it comes to Bay Area football, you're either a 49er or Raider fan...very black and white, with no shades of gray (no pun intended).

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Even state agencies can benefit from spellcheck

My wife and I were driving home the other day and she mentioned that she read this article about a misspelled highway sign on Interstate Highway 880. Now that would be a typo! I thought to myself.

Sure enough, it appears that Caltrans misspelled the city of "Milipitas" by adding an extra "i." Even state agencies can benefit from spellcheck (or proofing) before putting up a new sign off the highway.

I wonder if there's such a thing as correction paint for correcting typos on large, green signs?

Thankfully, the error will be corrected with no taxpayer expense (hopefully this statement isn't a typo).

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The most fashionable trash bin west of the Mississippi

I've been driving down this stretch of road in Sunnyvale for many years and I can't believe I only noticed it this morning! This is a testament to why you should keep your eyes open to your surroundings, as you may just catch a glimpse of something extraordinary.

Or not.

It's non other than a trash bin! But not just any trash bin. This is from the fashionable variety. Trash bins are typically blue in Sunnyvale. Not this one, no sir. Someone actually took the time and effort to paint it yellow and add green polka dots. The trash bin persona has just been elevated to a new dimension! Pure genius. If I had a trash bin, it would look like this. For sure (one caveat, however: I'd put on some coats of paint).


Here's a true story. I used to have a short sleeve, navy blue shirt with white polka dots that I used to wear all the time (an understatement). I would have slept with it on if I could. When my wife and I used to travel more frequently, that shirt would be in all of our pictures. Italy. France. Sweden. Philippines. Aruba. You name a vacation spot, my polka dot shirt was there! Pretty hilarious, you say? My polka dot shirt meant I could always travel light.

Who's laughing now?

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Add pineapple juice and you might just find your new favorite

I just got a taste of my own medicine. I preach about being open minded when trying/doing new things (the "glass half-full approach" as my wife calls it); well, my eight-year old just gave me a lesson.

She always likes to have a snack when she gets home from school. She usually serves herself. I noticed she placed the blender on the kitchen counter, so I'm thinking a smoothie is in order. She proceeds to add her ingredients...blueberry yogurt, fresh banana, frozen strawberries, milk and ice. She asks me if we have anymore orange juice (either she doesn't remember she finished it for breakfast, or just thinks we have an endless supply).

I reply no. She's a quick-thinking 8-year old and says, "Then we'll add pineapple juice instead." (oh, okay...she remembers we have pineapple juice, but not orange juice). She proceeds to go to the garage (yes, we have another fridge). She pours in the pineapple juice and starts mixing it all together (ears covered and all from the blender noise).

I would have never thought to use pineapple juice, but I gave it a whirl and found my new favorite.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Tires are brands too. Just ask Walmart chairman Rob Walton.

This past Monday, I had my Highlander's tires rotated at Discount Tire in Mountain View. I've been going to these guys for well over ten years and I'm proud to be a loyal customer.

In the waiting area, a vertical banner dangles from the ceiling promoting the book, "Six Tires, No Plan: The Impossible Journey of the Most Inspirational Leader That (Almost) Nobody Knows." With a title (and underdog undertone) like that, I've got to check that book out! Since I'd be waiting around for another 40 minutes or so, I figured I'd download a sample and have a read.

The book is about Bruce Halle, who founded Discount Tire two years before Sam Walton opened his first Walmart store back in 1960. In the foreword, S. Robson Walton, Chairman of the Board of Walmart Stores, Inc. writes, "While Halle's story is less studied than Walton's, the growth of Discount Tire offers significant insights into the creation of a sustainable, productive business."

Walton also writes, "Most business schools and students invest substantial energy in the study of brands. Often, the corporations studied are mature, with established strategies and mission statements. In many cases, it would serve these scholars well to start at the beginning, at the founding of the companies they study."

I just finished the second chapter. You can get started by reading the Foreword by Rob Walton.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Branding basics from Jacqui

It must have been 20 years ago when I met Jacqui Naylor. She was helping her then-husband Lat Naylor at his fashion clearance event. Unfortunately, Lat Naylor was wrapping up a ten-year run as a fashion designer. I recall reading about his show in New York for his Think Tank line, so he'd definitely made it. I was a fan and was hoping to pick up (sadly) some remaining pieces.

I remember speaking to Jacqui briefly at checkout. She introduced herself and handed me a flyer promoting her upcoming show. She even included a sample track (which was later included in her first album). She was very pleasant. Unassuming as an artist, with a shy appeal about her.

Jacqui Naylor has since become a successful jazz vocalist in her own right. She's released numerous albums, with a few garnering some rave reviews. The critics have definitely been kind.

The Jacqui Naylor brand still interacts with me to this day. I listen to her music. I look forward to her emails. I get them at least once a month or so. No frills and very personal. Sometimes she'll throw a story in. I know for a fact she writes them all personally. From day one, their tone and connection have been unmistakably familiar. 

Jacqui's stayed true to her brand through the years, so you always know what to expect. Just like her vocals.