Success in marketing goes hand in hand with good customer experience. Need to up your customer experience game? Ted Rubin breaks down how. ~via RockstarCMO
TedRubin
The Most Overlooked and Critical Component of Customer Experience
In quantum mechanics there is a rule: when particles are observed, they behave differently. We found out in the late ’90s, via various experiments, that electrons act as either particles or waves, depending on whether they were observed. What does that have to do with marketing, you say?
Retailers: Discounting Your Way Out of Trouble Is a Death Spiral
Why ditching the discount and dialing up the customer experience (with a focus on flexibility) is more likely to deliver success.
When a marquee brand or major, traditional retailer releases a disastrous earnings outlook, what is the first thing they usually do in an effort to bail themselves out? Far too often, they believe that they can discount and promote their way back into customers’ hearts, which misses the entire point of why they’re in trouble in the first place.
Why The Future Of Retail Is Not About The US
Think America is the be-all and end-all of retail? Think again. Ted Rubin, acting CMO of Brand Innovators and co-founder of Prevailing Path, explores why we need to look further than the States to understand where the future of retail really lies.
A Network give you Reach, BUT a Community gives you Power!
Networks Connect… Communities Care
A small, passionate community of like-minded people can often accomplish far more than a larger, less-connected group working on the same challenge. Building a dedicated community takes effort, but it’s one of the most effective ways to build your brand, your business, your home. The power of relationships scales up when you create opportunities for passionate people to connect.
Closing Time: 20 Major Retailers That Likely Won’t Exist In 10 Years
Visit your favorite shopping mall – if you still have a favorite – and you can already see the seismic shift in retail taking place across the country. When was the last time you visited a Sports Authority, or RadioShack? What about bargain retailers like Payless Shoes, or kid-friendly stops like Gymboree?
Fake News Is Nothing New, So… Important to “Learn to Discern”
Favorite athlete gets in trouble at a nightclub under nebulous circumstances? Fake news. Politician acts directly against the interests of his or her base, but it’s a politician the base happens to really like? Fake news. Respected writer makes a detailed, fact-based case in favor of a policy or position you don’t like? Must be full of fake news. See something else you don’t like on the news? That’s probably fake news, too. Why not just add a “fake news” button to all the major social channels, so people can shoot down any story they don’t like without taking the time to spell out the words?
OMG, Facebook Used My Data!!! Now What?
The scare-mongering that’s going around today about data usage is driving me up the wall. When I see people having meltdowns about Facebook using their data to deliver content to them, I’m thinking: “WHERE THE F*** HAVE YOU ALL BEEN, under a freaking rock???”
Enough Is Enough: Why We Should All Throw Our Support Behind the #MarchForOurLives Movement
Look back throughout history, and ask yourself where the big, meaningful changes in society come from most often. Is it the people who are invested, often for many years, in the status quo? The folks who are piling up profits thanks to the current system, whatever it is? Nope. So often, the biggest changes in society are lead by the young. When you see someone in a position of power say, “they’re just kids,” feel free to nod your head and laugh. These kids are going to change the world. They always do.
What #FollowThePath Means to Me… and Can Mean to You
Sometimes, your favorite concepts take on a life of their own, and #FollowThePath definitely qualifies for me. It’s an idea that encompasses much of what I believe is important in business and in life – so naturally it’s based on the ideas that have stuck with me most over the years. I look at it as a way to improve building relationships with customers and building a sustainable, long-term audience for what you have to offer. But it’s also an approach to self-improvement – a way to stay motivated, and a reminder to keep your head up when the going gets tough. Staying focused, no matter where, when, and for what reason.
What does it mean to you?
The easiest way to look at #FollowThePath may be to view it as an extension, or a combination, of some of my favorite ideas. Your path is unique to you and your business, but there are also many commonalities in the path that we all share. I can tell you all day long what it means to me, but that’s not as important as what you take away from it for yourself. Everyone follows a path, and only you know what yours looks like, or what you envision it to be. Perhaps #FollowThePath can be a mantra for you to keep your eye on the prize… Personal and Business.
That brings up another recent hashtag, #NoLetUp! It’s an important concept to me as well. I still remember hearing it from my friend Tony Luisi for the first time. The term #NoLetUp! is about life. It’s about business. It’s about health. It’s everything, really. The concept became real to me when I was battling in the courts to keep my daughters in my life, and I realized that winning the court battle is just the beginning – it’s an everyday effort to stay connected to your kids, especially for single parents. But for all parents, heck – they’re your kids! So there’s #NoLetUp! there. We’ve got to always be going, communicating, staying connected and loving them. It never ends. That’s true of all relationships you cherish with family, friends and business associates. If you want to keep those relationships, your efforts are never-ending.
#NoLetUp! is true of business as well. So many of us think that, “Wow, if I can just get this next gig, or the next client then I can relax.” But no, there’s #NoLetUp! there. If we want to be successful we have to embrace that. That doesn’t mean you can’t take a day or a weekend to recharge, but you can’t sit on your laurels – you’ve got to keep working it.
““Wow, if I can just get this next gig, or the next client then I can relax.” But no, there’s #NoLetUp! there.
To me it’s also about concentrating on human connection, even in this digital age when we’re connected 24/7 on a variety of social platforms that keep evolving. There’s #NoLetUp! when we wake up with our phones and are always checking in to see what communication is going on, what’s happening in the world – what’s happening in our day. You just can’t say, “Stop the world, I wanna get off!” It’s happening around us whether we’re involved or not, and if we slow down or stop, we lose something important.
How relationships fit in
We all need a healthy serving of Return on Relationship or #RonR, because you can’t #FollowThePath without being conscious of the people around you. That’s true whether you’re talking friends, family, employees, clients, consumers, or anyone else. Relationships are at the heart of the whole process. You can’t get anywhere meaningful without building them, and you can’t build meaningful relationships by sitting on the sidelines.
Building relationships takes engagement, and a genuine desire to connect. It might mean breaking out of the easy and the ordinary, by becoming a social influencer, or simply making the time for people who reach out to you, no matter how they choose to do it. It definitely means listening to the people who matter to you, then taking what you learn by listening and using it to strengthen the relationship(s).
Being genuine is key
The common denominator in all of these concepts is being true to yourself, and authentic with other people. Social is one place where #RonR really shines, because it’s so easy to fall into the trap of being just another business. Anyone can share information without ever making the effort to really connect. You won’t get any Return on Relationship there, and that’s not what #FollowThePath is about either. Being genuine and honest with yourself and others is a prerequisite – not an option.
I guess the biggest takeaway is that all of these concepts relate to each other and build on one another. If you take #RonR, then mix in a healthy helping of #NoLetUp!, you can start to see what #FollowThePath really means for me. For example, let’s apply it to retail. Think about how each of these concepts applies to the Path-to-Purchase. How can you build a better customer experience, and what can you do to create meaningful relationships with the people who matter most to your business? When things are going well, and you can see your hard work paying off, how do you stay motivated to tackle the next challenge?
One more ingredient
You can’t accomplish any of this without being willing to say “yes” and embrace the possibilities that come next.
Be open to considering new ideas and take an honest look at whether the old ones are still working. Whether you’re building your brand, improving yourself, being there for friends and family, or simply hoping to make the most of each day, being ready to take action is essential for #RonR and #NoLetUp! if you’re truly going to #FollowThePath.
Previously posted at TedRubin.com