Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Here are five interesting items I came across last week — along with my comments.
- “Things I’d like printing sales reps to know” – From PIword‘s anonymously written Print Confessions blog comes a pointed rebuke to sales folks who don’t do their homework prior to calling on prospective clients.
- My comment: D’oh! The most unforgivable sales sin is not understanding who you’re selling to. Know your prospect’s needs, margins, competitive environment. These days sales people have access to ample information to leverage to their advantage. Make certain to peruse the Web site, blog or LinkedIn profile of your prospect before you call them.
- What’s In Your Mailbox? Creative Direct Mail Ideas to Test – EU Services suggests some shrewd uses of regular mail to intrigue B2B recipients. What’s key? Thinking “outside the envelope” by actually handwriting addresses; using thicker packages with a giveaway inside; and a debuting a mini-series teasing out messaging across a number of mailings.
- My comment: Rob, Peter and I have started talking about future direct-mail campaigns, so we’ve been keeping an eye out for ideas. These concepts make sense to me, especially given our challenge as recruiters of using direct mail to target direct-mail and marketing companies.
- Nine B2B Marketing Lessons From College Visits – Webbiquity‘s blog post hit home, especially as Peter recently did the visit roadshow with his son. Suggestions include using online “guided tours;” making it easy to ask questions; appealing to the “buyer” as well as the “check writer;” and being straightforward about price.
- My comment: These ideas hit the mark, especially given the cost of higher education. You can lower your clients concerns by giving them ways to engage with you; get a feel for your culture; and understand your pricing. Also, it’s a timely reminder of the value of looking outside your own industry for marketing approaches.
- What Kind Of Business Do You Want To Run? – Glenn Pasch‘s post is a cool read. How could it not be, starting: “I could fire you all today and still be open tomorrow.” That’s Glenn’s first business mentor (a successul restaurant owner) speaking to a team of newly hired servers.
- My comment: What a surprise ending! What appears to be a curt dismissal of the value his new hires is, in fact, a passionate appeal to them to take ownership of their tables and manage them as their own personal companies. “What kind of business do you want to run?” is the critical question that demands an answer from every one of us.
- Brand by Sascha Dichter is a blog mash note to Oxo home and kitchen products. When an $8 tub stopper helped avoid a $1,500 repair bill, Sascha started paying close attention to other Oxo tools. His takeaway, “If the Oxo name is on a product it means, to me, that it is the best-designed version of a particular gadget at an affordable price. Oxo so consistently delivers on this promise, my decision about buying an Oxo product isn’t whether it will be good or about choosing between Oxo and a competitor.”
- My comment: Great illustration of how Oxo’s clear-cut commitment to innovation makes its products the brand. If that sounds simplistic, how many companies do you know that actually stand for something? Too often, there’s no there, there, so it’s up to marketing to create something out of nothing.
