Category: Marketing

Famous Failures – Post-It Notes

Posted on by Chris Mahan

Did you know you probably have one of the world’s greatest failures as a product sitting on your desk right now?

The Post-It Note was an accident that never should have happened. The original creator of this innovation, Spencer Silver, was trying to find an adhesive to use in the construction of airplanes. Looking at the strength of the glue on a Post-It Note, it’s easy to see he missed the mark by quite a bit. There’s absolutely nothing strong or even permanent about a Post-It Note.

On the other hand, what he did create was an adhesive able to be used to hold one thing to another, which could be easily peeled off and used again…all without leaving any kind of sticky residue.

Now, most creators would look at a failure as just that, one more failure. If they were smart, they might examine the mistake to see what they did wrong in order to improve their next attempt. Here’s where Silver deviated from that response. He realized his mistake was interesting. And while it didn’t solve the original problem, he couldn’t help but think it might solve someone else’s. He started talking to people at his company, 3M, to see if anyone could come up with some kind of use for what he’d inadvertently discovered.

It took time and a lot of brainstorming. While his adhesive was impressive, no one had a practical application for it and told him to scrap the idea. Only one person, Geoff Nicholson, saw this product to be as interesting as Silver did and worked with him to come up with an idea for how to use it.

Initially, they found the wrong solution: put it on a bulletin board and you could stick papers to it without thumbtacks, then peel them away without leaving a residue on them. But the application seemed limited. It was a man named Arthur Fry who rounded out the team by suggesting putting the glue on the paper itself. This was the tweak that led to the overwhelming success of the product.

Here was the turning point for the Post-It Note. They figured out how to apply the glue to paper, but even then, 3M had a hard time getting on board. The initial marketing on the product resulted in no sales. It wasn’t until someone else developed an alternative marketing strategy that the world discovered just how unique and useful this product was. The marketing strategy? Provide free samples to consumers so they could gain an appreciation for the value of the product.

The story of the Post-It note is all about failures and what we do when things don’t go exactly as planned. It’s about being able to look outside the box and to find a use for something when the original intent doesn’t work out. More than that, it’s about perseverance and not giving up when you know you’ve got something good but the rest of the world just doesn’t realize it yet.

Famous Failures – Bubble Wrap

Posted on by Chris Mahan

Have you ever had what you thought was a really great idea only to have it turn out to be not so great after all? Now imagine someone else picking up your discarded idea and proving it actually was quite brilliant.

This is what happened to Al Fielding and Marc Chavannes back in 1957.

These two gentlemen were working on an aesthetic problem. They wanted to create a textured wallpaper in order to create an interesting effect in a room. Their solution? Take two shower curtains and put them together so that pockets of air would be trapped between them. This sheet of plastic could then be put up on the walls to make for unique and charming décor.

The world didn’t exactly come flocking to their door.

Undaunted they tried again. Same product: different marketing approach. Maybe this unique bubbled plastic could be used to insulate greenhouses.

Not really. It sort of worked – but – it was not something every greenhouse owner couldn’t live without.

It took two years for someone to figure out what to do with the product. Frederick W. Bowers, who worked for the company which made the sheets of plastic with air pockets, realized they would be perfect for the transport of computer equipment for a company which had a sudden need for this kind of product – IBM. The material, now called ‘Bubble Wrap,’ was absolutely perfect for the job. The rest, shall we say, is history.

Bubble Wrap is one of those products that seemed to come along by accident. As a wallpaper, it wasn’t a great idea. (Just imagine your kids going around the house and poking the bubbles to pop them?). On the other hand, someone who was willing to think outside the box, or more accurately, think creatively about what to put IN a box, was able to come up with a use for the product no one else would have ever considered.

Thankfully, the creators of Bubble Wrap hadn’t given up on the product. They knew they had something interesting, they just didn’t know what to use it for. Sometimes you must experiment with your ideas to discover what you really have. Sometimes you have to think more creatively about what you have at hand.

The point is not to give up. Failure should never be anything more than a marker to tell you it’s time to attack the problem from a different angle. Learn from the mistake, then move on. Imagine what you’ll come up with when you do!

 

 

 

How to Get Powerful Testimonies for Your Business

Posted on by Chris Mahan

The words of happy customers can have a significant impact on both your lead generation and conversion rates. One of the simplest ways to gain testimonies?  ASK!

Here’s how you can start to gather credible testimonials for your marketing strategy:

1. Create a system for requesting, collecting and organizing testimonials.

Once you begin your testimonial acquisition program, you’re going to need a place to organize and store testimonials. You will want to track the customers you’ve asked and those who have responded.

I recommend you begin by creating a list of all of your customers in an editable spreadsheet. Place four columns beside each name and label them: (1) Will ask, (2) Have asked, (3) Have received and (4) Refused. Mark each name appropriately and update as needed.

Then, create an electronic filing system or binder for organizing and managing testimonials. You can sort them by date, customer last name, or category (customer service, product, etc). Just be sure it is easy for you to find them when you need to. This is going to be an going part of your marketing campaign, so prepare for a large quantity of testimonials when you’re setting up your system.

2. Read incoming mail and email for unsolicited testimonials.

Create a folder or system for keeping testimonials that come in on their own – unsolicited ones. Any kind of customer feedback or thank you could be a great testimonial to use, so include them in your organization system. It is best to get the customer’s permission to use their testimonial and you may want to protect their identity by only publishing first name and the initial of their last.

You may need to go back through your old files, or your inbox, to locate feedback and testimonials you received in the past but haven’t used. Any testimonial – old and new – is potentially a good one.

3. Start by asking your best customers for testimonials.

While you may see a nice number of testimonials float in through the mail and email, you will have to work for the majority of your testimonials. You will have to ask for them.

Start with the list of your customers you created and organize them by sales volume and frequency. Choose the top 10 – 20%. These are your best customers and should be the first from whom you request a testimonial.

Create a simple “Testimonial Request” letter or email that you can use over and over again. Be sincere, and encourage the customer to write their own letter instead of you drafting it for them.

Feel free to make general suggestions about what you would like them to write about, but try not to control the process. If you’re comfortable doing so, when you see what they have written make some suggestions or request certain sections be strengthened or more specific.

4. Make requesting testimonials a part of your sales process.

Once you’ve “caught up” on your testimonial requests, and asked your top customers for a few thoughts and opinions, you can create a system for ongoing testimonial collecting. These testimonials will be “solicited” as opposed to “unsolicited.”

The most important point here is to ask for a testimonial as soon as possible after the sale. The longer you wait, the less inclined the customer will be to put the effort in to writing their thoughts down. Besides, most customers are happiest and most willing to help immediate after the sale.

·         Ask for the testimonial. If a customer is glowing and gushing with praise, ask them to put it in writing, on letterhead if they have it. Tell them that it would really help you (your customers will love to help!) and that you value their feedback. If they’re not gushing, but you know they’re happy, be bold and ask them if they would write about their experience with your business. Stay on top of your testimonial gathering and ask as soon as possible.

·         Get all their contact details. Get all your customer’s contact details so you can follow up with them once they have agreed to submit a testimonial. The act of giving you their contact information will also establish a sense of commitment on their part, and it will be more likely they’ll follow through.

·         Tell them when you’re going to follow up. You don’t want to be a pest, but if you don’t follow up you may never get that testimonial. Tell them when you’re going to be in contact to retrieve their letter. If you’re going to email them in a week, or call them in a few days, let them know what your plan.

·         Offer to write the first draft. This is a last resort strategy for customers who are either too busy or too lazy to write their own. Remember the testimonials written by real customers are the most believable, so try not to offer this up front. If your customer suggests this, try to encourage them to write their own brief notes. If that doesn’t work, brainstorm some of their ideas, and then write it yourself. Make sure you have it printed on their letterhead and signed.

5. Always ask your customers for permission to use their name and words in your marketing materials, and don’t forget to say thank you.

Once you receive their testimonial, reach out via email or phone and thank your customer. Use that opportunity to gain their permission to use their name and words in your marketing materials – including your website, brochure, ads, and in-store displays. You may want to provide a small token of your appreciation – a percentage off a purchase, a small gift, even some candy – the next time they visit your place of business.

Be sincere in your thanks, and if appropriate send a full letter or email. Thank them for their time and their kind words, and anything else you may notice about their efforts.

You will need to gain permission from customers who send you solicited and unsolicited testimonials. The easiest way to do this is to send a “blanket release” that allows you to use their comments – in part or in whole – in all current and future materials. This way you won’t have to ask each time you want to run an ad or send a direct mail campaign.