Nicholas Bate

How To Knock The Socks Off Your Competition 19

1. Be faster,
2. friendlier.
3. Be more thoughtful,
4. responsive.
5. Be proactive,
6. on time,
7. to time.
8. Answer the phones,
9. e-mail.
10. web-site enquiries.
11. Have car-parking spaces, 
12. decent coffee,
13. oh and herbal teas.
14. Never talk behind the customer's back,
15. nor copy the competition,
16. nor do less than an awesome job.
17. Ask for feed-back,
18. learn from it,
19. act upon it.

Reverse Marketing

with Joining Dots blog.

Marketing Focus 7

1. Where do we want to be?
2. How can we take our customers to that amazing place?
3. It’s about value.
4. It’s about the experience.
5. It’s about RoI.
6. We need to get closer: let’s start a blog.
7. Let’s think: even more.

Marketing Distraction 7

1. What’s the competition doing?
2. What do our customers want?
3. Need to get the price down.
4. Could we do another 3 for 2 offer?
5. Let’s do a summer offer...
6. Can we do T-shirts?
7. We NEED to be at that trade show: everybody always is.

The Starbucks Petri Dish

explained here with John Moore.

It's The Experience

Recall the ways you have spent money recently. From tickets to a concert to a new washing machine to a budget dinner for two. What's the memory? 'How much money' it cost or a 'great experience'. A great experience (the guy at the hardware shop was so helpful in the decision of which mower to choose; the band simply couldn't have played longer or harder that night) distracts from the price (sure it's not a cheap place to eat but it's just got a fantastic ambiance). Because if people are going to choose on price (the easy option, the quick option) then that may destroy what you are trying to do before your reputation builds. What is the experience? It's the sum total of every transaction from initial encounter to final delivery and possible on-going support. What do people experience when they buy your solution, deal with your team? Oh, and liaise with you?

Would You Buy...

a fake handbag?

Two Factors Which Challenge Us in Business

Factor 1: A Continuing Downturn.

What's the strategy? Decide what your business is about: why should people buy from you, why are you special, how do you offer excellent value even when people do not want to part with their money? In essence: get it right, then work hard.

Factor 2: A Changing World. 

What's the strategy? Decide how your business is being affected by continued globalisation, low-cost outsourcing, increasing ambiguity. Create a plan and regularly review it. In essence: get it right then work smart.

However you look at it, excellent businesses:

1. Know what they are doing.
   
2. Work smart.
   
3. Work hard.

All You Need To Know About...

word of mouth marketing & selling.

Seattle 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea

Starbuck's new store which is zero Starbuck's branded.