Keith Goodrum

Last week we went on vacation. Had a great time… even though it was with the In-Laws (oops – Did I say that out loud?)

We had to put Gypsy “The Wonder” Dog in a kennel. Wait… it’s a Resort and Spa for dogs. The place we always use is called Best Friends Pet Care. And they always go out of their way to make us feel special.

Study and take notes on how they create an experience instead of a transaction

When we dropped off Gypsy the staff fussed all over her, and told us how much they liked her personality. Of course being the proud parents of Gypsy “The Wonder Dog” we got a real kick out it.

Now, Gypsy only understands a few words… some of which she chooses to ignore on a regular basis. Some of her more words are: cookie, scooby snack, walkies, car ride, do you want to go?

So, with her limited English… most of the praising sorta went over her head. Although she did enjoy the pets and back scratches.

About half way through our vacation Becky was checking her email. And excitedly showed me an email we got from Gypsy…

Having a blast at Best Friends Chestnut Ridge…wish you were here!

I’d love to tell you all about it, but since I can’t talk my Best Friends agreed to send this photo along to you instead.

See you soon!

Love,

Gypsy

Attached to this email was a picture they took of her in the Play Room. Of course my wife started forwarding the email around to friends & family. She thought it was so cool to get an email from Gypsy telling us how much fun she was having.

Here’s the picture…

We came home & went to pickup Gypsy…

We got back this past Saturday, and went to pick up Gypsy. The girl behind the counter quickly pulled up the records on the computer. She then started telling us how much fun it was to have Gypsy stay with them. We were given the report cards to look over.

The report cards are comments left by the staff members who are taking care of Gypsy. There is a place to leave comments about how things went. Most of the comments said things like: “Gypsy is such a sweetie! She really is a cuddle hound… Gypsy is always a treat to have stay with us!”

How do I know what the comments say? Simple, my wife has kept all the report cards! I’ve been reading them while typing this post.

I then handed them Gypsy’s leash so they could go get her from the back. We paid the bill and waited for one of the staff to go get her.

But, wait it didn’t stop there…

There is a large screen TV hanging up behind the counter. It usually shows rotating pictures of the “Spa & Resort”. Usually it has a live shot of the doggie playroom. And you get to watch the other dogs romp around playing with each other. It can be fun to watch most of the time.

As we watching the picture changed. It was showing the picture of Gypsy in the playroom she had sent us in the email. The caption read something like we have arrived to pick up our best friend Gypsy. Of course we got a big laugh out it, and it was a nice touch.

This is getting long so I’m going to stop here. In a couple of days I’ll talk about some of the marketing lessons. And how you can apply them to your business.

But in the mean time… why don’t you add your comments here & tell me what you think made this an experience vs a transaction.

When the economy is booming, and companies are on a hiring frenzy just tossing your resume around is enough to get attention. There are typically more jobs than people, and that creates competition for good candidates.

In times of economic uncertainty even getting a job interview can be tough. There are less jobs for people to apply for because companies are tightening their belts. Some are even laying off to cut costs. That means more people are competing for less openings.

However with the right marketing approach you can secure those tough to get interviews.

What does this have to do with online marketing, or blogging?

Plenty!

The copywriting & marketing skills you pick up online can be transferred to other areas of your life. These skills work because they are being targeted towards people. The same people who are online are the same people making hiring decisions. Plus, today most resumes & cover letters are read online.

Copywriter Rebecca Dean proves this in her latest blog post titled “How I Sold Myself In 23 Minutes” She used her copywriting skills to land a job interview in 23 minutes.

Here is how she did it…

Now that I’ve been a successful copywriter for some time now, I decided to put my skills to work on my cover letter. The result? I got a call for an interview merely 23 minutes after I emailed my cover letter and resume. The hiring manager really liked the unique approach I took to my cover letter called me right away.

Want to see it?

I thought you would… here it is:

THREE reasons why I believe I may be
the candidate you are searching for
regarding the telerecruiter position.

Rebecca goes on to give 3 compelling reasons why she is the right candidate for the job. An excellent example of direct response copywriting.

It reminded me of a headline I used to land a job interview within 2 hours. (Hey, it was before this newfangled internet thing) I faxed a cover letter & resume for an advertising sales job. The headline read…

I’ll wear out 2 pairs of shoes selling advertising for you!

I went on to explain why I would work so hard, listed my experience, how they would benefit and added a call to action. The sales manager called, and scheduled an interview that day. I provided a solution to his problems. And he couldn’t call fast enough…

Strong marketing works online, offline, in good times & in bad. Don’t think what you do in one area doesn’t transfer to another part of your life.

Think about it… The last time you bought a product or service you felt comfortable with the person or company. Or if you did buy something and did not feel comfortable your probably felt stressed out making the buying decision. And the larger the purchase the more anxiety you probably felt.

It’s not uncommon for many people go though a whirlwind of emotions trying to make a buying decision. Especially with a large purchase. They want to make the right decision… they are afraid of making a mistake, and looking foolish.

So, how do most people approach a buying decision?

Most people when they decide to buy something they will do usually do the same thing. Start asking around to see if anyone has purchased what he or she is thinking about buying. They want to find out if anyone has any experience with the company or person.

It’s called word of mouth marketing, testimonials, social proof or any number of names.

But really they are looking for someone who has a relationship with the company or person. They want to find someone they trust who has had some kind of experience with this product, or service. The best scenario is to find a trusted relative, friend or co-worker who will give a good endorsement.

Ultimately they are hoping to leverage that relationship into a positive buying experience.

Lacking a close associate with a positive experience they have to rely on another purchasing method. And this is where the stress can begin.

Most people know that marketing is about putting your best foot forward…

Every company is jumping up and down screaming – “We’re The BEST! We Have The BEST QUALITY, SELECTION, SERVICE & PRICES!!!!” They spend all of their time, energy and money talking about themselves. How great they are… and most consumers don’t care about any of that.

Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get what you want. – Zig Ziglar

Pretty good advice. And I’ll bet you’ve heard it a 100 times before. This one of Zig’s most famous quotes.

But what does it mean?

Simple you have to stop screaming and listen to the customers. They are eager to tell you exactly how to market them. Customers are looking for solutions to their problems. All you have to do is hear it and give them what they want.

But did you know that by listening to your customers that it will build a relationship? You see by listening to your customers and responding to them; you are having a conversation. And those conversations will naturally build relationships.

Customers will start to trust you because you are listening and providing a real solution.

That’s my take on it… How about you – What is your take on this?