Actually, they found me! More on this later.
It's been a bit of a while since my last post. I just wanted to give a quick hit about 2 books that I am presently reading which I feel are very important for anyone working in this space to check out and read.
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Seth Godin
Seth doesn't "just write books". It seems that each book is a building block in the overall formation of his thesis about marketing and how society works. His latest book pulls everything together and posits that the internet has really escalated the trend towards people, products, organizations and companies of developing a following which is led - not managed - by leaders. I will expand on these trends in and how they impact our community in a future post.
Going Forward - I am mulling over a switch to a new blog platform and structuring of the site. I reiterate that this is a movement. Marketers are starting to get it. I am looking to get this Tribe together within our tribe so that we can educate and innovate within our marketplace. Let's band together and spread the word. Please e-mail me at michael DOT szpilzinger AT gmail DOT com or comment on this post if the ideas resonate with you.
Pomegranate Supermarket had its grand opening this week, amongst lots of buzz. Some of the local papers weighed in. Here is what one blogger’s response was.
Would I shop here? Yes. But you must be very careful about the prices and about the "sales" items which may be much more expensive than the other neighborhood stores.
I strolled in last night and I must say the place is stunning. The fact that they were quite crowded at 9:15 on a Summer weeknight is also a good sign, although it might just be the novelty of something new and buzzworthy that is bringing in people. As far as the prices, I would say that some are pretty reasonable while other items are about 15-25% higher than the other stores in the area.
The challenge will be whether they can sustain a steady flow of customers who want high-end, fancy cheese and willing to spend $25-50 more per shopping trip. A year ago, when the store first started undergoing its metamorphosis, Whole Foods was the all the rage and people were demanding higher end stuff. Now with the economy putting the squeeze on grocery shoppers, and with Whole Foods feeling it too, Pomegranate might be hard pressed to win back the market share that was lost and the money that was invested in their 14 month closing of its doors.
OCNM Spin
Here is what I like about what they are doing.
Presentation is a major portion of shopping experience and they certainly score big points in that area.
The personnel are very clearly distinguishable with uniforms. I can’t tell you how many times I had difficulty finding a store employee when I needed one in the past. There are area managers for each of the sections. I was hoping to grab a chat with Mayer Gold, the head manager, but he was quite busy as you can imagine. If they can provide stellar service, I think that they will really develop a loyal base.
Free parking lot with parking attendant.
I was hoping that they would have a website where you can shop online, but one of the owners informed me that they rejected the idea as too much trouble. I wonder how it is working out for Glatt Mart. Pomegranate hopes to have a website up soon, but I am guessing that it will just have information and specials.
CRISIS!!!
Yesterday my wife was looking at a brochure she had designed for a company that sells dental supplies. All of a sudden, her jaw dropped as her eyes noticed something. The piece, which had already been printed (thousands, that is) was missing a late change that had been requested...a change that could spell big time embarrassment for the company if not corrected. And this was a new client!
Panic, followed by frustration, and then despondency.
"What do we do now?" she cried out. The issue arose because a short power outage had undone the change she had made. To pay the re-printing cost out of pocket would have been quite a difficulty for our design and marketing company. One person's advice was that she just leave it, as the company possibly would not notice it. My concern was that if they do notice it and get upset, it would put us on the defensive and the explanation of what happened would sound like an excuse. I decided that she should contact the company outright, explain what happened and ask them what they feel the direction should be. Come out and be candid; let them know our concern is for their image, not our bottom line.
You know what? In the end they downplayed the whole thing and dismissed the possibility of us incurring the re-printing charge. At this point, the decision hasn't been made as to what they will do, but they are happy to have been alerted to the issue and have options.
I have a feeling that we will have a long relationship with this client.
From FrumWire: Yidsense Launches Pay Per Click Advertising for Jewish Websites
Yeah OK, it might be a bit of a corny name. I have never been a big fan of "Judaifying" non Jewish brands. But still, when I mention YidSense to people, right away the light goes off in their heads and they grasp immediately what it is.
Pay-per-click advertising is a nice way to earn a bit extra for your blog or website. You can be assured that you won't be running inappropriate ads (which is not true of Google's AdSense).
Currently, the people at YidSense are trying to iron out the kinks, but I think it has great potential. (Disclosure: The founder of YidSense is a close personal friend and I am an advisor to the company)
When the Kosher Gym originally opened in Brooklyn, it was quite a different world. I would imagine that the gym had a pretty sound business plan at the time and was pretty successful. However, the internet revolution changed everything. Customers are more empowered than ever.
Here are some points that every business owner needs to know about doing business in this era:
1. Focus on customer value - not ROI
It's a very competitive world out there. If your business does not establish itself as providing value for its customers, it will churn right through them. If your vision is only on how much you are making per customer, you lose the opportunity to build long term loyalty. Marketing budget is better spent keeoping your customers happy than trying to acquire new ones. Happier customers means more renewals and referrals as they will want to share their experience with others.
2. Open the communication channel
Every time a customer complains, it is an opportunity - a gold plated chance to engender good will and loyalty. It also presents you with a new insight into how you can truly innovate and grow.
3. Follow up with "Deadbeats"
You have the ability to track the comings and goings of your patrons. A call every now and then from a gym rep can go a long way in helping you help them get the most out of their membership. When you wait until their membership has lapsed or is close to it, you may have already lost the game.
4. Build a community driven website, not just a brochure
If all your website does is provide pictures of your facilities, you send the message that the site is about you, not them. There is a place for your brochure, but you can create a great value add for your customers by having a site where you can post blogs, videos and tips. Invite your members to take part. If you have done a good job making them enthusiastic about you, then they will do most of the "heavy lifting" for you by engaging others. Plus, it will be a great way to Point #2 as well.
5. Don't pretend the competition does not exist
You may be the only "Kosher" gym in town, but don't forget, you are competing against other separate gyms. Actually, your biggest competition is yourself. Your patrons don't need a gym - they need to be fit. If they don't sense that they are getting that value from you, then they will leave. They may buy equipment or start jogging and eating better. They may decide to keep the money and stay unfit rather than spend the money and be just as unfit. Some may just join another gym, separate or not. Either way, you have to understand what their expectations are as far as the services you provide. If classes are free in other clubs, than by golly make them free at yours. Remember, the more the gym helps them achieve their goals at a fair price, the more willing they will be in continuing to pay that price.
I still remember my dating years and the challenge of trying to figure out what to do. I would ask (and now that I am married, get asked) "Where do you think I should take this girl?"
Well, now there is Mikomos, the directory of dating spots that answers that question. Like Wikipedia it is a collaborative effort, with all invited to partake. Here and there you see some great examples of the fact that they don't take themselves seriously.
Overall, it is organized pretty well and should prove to be quite useful. Leveraging the community is so key for a site like this. As they say on the about page
This wiki was created to help people locate mikomos for dating (especially those who are married and are now dating their wives).
Finding and posting information about all the good mikomos would be too daunting a task for a small group of people. A project of this size is most suitable for a wiki. A wiki is defined by wikipedia as: a website that allows visitors to add, remove, edit and change content, typically without the need for registration.
Kudos Mikomos for "getting it!".
This past Friday I attended Podcamp in Brooklyn NY. What is Podcamp? We'll get to that in the next post, as well as include some pictures and notes about the event.
In the meantime I would like to say that I was so buzzed that I now really want to go to Podcamp Boston in the worst way. As C. C. Chapman said about South by Southwest: It's the hallways that are powerful. The sessions are great too but meeting and chatting with people that I follow but have never met in person and even approaching complete strangers and chatting about new media is the big draw for me. I can't wait for Boston and the chance to meet C. C., Chris Brogan and Joseph Jaffe for the first time, as well as reconnecting with Chris Penn and the other creative and passionate people that I have connected with.
So let's see where things are approaching July 19th (the 20th is a Saturday so I can't attend). I would love to go for free since I will miss at least half of it, but otherwise it's tempting enough even at 50 bucks.
Since I do not have the reputation of Techcrunch yet, I don't have company execs and PR people e-mailing me links to their new web services. So for now, the most logical place to look for "fresh" stiff is the advertising roll of YeshivaWorldNews.
What: A free (for the customer) service for ordering food from participating restaurants in major Jewish communities.
The Skinny: What a great way to leverage the technology built by the principals of RapidOrders.com. It's win-win for everyone as it helps the restaurants fill more orders, much the same way that OpenTable helps eating establishments fill tables online. New restaurants are being added regularly to CrazyKosher and you can put in a request to see your favorites added. All participating restaurants have their menu available and the site keeps a record of your past orders for future reference.
There is so much to say that I think I will do an in-depth on them at a later time.
New York Auto Mall has a new website
From a service standpoint, I would definitely recommend using NY Auto Mall as I had nothing but good experiences there. The prices were no-nonsense and very competitive, unlike your typical car dealership with their high=pressure salespeople and deserved reputations.
As far as the website goes - I have a few suggestions:
1. Get a professional copywriter to write some good copy for you. The about page needs a lot of cleaning up (full of typos and statements that are less than meaningful).
2. Make sure that if you have a page up on the site that it actually works.
3. You have competition from other similar leasing and sales companies in your space. Your website should engage potential customers by pushing your unique selling point. Tell us what differentiates you from the other places. Put a little personality into the site. Profile your salespeople. Profile your customers and their stories.
Sell the experience. At least the one that I had.
Yiddele
Shomer Shabbos directory Yiddele has come on the scene courtesy of BSD Advertising and Public Relations. The idea was to create a resource for Frum owned companies to be listed for FREE in an environment that is not invaded by halachic or tzniyus problems (similar to what I am trying to accomplish at MyNachas.com.
I like the fact that they get the internet business model. They are offering something of value for free, while getting subsidized by the paid ads around the page. Additionally, it leads to more business for the firm in the form of design work for potential clients that now already have a relationship with the company.
You may notice that a lot of the ads on the side link to larger full page ads hosted by Yiddele. It may seem like the easy way out, but you know what? I think it is a better and more cost efficient way to create web presence without spending the money on a site that looks nice but does nothing for you.
I have a confession to make...here it comes.
I am not a good copywriter
There. I said it. I feel better now.
There are a lot of things that I am not all that good at, but at the end of the day, I come to grips with the fact that nobody expects perfection out of me. So in the end, it isn't all that big a deal that I am not a copywriter (although, someday I may try my hand at it).
All too often, I see websites that are missing a very important component. There are a myriad of good companies out there providing clients with really nice websites. I get asked every now and then "Do you make websites?". Umm...er, well yeah I guess I do.
Truth is, it is not their fault that they ask in such an unsophisticated way. I shouldn't expect the caterer to understand my business. I pay him to make a beautiful party. That's his bread and butter.
Most people think that when you want a website, you go to a company that makes nice websites and you contract them to do the same for you. There is an important first step that seems to be missing way too often. What is your web strategy. After the initial glazing of the eyes, the answer essentially is:
My competition is on the web.
Everyone asks me why I don't have a site. Shouldn't I have one?
People say that I can make more sales if I am on the web.
A nicely designed website is extremely important. But it won't help you all that much if your copy is unreadable and full of typos. If you can't compel people and captivate them with the right words you may not win them over as a customer. So what was the point of spending all that money on a beautiful website?
Do yourself a favor. Hire a copywriter. Just as you won't be trying to design and program the site yourself, you shouldn't be writing the words yourself (unless you are really good at it). It's not anything to be ashamed about. The writer is not embarrassed that she is not good at painting her house. That's why she pays you to do it for her.
Hire a copywriter. You can't afford not to.
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