Trying Harder
We’ve played a funny game with our kids for years when we go into a restaurant: We let them decide how much tip we’ll leave.http://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-should-i-tip-at-a-restaurant.htm
We do it because it helps keep them entertained, and because it helps keep my wife and I entertained as well (like the time my seven year old daughter informed the waiter he wouldn’t be receiving much of a tip because of he had brought out the wrong meal – twice—and she hoped he wouldn’t feel too sad about it).
Well, that same daughter made an interesting observation the other night when we were eating at our favorite local Mexican restaurant http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-19903442R-cancun_cafe-i. When it came to tip time, she said, “Daddy, it seems like they’re trying harder today.” And she was right. With $4 gas prices, and people eating out less, even waiters are “trying harder” to provide better services.
I like to think that mentality stretches into the world of marketing too. When times get tighter companies would do better to resist the urge to stop marketing and replace it with the desire to make their marketing efforts “try harder.”
Here are four thoughts for moving that out of the “easier said than done” column:
1. Invite. The reflex of many companies when the market tightens is to stop spending money on marketing. Are you kidding me? That’s like saying when it’s more competitive to get folks to come to your party instead of your arch-rival neighbor’s party, your strategy is going to be to stop extending invitations. Somebody tell me how that makes sense.
2. Before you cut, be extra sharp: Know your audience, know how to reach them and then really bring the message home. It’s critical because you don’t have any room for error these days. Look what one dinner theater did just to get push their product.: http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/dinner_theater_play?utm_source=onion_rss_daily . Well, ok, it’s the Onion, so this “might” not have happened, but you get the point.
3. Shine the spotlight on your differentiation: Know what makes customers vote for you (with their wallet) and talk about that and just that.
4. Provide great service. Deliver on your promises. It’s what keeps ‘em coming back – especially in hard times.
Todd Wolfenbarger is a Partner in The Summit Group, one of Utah’s largest and most successful marketing communications firms. He is a veteran of 20+ years of marketing wars and still smiling about it. For more information, please visit www.summitslc.com