Pearson Strategy welcomes branding, marketing and design expert Tuck Kamin as our newest alliance partner. Tuck has more than 30 years of advertising success and exciting ideas about the emerging market around our aging society. I am also pleased that Tuck will be sharing his tips, views and opinions through our blog. Check it out!
–Steve
Asking Questions — Part One
By Tuck Kamin
Every client asks me questions like these.
“Where can I find new clients and customers?”
“How big should we be on Facebook?”
“We think we have something all our customers will love.”
Now, I have questions for you:
• How often do you check with your customers to find out how they like your product or service?
• How often do you have conversations with your existing customers?
• Do you ask for their ideas on your product or service?
Not with a Survey Monkey email. UGH. Instead, go ahead and make a phone call to one or more of your customers every week or daily if you have more. Or take one to coffee. Think of some way to reward this customer. They are part of your family.
Know your customers. They are part of your family.
They are your Gold Mine for new customers. It’s common sense.
EMV: An Outside Ear. Mirror. Voice.
As a branding strategist and a creative, I can never get ever enough information.
We hear what the client thinks and what the marketing director thinks then if a company has done their homework of gathering info from existing clients, it’s Wow for me. There’s also an awakening in finding out how you’re perceived and what prospective customers see in you.
It is valuable to have a professional outside “Ear. Mirror. Voice” every once in a while. This is not a solicitation and yes I know that Steve Jobs said, “We know what our customers want, before they do.” That was about Jobs’ ability to innate, his remarkable ability to be enthusiastically observant.
Jobs went out and brought in the Outside Ear. A Mirror. And Outside Voice. This sparked a great collaboration between Jobs and Lee Clow of the ad agency Chiat and Day. Their “Think Different” advertising campaign rolled out an irresistible red carpet Apple computer. Lee Clow had the passion and a creative team that was passionate. Find an Outside Ear that is as hungry as you are. Even more so.
The Outside E.M.V. effect is also magical in stimulating answers from people INSIDE your company. Employees who are wary of being fully visible in their opinions instead will open up to an outsider.
Success can also be mined inside with smartly designed internal incentive campaigns. An incentive that solicits new ideas and highlights answers to existing problems. Your first family is your staff and employees. Utilize them and reward them properly.
Before you go looking for customers over there, somewhere, look inside and discover the Invisible Prizes in your company.
Your company will rise as a result.
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