One of the secrets about just being nice is that it can be pretty easy when you make it a focus at the start of each day. There will always be people who test your limits, but you’ll also get a ton of positive feedback from people who appreciate common courtesy. But what about those moments “in the wild,” when you’re out doing your thing, focused on the task at hand, and maybe a bit tuned out to the world around you? In those moments, being aware of what’s going on around you (the act of self-awareness) can make a big difference in how your actions are perceived by others, and whether you make a positive or negative impression.
#RonR
WINNING IN SERVICE MARKETS, WINNING IN EVERY MARKET…
Winning in Service Markets, winning in every market… is all about customer experience. Marketing/Communications/Customer Service are all interconnected, and in order to deliver an OmniChannel experience Externally, you must create an OmniChannel culture Internally!
Two New Yorkers Collaborate to be the Voice for Restless Brands
Anyone who knows me knows I am all about the power of relationships. Every once in a while, something unexpected happens that seems almost too good to be true.
So two months and 53,000 YouTube views ago, I had no idea something this unpredictable would happen….
Over the course of 5 episodes, we’ve:
- trampled on a Chipotle campaign,
- discussed when to (and when NOT to) use humor in branding and how James Corden gets it right
- clarified the liability of cliches and a closely guarded branding secret
- crystallized how a new retail brand is crushing it (with $225 million in sales) in a $40 billion category, and
- unveiled how GEICO, Oreo and Old Spice use 2 rules that help convert commodities into a must-have brands.
I am talking about this new collaboration I am super pumped over: The David and Ted Talk Show.
Have We Lost the Art of Conversation?
Have we lost the art of conversation? Has the digital age with its shortened attention spans and 140 character limits shriveled what was once our primary form of engagement? Do we bypass conversation via social channels, which allows it to happen 24/7 when used to it’s best advantage, and instead simply continue traditional marketing broadcasting… for business AND personal.
Interview: Ted Rubin – Social Media Influencer and Keynote Speaker ~ via @SimpleBlissMag
Ted Rubin and I “met” back in 2010 via social media and Ted’s extraordinary personality and commitment to establishing and maintaining connections is what has made him who he is today. His “Return on Relationship” theory of engaging in a more personal way in ALL aspects of our lives has become one influential message that is quickly becoming a beloved belief. Ted’s amazing ability to connect and influence is well-deserved and I appreciate his time with me in answering some questions for Simple Bliss Mag.
Let’s Concentrate on Learn-Learn vs Win-Win
My friend Niklas Myhr, the “Social Media Professor,” recently blogged about something I’m very passionate about, Social Media and Quality Management. In his post he discusses tapping your social advocates early on in the product and/or service development phase, listening to what they have to say and learning more about what they want and how you can deliver it to them.
Reinvigorating the Lost Art of Conversation ~@Progressive
Our words reveal our refinements; they tell the discerning listener of the company we have kept; they are the hallmarks of education and culture. – Dale Carnegie
Customer Success at @Dynamic_Signal [video]
Being interviewed about the Customer Success team at Dynamic Signal.
Social Media is the New Quality Control
If your product is fantastic, when identified and energized your Advocates will spread the word like wildfire. Social networks and traditional word-of-mouth will start buzzing with your product, and sales will reflect your Advocates’ delight.
But your advocates won’t try to get someone to buy your sub-par product, and they certainly won’t apologize for you or your product. Don’t try to make your Advocates do that work for you, because they won’t… and they shouldn’t have to.
The sale starts with your product, not your Advocates; your Advocates are simply the reward you get for ensuring your product is and does everything you promised it would (if not more!). Your strongest relationships are built on trust – trust that your brand is committed to producing quality products and services – and if you don’t deliver that top-notch product, that essential trust is quickly lost. Along with the sales.
You might be tempted to use social media to over-highlight the best parts of your product in the hopes that the disappointing parts won’t be noticed. But even the best social media relationships can’t perform magic… they won’t make up for a less-than-great product, and in all likelihood the strategy will backfire.
However, the good news is that when your product is strong and does carry through on your brand promises, advocates (both consumer and employee), through their social relationships, can skyrocket your product sales. Advocates engage, word gets out, and sales happen. As Seth Godin says, Consider the category of ‘without apology’ “People will go out of their way to buy and recommend products that don’t require an apology.” They will go out of their way for you. Because they want to… because your product is what it is supposed to be and has passed Social QC.
Don’t waste your time trying to hide your product flaws. Invest your time in striving for a flawless product, and give your Advocates something to get excited about! #RonR
Previously posted at TedRubin.com
Ted Talks About… ‘The Age of Influence’
Welcome to the ‘Age of Influence,’ where anyone can build an audience and effect change, advocate brands, build relationships and make a difference.