3-13-14 Everyone is doing surveys!

Tuesday, I was listening to NPR when they did a feature on the popularity of surveys.  It seems more and more companies are doing surveys, generally on-line.  The companies believe this is a good way to let customers know they really care about their opinios; they feel they get good information about what people like, their concerns and ideas.

They are able to keep track of the people who complete the on-line surveys so they can continue to send them more surveys.  And some companies keep track of those who delete the survey requests and remove the names from their lists.

If you’ve read my blogs, you’ve learned the difference between a random sample survey process, where the data collected represents the views of the total population being sampled (within a certain error range) vs. a self-select survey, like the ones described above, where the people who respond make a choice to do so.

Self-select surveys provide good information about peoples’ opinions regarding what’s important and what they appreciate about the product or service a business provides and they can also be a quick way of identifying negative concerns, because that’s often what motivates someone to respond to a survey.

So both random sample and self-select surveys are valuable.  But, it’s a good idea to understand how a survey has been conducted when interpreting the data collected.

If it’s a self-select survey, data is only accurate for the people who completed and returned a questionnaire.  A random sample survey must follow specific procedures, including sample selection and numbers sampled, in order to provide data that is relatively accurate for an entire population.

3-6-14 Making good use of emails: The Mayor of Langley wants to send special alerts to his community

I believe that emails create more misinformation and confusion than just about any form of communication short of texting.  If you’ve read my blogs, one of my major themes is that human communication is largely non-verbal. 

Think about how much you learn when you’re in another person’s presence and no words are spoken.  How much do you notice body language, facial expressions, and, of course, simply feeling the energy of that other person?  Even when there are words, tone of voice can provide more meaning than the words themselves.

So, I’m always suggesting that emails are not the right place to attempt to communicate any issue that includes a strong emotion.  Anger, joy, confusion, even putting your tongue in your cheek can be misread and misinterpreted, even by someone you think knows you well.

However, I believe one of the most effective and appropriate uses of email is simply getting concise, factual information out to a specific group of people.  Mayor Fred McCarthy of Langley wants to do just that. 

The Mayor wants to let citizens know when something important is going on in the community.  As a small city, spending money and peoplepower to copy, stuff and stamp a letter is money that can be used more productively elsewhere.  

Here is the information Mayor McCarthy is circulating:

 Are you open to receiving emails from Mayor Fred McCarthy?

Mayor McCarthy is compiling the email addresses of Langley residents so that he can send notifications when citizens need to hear about a significant event, emergency situation, or timely information about something that will be happening in the City. The mayor will not be contacting you often in this manner to be respectful of your privacy.

Sending out written mail to residents is very costly and time-consuming.

If you agree to be on the Mayor’s private email list, please send your email confirmation to:

mayor@langleywa.org

Your email will not be shared with others or used for any purpose other than what is described here.  If you have any questions, please call the Mayor’s office at 221-4246.

2-27-14 Chobani: A national company is a good model for making a customer feel important

When I site examples of businesses that are following good marketing procedures, I typically mention a company on the island.  But recently I had an experience with a national product I purchased in a local grocery store….that provides my example for today’s blog.

Several months ago I purchased a couple of the Chobani Greek Yogurts that had a little fizz in them.  These production accidents made the national news, and Chobani issued several apologies and asked people to let them know if they had bought any of these “bad” yogurts.  So, I emailed the company and let them know about my experience.

A few weeks later, I received an apology letter in the mail and 10 coupons for free Chobani yogurts.  I was elated, especially since I was never all that concerned about the two fizzy yogurts that we had bought and eaten with no problems.

Sometime later, I read that Whole Foods was no longer going to carry Chobani Yogurt, and, on an impulse, I sent the company another email saying that I was sure it was a political decision and not related to the quality or popularity of their product.

In early February, I got a letter from a member of their “Customer Loyalty Team” thanking me for reaching out to them…and, five coupons for free Chobani yogurts.

I was so impressed I called their Customer Loyalty Department, and talked with a woman who told me how much the company appreciates hearing from customers.  A few days after this conversation, a woman named Stephanie sent me a handwritten note thanking me again and inviting me to continue to contact them once a month, and they would send me more coupons. 

You can bet I’m going to keep buying Chobani yogurt and telling people my story.

So, taking this story and putting it into a local context, what are you doing to make each of your customers feel valued and important? 

2-20-14 Keep checking in with your customers and potential customers

Last week I talked about being aware of changing times and being willing to make changes in how you do business. 

So, how do you know when things are changing significantly?  In my book, nothing beats simply talking with people.  If you can take the time to talk with each person who comes to your business, and keep notes about those interactions, you’ll be able to notice new interests and trends.

There are some added benefits to talking with people.  The most obvious one is that most people love to get personal attention in a business.  It’s also a strong statement of your business ethnics if you genuinely check in with people to be sure they are finding what they want and are concerned if there is something they would like that you are not currently offering.

Over time, you may find that your products and services have changed somewhat from when you first opened for business…..and that’s fine.  In fact, if your customers know that you’re willing to listen, and respond, to their suggestions, they will tell lots of friends about what a great place your business is.

2-13-14 Being aware of changing times, and changing when necessary

OK, I admit it.  I’ve become addicted to Downton Abbey.  Rich and I aren’t hooked up to a television source, so we finally got introduced to the series thanks to Sno-Isle Library.

We’re into Season 3, and after watching an episode last night where Lord Grantham confronts the need to manage his estate differently, I decided that one of the major themes in the series is that we live in a world that is always changing, and people need to learn to adapt to those changes.

So, how does this relate to business and marketing?  In a story I did for Whidbey Local on February 10, I talked about the 30^th anniversary of Neil’s Clover Patch Café.  How does someone stay in business for 30 years?  Neil Colburn paid attention to his customers.

He definitely still provides a comfortable space for lots of people who have been coming there since he took over the Clover Patch Restaurant.  But, he also noticed that many of his customers were asking about local produce and organically grown meats.  In response to the new requests from his customers, he researched and found great local sources for grass-fed beef, organic chicken eggs, produce and coffee.  He changed his menu to include healthier choices, and he has been promoting his new emphasis on buying locally.

The results: Business is continuing to grow at Neil’s Clover Patch.  People are telling their friends about the quality of the food he is serving.  He’s seeing many new faces, and there are new groups of regulars.

Whatever you’re selling, stay tuned in to changes that inevitably occur, and see what you can do to respond to the changes….and promote this attitude toward your customer.  You just might find that something new creates new additions to your customer base.