Wimpy Braille Burger Marketing Unfair to Competition

In this video, my friend Geoff Ramm reports from South Africa with this example of clever marketing from a Wimpy Burger.

It's an example of how you can take advantage of the misfortune and mistakes of your competitors. Apparently one of the other hamburger chains asked a blind person with his seeing eye dog to leave the restaurant. That story was splashed in the media with lots of bad publicity for that chain.

So what would you do if you were the competition? Would you politely say, 'what a shame', or would you jump on the opportunity to take an unfair advantage over the competition?

Look at how Wimpy took the unfair advantage. Thanks to Geoff Ramm for this video report.





George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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56 Tips for Increasing Website Traffic - Carol Roth

This compilation on the Carol Roth Blog offers 56 tips for getting more traffic to your site.


Here is my contribution (number 35) to the list:


Funnel Travel Via YouTube


Optimize your videos on YouTube by putting your keywords in the title, description and tags. Put your website URL at the beginning of the video description. Place your keywords as captions in your video. Put your URL on a text page at the end of your video. 


Read the rest of the list here.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Spring Partnering Promotion - Cars & Dirt

 

This looks like clever marketing. Driving by a car dealership, the yellow bags of soil and compost caught my attention.

Why? Because it's spring and I was thinking about what I should do to improve my yard.

So just imagine if it's spring and you are also thinking about getting a new car. What a clever connection.

One,  the yellow bags catch your attention.
Two, it looks like you get a free bag of soil when you buy a car.
Three, you are likely to tell others about this deal.



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Innovation is Not a Good Marketing Plan

Don't bet your marketing plans on innovation. That's not enough. It's easy to note the success of APPLE and delude yourself into believing that the secret to success is simply to be innovative.

Remember the Segway?

It was innovative. Even showed up in some future themed movies - but it didn't sell. Because there wasn't a realistic and practical market.

Why did it fail?

The name didn't mean anything.

People didn't know how to pronounce the name (sometimes you can overcome that - for example the Nintendo Wii).

There was no compelling need (imagined or real) being met.

There were major legal issues about where it could be used. (Not on the street and not on the sidewalks)

It was expensive compared to the alternative - bicycles and walking.


Innovative - yes
Successful product - no


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The Best Personal Marketing

Smile

Personal marketing is about marketing your personality.

The number one thing you can do to sell yourself is to smile more. Smile when you greet your clients. Smile when you enter their place of business. Smile at the receptionist when you ask to meet your contact. Smile when you say your name. Smile when they give you the order. 

Smile even when you don't get the business. (That's a tough one, but it's important.) 

Smile when they are talking. Smile when you describe your services. Smile - don't look guilty when you tell them your price. Smile when you are on the phone. Smile when they hand you the payment - don't leer, just smile.

A smile conveys confidence in yourself, your product, and your company. A smile builds trust. We would rather do business with a face that smiles than one that frowns. When I line up at the grocery store, I will go to the checkout with the friendly cashier, even if it has the longest lineup.

In the global marketplace, a smile is the one gesture that is understood in any language, in any culture. And smiles are infectious. When you smile, others will smile back at you. Try it; it's hard to resist. 

When you smile, your brain releases endorphins that make you feel good. Imagine that. Every time you smile, you make yourself and others feel better.

Your smile is your best tool for personal marketing.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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McMaster University Alumni Luncheon

I attended the luncheon for McMaster University Alumni.

It's a good way to network and have some stimulating conversation. The first is about making and building business contacts. The second is about staying sharp because that will help you build your business contacts.

I graduated from McMaster University in 1979 with my degree in Economics. I sat at a table with graduates from 1962. As you can imagine, they were now retired. We were decades apart. Several had been teachers so we were able to connect on the topic of public speaking and motivation.

The year of 62 grads were planning their 50th year reunion. They were engaged and motivated. That impressed me. They must be 70 plus in age.

I connected with several other people I knew. People need to see you again to remember you.

I also made a first face meeting with one person that I had only connected with online.

An Alumni event is an easy way to connect and reconnect with people. The environment is non-threatening.

It was a stimulating event. If you haven't been to a college, university or high school alumni event in a long while then just do it.

It's amazing that even though we attended the same school, in different decades, we can still find a bond.


George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Your Car as a Marketing Tool

Is That Your Car?

Your car sends a message about how successful you are. Maintain it. A rusty car is never cool. If you have an old car, get it repainted. Customers might think that you are an antique collector. But if it is rusty they know you have no money. If you have no money they think you are not successful in your business. And if you are not successful you must not be good.

If you drive an old car, you might rent or borrow a better one for an important meeting.

Keep your car clean inside and out, even if,  no, especially if, it is the family car. When you are on business it is acceptable to have a baby seat in the back, but not the diapers.

Use your car as a signboard. Paint your name on the sides if it fits the image of your business. If you're in a big city with tall buildings, put your name on the roof of the car. If signs are not appropriate, then you can always go with vanity plates.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Introduce Yourself with Flair

Introducing Yourself Like Zorro

You may have heard your name thousands of times, so to save time you state it very quickly. The listener does not hear your name and won't remember you. Say your name slowly and clearly so they hear it. Enunciate for them. “Hi, I am (short pause) George (longer pause) Torok (pause and smile)." Look happy to state your name. If you have a difficult or unusual name, repeat it. You might help them remember it by saying, "rhymes with . . ." or "in my mother tongue it means . . ." And if you can make people laugh when you say your name, they will remember you.

State your name clearly when meeting face to face, talking on the phone, or introducing yourself to a group. Be proud of your name and show it. Never apologize for introducing yourself.


The next time that you introduce yourself picture how Zorro would do it.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Soiled Collar Kills the Sale

The Power of Presentation

The president of an oil company remembers going shopping with his dad for a new car when he was a young boy. His father's business had done well and they were going to buy a brand new Cadillac. 

They entered the showroom, both of them proud and excited. They smiled as the salesman approached them. 

Then a strange thing happened. As the expectant salesman got closer, the smile on the father's face disappeared, and he reached down, grabbed his son's hand, turned around, and marched out. 

The boy was almost in tears. “What happened, Dad? Why did we leave?” His father barked, “I’ll not buy an expensive car from a man with a soiled shirt.” It seems the negligent salesman had worn his shirt at least two days in a row.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Can You Say "Thank You"?

Is "thank you" a lost phrase?

Has this happened to you recently? You were passing through the door of a public building and in a gesture of kindness you held the door for the next person behind you. And that person marched through without saying “Thank You”? Not only did they not say anything but you didn’t even receive a smile, a nod or acknowledgement of any kind. In fact they acted as if they were entitled to your servitude. If you felt annoyed you would be normal.

We want to be appreciated – especially when we go out of our way to show kindness to someone else. Often all it takes is a simple “thank you”. A “thank you” costs nothing yet it is given so seldom in earnest.

The best thing that you can do to improve your customer service is to say “thank you” to your clients. The cost is nothing. The return is huge. Consider that everyone wants to be acknowledged. Everyone wants to feel good about themselves. Saying thank you is the simplest way to do that. Yet many customer service people do not say thank you.

It seems strange yet many customer service people seem to expect to be thanked for doing their job – even when they snarl at you. They give you back your change and expect a thank you. Hey, that was my money that I gave you.

They seemed to miss the fact that the customer should be thanked for visiting their shop and spending money.

I believe that this is the result of entitlement mentality and poor customer service training.

The first might be the result of over indulgent parents and the second the fault of untrained retail managers.

It seems that rotten customer service has trained customers to expect lousy service and be overly polite to the servers.

What’s wrong with this scenario?

I’m all for treating people with respect. I believe that I do. And I expect to be treated as a valued customer when I’m spending my money.

How does your staff react when a customer walks in the door?

1. Damm! Another annoying customer.

2. Wonderful! Welcome to our shop, and thank you for your business.

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

Robin States with Conquest Financial Services

Does email marketing still work?

Yes. But we need to be much smarter then we were five years ago. You need to capture attention with real benefits. You need to avoid the perception of SPAM.

Here's an email from Conquest Financial that fails on several points. You might learn from the mistakes of Robin States with Conquest Financial Services.

I've received at least six copies of this message from Robin States. It's so bad that naturally I ignored the first few messages. I requested removal from Mr States list at least twice. So now I'm annoyed at receiving this SPAM from Conquest Financial.

So let's see what we can learn from this bad email.

First mistake. The email was marked, "High Priority". To me, only life and death issues are high priority. I have never marked an email "High Priority" because nothing in business is "high priority". So my first reaction is annoyance.

Second, the subject line was not bad. 

"Important Merchant Account Information - Reduce Your Rates!"

A better line would have been "How to Reduce Your Merchant Account rates"

Next, the greeting and opening line.

-----------------

Hello,

Robin States here, with Conquest Financial Services.  Keeping this email brief I would like to introduce our services.

-----------------

It starts with Hello - but not my name. Clearly it's not addressed to me. Looks like SPAM already. Read the next two sentences. Nothing of value there. I don't know Robin States or Conquest Financial so neither of those names mean anything to me. The next sentence is total crap and wasted words. If you wanted to keep it brief then don't waste my time by telling me that.

---------------------------

At Conquest Financial Services, our mission is to provide our customers with the most innovative and diverse suite of payment processing solutions that will fuel the success of their business while developing a long-standing relationship through outstanding customer service and support. 

---------------------------

What does that mean?

It's gobbly goop. No benefits offered there.

These words are meaningless: our mission, most innovative, diverse suite, fuel the success, outstanding customer service and support...

Further down, Mr States ask for referrals. Here is my referral. Don't do business with Robin States or Conquest Financial Services because they SPAM and lie.

Naturally like any referral that is based on my opinion of my limited experience with this company.

And way at the bottom is the offer to "unsubscribe". My experience is that that is a lie.

This SPAM email from Robin States with Conquest Financial offers good example of what not to do in your email marketing.

See the full email below.

-----------------

Hello,

Robin States here, with Conquest Financial Services.  Keeping this email brief I would like to introduce our services.

At Conquest Financial Services, our mission is to provide our customers with the most innovative and diverse suite of payment processing solutions that will fuel the success of their business while developing a long-standing relationship through outstanding customer service and support.

Conquest Financial Services has mandated to enable its clients to process all major card brands including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, JCB and Interac Direct Payment in Canada AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATES.

WE WILL BEAT YOUR CURRENT RATES GUARANTEED!

I SERVICE ALL OF CANADA!

Conquest Financial Services offers comprehensive payment solutions specially tailored to your business.

• Full line of the most Advanced smart card enabled POS equipment 
• Flexible low-cost transaction processing
• Merchant Cash Advances
• Outstanding 24/7/365 Customer Service and Technical Support

If you are interested in saving on your merchant services cost, and would like to put more of your hard earned revenue back into your business, please contact me to discuss your options further, and to arrange for an analysis on your current merchant situation.  I will show you how you can save $$$ by switching to Conquest Financial Services as your merchant services provider.

*** Also, Conquest Financial Services provides Working Capital Loans to Small & Medium Businesses for whatever your business needs require.  Please contact me for more information regarding working capital loans.

If you are not interested in our services, but know of someone who would be, please forward on my contact information or this email communication and I will get them into the best possible processing situation.  Referrals are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to speaking with you soon,

Rob States

Regional Accounts Manager 

Conquest Financial Services | 326 Adelaide St W. Suite 400 | Toronto ON M5V 1R3

Tel: 1.877.505.9383 ext. 161 | Fax: 1.866.209.9359 | E-Mail : rstates@conquest-financial.com

P Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail 

This message contains information which may be confidential and privileged.  Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive this message for the intended recipient), you may not use, copy, disseminate or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message.  If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and delete the message.  Thank you.

***If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please reply to Unsubscribe with the subject "Remove" in the email header. We will gladly remove you and your information from the mailing list within 24 hours.***

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Ideas" Power Marketing on FaceBook Marketing Zoo on Twitter

What's in a Name?

Does a name determine value?

Maybe. Names plant images or emotional value in our minds. Product names seem to influence value. Consider these examples.

Wine
If you are selling wine then consider the study by Brock University as reported in the Globe and Mail.


“Names that seem unique or harder to understand or wrap your mind around are that way because they’re rare,” said Antonia Mantonakis, the Brock associate professor of marketing who led the study. “Things that are rare are more valuable.”

Apparently wine appears more valuable when it seems to be unattainable.

This study demonstrated that a difficult-to-pronounce name like Tselepou was perceived as more valuable than Titakis, which was perceived as more valuable than a simple common name. Wine drinkers want to be mysterious. Read the rest of this report at the Globe and Mail

Investment
The same article in the Globe and Mail mentioned:


"In one subsequently famous case, Harley-Davidson shares shot up 16 per cent in the weeks after it changed its ticker from HDI to HOG, the biker-slang term for its motorcycles."

When it comes to investments simple names are better. Investors want to be reassured - not confused.


Dating
Imagine if you are a guy looking to meet a woman on an online dating site, how likely are you to contact a Gertrude, Bertha or Gretchen? Would Melanie, Tiffany or Jennifer sound more attractive?

Imagine that you are a woman hoping to meet the guy of your dreams. Your friend offers to introduce you to   Igor, Rudolph and Herbert. Would you prefer Brad, Stephan or Trevor?

Naturally the attractive people names will be influenced by your age and culture.


I suggest that when you are naming your company or product think about what sounds attractive to your best prospects. They are the ones who need to give you money. Buyers won't care about the name of your grandmother, your hero or your pet.

Should the name sound exotic, simple, foreign, common, reassuring, provocative or suggestive?



George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Power Marketing Tip 49: 3 Simple Tests for Your Graphic Design

3 Simple Tests for Your Graphic Design

Are you losing money because of starving-artists design?

I've noticed a lot of bad design of marketing material lately. I've also seen some fabulous graphic design. You might want to protect yourself from the design demons. It's so easy for budding entrepreneurs to use a design program without understanding or applying marketing design principles.

Good marketing design is art based on scientific principles. The art, I'm not so good at. I'm a stick figure artist at best. But I do understand the principles of effective design. If you're hiring graphic designers to creative marketing materials you don't need to be an artist but you need to understand the fundamentals.

Apply this 3 part test to your visual marketing materials. That might include your website, postcard, poster, sign, flyer, business card...

Attention

Whose attention do you want to catch? You can catch attention with a visual or with words. In either case it will likely be a benefit that your best prospects desire or a pain that they hope to banish. Design your marketing to target your best prospects.

This is especially challenging when your advertisement is on a page with other listings.

Absolution or aspirin - that's what grabs their attention. Most of the time, your photo, logo, or business name won't do that.

Eye Flow

Let's assume that you caught their attention - where do their eyes go next? If you don't know, it's bad graphic design. You don't need to be an expert to know where the eyes go. Just test it yourself. Our eyes tend to jump from point to point. Effective graphic design leads the eyes of viewers like a tour guide directing a museum tour.

Each eye jump must enhance the perceived value and want of your prospects. You should be able to predict the first three eye jumps.

Action

This is the final test. What do you want your prospects to do? If this doesn't happen your marketing investment was wasted. If you want them to call you, tell them why. If you want them to visit your shop, tell them why. If you want them to click your link, tell them why. If you want them to scan your QR code, tell them why.

People only act when they have a good reason. That is most likely the same factor that caught their attention. Don't hope that prospects will be curious. You don't want curious people. You want motivated buyers.

Remind your graphic designer that purpose and function are far more important than the artistic form. You don't want a Picasso. You want customers to buy.

Don't be seduced by the art - test your design against these three simple marketing principles.

George Torok
Power Marketing

PS: Here's an example of a poorly designed postcard.

PPS: Here's a well designed business card.

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Why Aren't Prospects Returning Your Call?

If you want prospects to return your calls give them a compelling reason to do that.
It’s tough reaching business decision makers by phone. You either get screened by the gate keeper or trapped in voice mail. That means that sales and marketers need to be smarter not dumber.

Of course, there is the legion of folks that you can reach on their cell phone, day or night, in the car, restaurant, toilette or grocery store. Those cell phone zombies answer their phone because they can’t make decisions. They just crave the ego stroking of wasting your time on the phone. That’s dumb.

I like reaching voice mail because then I can leave a specific message for my intended recipient. That message will tell them exactly why they should call me. That message qualifies valid leads and disqualifies dead ends. You don’t want everybody returning your calls. They will waste your time. You only want real leads to call you. That’s smart.

How can you do that? Invest your time thinking before you call them. Why would this person call you? What can you say to trigger that interest? What can you say that compels them to call you? They aren’t going to return your call just because you called.

Yet, many callers don’t seem to be able to leave a message to get decision makers to call them back.

Here are two examples of voice messages from Dumb and Dumber.

The names of the individuals and the companies were changed to protect the guilty - this time.

Listen to this message from Dumb.

---------------------------------
“Hello George, This is Sue from ABC computer systems. I’d appreciate it if you’d return my call. My number is 555-555-5555.”
---------------------------------

Look at that message. Why would you call? Who cares what she appreciates? What pain did she offer to fix? What special offer did she present? Why would you call? Perhaps, if you were bored. The message didn’t qualify return callers. Most of the return calls will be a waste of time. That's dumb.

This company had repaired my computer. I’d received this message previously. One day I was bored and curious, so I called. Sue told me that she was calling to see if I needed their services. I was annoyed that I wasted my time in returning her call. She could have said that on her message (I told her that) and I would have appreciated her follow-up. Instead I was annoyed by her lack of thought and value for my time.

I’d appreciate if you’d tell me why you are calling and why you want me to call you.

Here’s the voice message from Dumber.

------------------------------------
“Ah, Good morning, It’s Roger calling on behalf of Down Stream. If you could please give me a call back, ah, regarding your internet and phone services. It’s 555-555-5555. Again it’s Roger calling on behalf of Down Stream. Thank you”
------------------------------------


Roger didn’t say my name. That suggested that he didn’t care about me. If he listened to my answering voice message he would have learned my name.

He didn’t mention a benefit. Why should I call him? He said nothing to compel an interested buyer to call. What pain could he fix?

One more dumb thing. The sentence that starts with “If you could” needs to be balanced with the promise. That sentence should run, “if you do this I will do that”. Instead it was left hanging with nil promise.

Dumb voice message Sue. Dumber voice message Roger.

If you want prospects to call you back, tell them why they should call you. Don’t be dumb. Don’t be dumber. Instead think about the needs and desires of your prospect before you call.


George Torok


Marketing Speaker


Business Speaker

TV Interview: George Torok on Power Marketing on People in Connection

Enjoy this TV interview with George Torok talking about Power Marketing on the People in Connection TV show with host Marie Mushing.




George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing

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Business is an Exchange of Value: Mickey Mantle for Yogi Berra

Do you want to deal? Then let's trade.

It's doesn't have to be equal value but it does need to be perceived as equivalent value.

I learned about how to make business deals in elementary school - grade one - seven years old.

We traded baseball cards. A deal sounded like this, "I'll give you a Mickey Mantel for your Yogi Berra."

That's clear.

The answer is yes or no - or let's re-negotiate.

There was no deception in that offer. Your word was your contract. Nothing was in writing. We understood each other.

Stop positioning and proclaiming your policies. I don't want to talk with your interns who can't make decisions.

Do you want my Mickey Mantle or not. If so, give me your Yogi Berra. If you don't want to give up your Yogi Berra, then why are we talking?

George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Power Marketing Tip #48: Back Stage Marketing

With all the attention that the TV advertisements on the Super Bowl receive, it's easy to be seduced into believing that's marketing. Yes, good advertising is good marketing - and remember that it's only one part of the marketing mix. My guess is that you didn't buy a TV advertisement on the Super Bowl. The price for 30 seconds was $3.5 M.

There was a more important marketing lesson that had nothing to do with the expensive ads. That was the setup and tear down of the halftime show.

Madonna and the rest of the performers would have had no stage without the stage crew. The elaborate stage was set up in about 7 minutes.

If the setup took too long the performance would have been sacrificed. If the setup was done incorrectly the performers might have suffered embarrassment or injury.

They were not called the marketing department but those setup people played a significant role in the marketing and presentation of the show.

Who are the back stage marketers in your business? Who helps set up the stage so your product can be delivered to the satisfaction of your clients? Perhaps there are activities that you do that fall into the category of back stage marketing.

Shine a bright light on your backstage marketers and provide them with the tools they need to set up the stage for your customer experience. Give them the training, tools and communication to help delight your customers.

Look past the flashy advertisements. Examine all the people and pieces that need to be in place to deliver the promise that your marketing department is boldly broadcasting.

George Torok
Power Marketing

Marketing Resources

Do you want a engaging keynote speech for your conference or sales meeting?

Do you want an provocative executive briefing for your management team?

Call George Torok 905-335-1997

Forward this tip to your colleagues who want to gain an unfair advantage over the competition.

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