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When I owned Starstruck a company that manufactured a line of women’s clothing (check out the story here) we were shipping orders to 320 stores in the US and 120 in Canada. Once the order had been received we would call the store to make sure it had arrived ok, to see how it was performing and to thank them for believing in us. (I admit, it was a bit like sending our babies across the street – we had a lot of love put into those clothes and now that they were venturing off, and to check on them seemed like the most natural thing to do.)

Storeowners and department store managers at first didn’t really know what to do. They had never had a manufacturer call them before – which of course shocked us! So there we were on those first calls, me bursting with excitement checking in our babies; and the storeowner a little taken aback. A little awkward? Yup, but as time went on and we earned their trust by consistently calling them with each order. We realized that they loved having a chance to talk to us, and we loved listening to them! Quickly those who sold Starstruck became our friends and loyalties on both sides of the relationship deepened. We shared struggles and triumphs and the more they got to know us the more they enjoyed sharing our story with their customer.

We also gained insight into who their customers were and what they were looking for. From colours, designs, fabrics and price points we had a chance to learn first hand how to make the storeowner successful and their customer happy. Our line became influenced by who was buying it and the storeowners became invested in our brand – becoming the true heroes of our story. Quite honestly, it doesn’t get much better than that!

I could never put a price on the value of those calls and the friendships made. As we got bigger it was more challenging to do, with the stakes higher there was nothing more vital to our success then getting direct feedback on our product and getting advice on how our next line could best meet the needs of their customer. I never got over the thrill of making those calls, and what was so natural for us to do became a key differentiating factor in the highly competitive and fickle fashion marketplace. Our brand began to be set apart. We knew we weren’t just selling clothes – we were selling love on a hanger and success in a box.

When something feels like it is the right thing to do – even if it’s not the industry norm. (Perhaps, especially if it is not the industry norm) Try it. Trust yourself to do the right thing. You got this.

Doing good, by doing right always wins.

Nov

It’s Marketing Tip Tuesday!

Marketing Tip Tuesday

Nov

Talk Love Not War

Heart

Change terminology. Shift mindset. Drive Profit.

Most businesses start their business with a passion to help people. They have a product, service, project, event or an idea that is going to make somebody’s life easier, nicer, prettier or just plain better. There is energy, vitality and buckets of hope.

They start with love. Then they plan for war.

Suddenly their customer who they have lovingly imagined enjoying their product, has a target on their back with an arrow going right through them. (If you really picture that – ouch that would hurt!) When the “target market” is ‘nailed’ they move on to “tactics”. (Which is an equally unpleasant visual.) I don’t want the brands I love and support to think of me as a target who won’t buy before I have an arrow right through me! And you shouldn’t either.

Semantics maybe. But try this on for size:
What if your target market becomes “your people, your crew, your neighbourhood”. Doesn’t that warm things up a whole bunch and make it easier to say the meaningful things you want to say to them? Isn’t it much easier to rally “your people” than rally people with a target on their back?

If this is all sounding a bit too hipster for you and you are reaching for your “All you need is Love” LP take a look at the science. Famous neuroscientist Antonio Damasio was able to prove that the majority of our decisions are based on our emotions, not on logical reasoning. That’s a game changing fact for marketers. Remove the target, put down that arrow, and start making emotional connections.

Give the love, to get the love.
The kind of love that goes beyond reason and builds life long brands.

Oct

Say Thanks – It’s Good For You!

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Thanksgiving seems like a good time to pass along the best advice I have ever received and given and it is simply: to say thanks.

I walked into a client’s office last week and he had a thank you card I had written him from 3 years ago on his desk. Said it still inspired him!! Yup, true story. (On the flip side of that coin I have never gone into a clients office to see an email printed out and tapped to a desk. Just sayin’)

When was the last time a customer, client, or co-worker sent you a hand written thank you note? I hope your desk is just littered with beautiful notes but likely it has been a while and that is why this strategy when applied authentically can set you and your brand apart.

And the truth is we are thankful – we do appreciate what others do for us. We just don’t always know how to say it. So keep it simple. Keep it short. Send it immediately.

Here are some hints if you struggle with what to write:

First, think of person you are writing to, visualize that they are standing right in front of you. Now talk to them like you would speak to them if they were really there. This will insure you get the tone right either formal or casual however you normally converse. Keeping things keeps real and sounding less like the Wal Mart greeter. So grab your pen and think of someone you need to say thank you to and start with:

Line 1: why you are thankful

Line 2: why what they have done for you matters to your business or to you personally

Line 3: a burst of generosity – give some knowledge away

Line 4: a personal line about when you might see them next or something that you both share an interest in.

Here is an example:

Fantastic to connect today – thanks so much for sharing your time and energy with me.

I am completely inspired by the work you are doing – my mind has been blown wide open! Your work is changing lives and it meant a lot to me hear about what your latest project.

You mentioned you were having trouble coming up (insert something you were discussing) and I had an idea flash – (insert your brilliant idea or a link to some helpful information here). If you would like any help fleshing this idea out further reach out anytime.

Hope you pile on the pumpkin pie this weekend and cheer wildly for the Riders.

All the best,

Xxx

What to write on?

Well preferably a branded thank you note. If you don’t have that – well email me right now here so we can design one for you! 🙂 Or run as fast as you can to Chapters and buy a stockpile of simple, classy looking thank you notes (think Kate Spade) with a blank inside. Then keep them on top of your desk so you can reach for them often. If your thank you is not branded include your business card in the envelope.

If you were just about to pull out the – “but you haven’t seen my handwriting” excuse. Well, think of this as good practice. Honestly, you can manage 4 lines!

Veering towards the ‘nah “I’ll just send an email” – very nice but won’t have a fraction of the impact. Trust me on that. Old school, is the cool school besides.

And I have saved the best for last – science actually proves that saying thanks will make you happier too. Happiness researcher Shawn Achor has shown that when we thank others and look for the positives we start to feel more positive too. “The more opportunities for positivity we see, the more grateful we become.” And the good news just gets better, Achor says “When researches pick random volunteers and train them to be more grateful over a period of a few weeks, they become happier and more optimistic, feel more socially connected, enjoy better quality sleep and even have fewer headaches than control groups.”

Convinced yet?

Thanks for reading this. It means the world to me that my little thoughts reached yours and maybe started a tsunami of thank you notes being sent around the globe :).

Oct

Smile. Breathe and go slowly. Thich Nhat Hanh

I love words.

We spend a lot of time together, and I like to think we get along pretty well. From corporate marketing strategies, to taglines and business names and blogs I crave stringing words together and making them sing. But when it’s time to write for my own blog, I seem to freeze up. (And that’s not because I live in Saskatchewan – it’s only October!) The questions start to swirl – should I strictly be Ms. Marketing and “all about the niche, ‘bout the niche, ‘bout the niche” (think Meghan Trainor when you read that) or do I show a little me and what stories inspire my life. My story co pal, the brilliant Kelly Hogan advised me to do the latter. Phew, thank goodness she is so brilliant! I feel much more comfortable doing this. And besides I only have one life – and work, rest and play (and a few dog hairs) are all mushed into it. So if that’s ok with you then read on…

Reflect on Everything Recently I had the chance to fall in love with Whitehorse in the Yukon. The ultimate “true north strong and free experience”. It is BIG country and encourages big, brave, and clear thinking.It was at the heart of the gold rush after all, and you can still feel the electric energy that made this – the land of the possible (find more Yukon moments on my instagram here).

Taking this picture had me reflecting, on reflection (and yes, my kids groan at my puns) and I had a bit of a lulu moment. Life is full on most of the time and being reflective can seem to go against my movin’ and shakin’ and dream making mentality. But surely if there ever was a time and place to be reflective – this was it!!

So reflect, I did. Got quiet. Sorted through the gunk and here it is – my reflective Yukon inspired manifesto moment:

Breathe BIG.

Walk TALL.

Find the still. Feel the dirt.

Get unhinged every once in awhile

Sparkle.

Expand your view.

Be BOLD

(even with your kitchen dance party moves that no one sees)

Be well.

Know where you stand.

Dream about where you will stand NEXT.

Then stand THERE.

Right now.

Focus.

Sometimes life hurts – and everything is important, and nothing is important all at the same time. I don’t know why.

Everything happens for a reason – is not always the answer.

Sometimes there is no answer.

Reflect what you feel in your heart.

Move people.

Make good stuff then.

Make good stuff great.

Write.

Let it go…

Pass it on.

Make brave a verb.

Put something out there.

Stay curious.

Deep listen.

Shake the world – even just a little.

Love big. Like REALLY big.

Found a bit of gold dust in the Yukon stillness, yes I did. (And remember that the phrase “a bit of a climb means something different to a Yukoner than it does to a Flatlander.)
Climb on…

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