PostcardPerfect.com/blog

As some of you already know, I guest posted at the very cool (and immensely more popular) IttyBiz.com last week.

Thanks to some prodding from site owner, Naomi, many of the readers headed over to PostcardPerfect.com to see what we’re all about. A few even checked out this blog and subscribed (welcome!). The end result was two days of traffic roughly 10x what I normally get.

That’s good news, right?

Well, yes - but not necessarily for the reason you’d expect. Order volume didn’t mirror the traffic spike. In fact, it wasn’t even close. (Note: I did, however, get a bunch of nice e-mails, including a few future business prospects.)

So here’s why it WAS a good thing: feedback.

The surge of analytical data, e-mails, and comments all gave me a much better picture of people’s first impressions of PostcardPerfect, and (surprise!) it’s not quite what I want it to be.

Essentially all the traffic highlighted a few current shortcomings of my quickly launched website. For example, the navigation needs some serious work. Also, a lot of people missed the point about custom postcards. Too many still see them as something only for vacations and long distance correspondence. (These babies are much, much more…)

I’m working on fixing both issues, but the real point of this post is to endorse a methodology that I once resisted.

It’s OK to launch before perfecting every detail.

I’m not saying it’s smart to jump haphazardly. Careful planning still plays a very important role in success. However, like all things, planning is subject to diminishing returns (little economic term for you). Meaning, the more you do it - the less additional benefit you receive. I’d even say that you can worsen your position by over-planning, but I’m sure that’s debatable.

A quick, imperfect, launch will cost you less time and money upfront perfecting details that customers may later veto. It will help you get to market sooner (maybe much sooner), and it will make you much more willing to accept constructive criticism later on.

Last time I wrote about it, I was admitting a mistake. This time around though, I think I did it right. That said, I’ve got adjustments to make.

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Thanks to Redbox’s Free Movie Mondays, last night I brought home the the poker flick All In.

I over paid….by roughly two hours.

The poor acting and cheesy dialog (”Is you in, or is you out?”) - forgivable. The ridiculous yet predictable plot (pre-med student finds herself at the final table of the PartyPoker.com™ All In $5 Million Tournament playing against her cold hearted-scam running-doctor nemesis AND her compulsive gambler-navy seal-supposedly dead since she was ten-father) - overlookable.

Naming the movie after a poker term that the writers didn’t understand - inexcusable. Here’s the scene that put me over the edge:

She had 90% of the chips. Her opponent had 10% of the chips. He calls “all in” (which, for any non-poker players, is just a dramatic way of betting the amount that you have left). She answers with her own “all in.” At this point, the announcer let’s everyone know that both players were “all in” and that this hand would determine the winner.

What? That’s like saying she was putting up $90 to cover his $10 bet. It makes no sense. If he won (which he didn’t…surprise) she would have still had 80% of the total chips.

At this point in the movie I went from being train wreck amused to just annoyed. Clearly, as poker hit its peak of popularity a couple years ago, the producers (probably over a few drinks) decided it would be a good idea to crank out a movie about it. Ugh.

It reminds me of companies that jump on every bandwagon regardless of how well it fits with their product. People don’t buy into these attempts because they clearly lack authenticity. It’s going green just to fit in. It’s starting a Facebook page for your facial wash. It’s the kind of thing Seth talks about all the time.

Customers will excuse a lot of things if you’re sincere. Small businesses especially can get the benefit of the doubt if they treat their customers well and run the company with integrity. When you cross the line though, it’s obvious. The collective wisdom of the crowd is much more than you can expect to fake out. Don’t try it.

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As I pulled up to the first stoplight on my way to work, I noticed something fall from the driver’s window of the car in front of me. I strained my neck and saw an empty cigarette package on the ground.

A single tear rolled down my cheek.

OK, not really - but it did annoy me. The light is four doors down from my house and there’s a good chance that the litter will end up in my yard.

My gut response was to get out of the car, pick up the litter, and toss it back in at the woman driving. Fortunately (for both of us, I suppose), the light changed before I could do anything.

Plan-B was to pull up along side of her at the next light and give out a verbal lashing she wouldn’t soon forget. I pictured myself conjuring up a sweet combination of profanity, shouting, and sarcasm. Again, my plan was foiled by the fact that I don’t swear. Well, that and we parted ways before the next light.

As I drove on, I realized how dumb either of those responses would have been. Not that they wouldn’t have made me feel better (or even made for a good cocktail story) – but I can’t imagine they would have done much good in discouraging her from littering in the future.

When you get yelled at (honked at, flipped the bird, etc.) by another driver you assume THEY are the crazy one. Likewise, when you cut someone off – you expect to get one of these treasured responses. It’s normal. You may honk back, but it doesn’t change your behavior.

But imagine if I had pulled up to her and said something like this:

“Good morning. I noticed you dropped something out of your window at the last stoplight. I just wanted to tell you that I live right by that light and have to pick up a lot of litter out of my lawn. It’s kind of a hassle, so I just wanted to ask you to consider using a trash can next time. Thanks. Have a great day.”

I think it would catch her off guard because it’s so unexpected. I’m not the angry driver holding the horn (read: forgettable), I’m the weird guy that politely asked her to stop littering (read: memorable).

Apply that to your marketing.

Consumers are very good at screening out advertising that fits their expectations. Tweak the model just a bit and you can get a nice bump in effectiveness. By communicating in a way (tone, medium, etc.) that your prospects aren’t expecting, you stand out. It doesn’t have to be ground breaking – just different than they would normally expect in that situation.

Make them do a double take. Be noticeable. Be worth remembering.

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I’ve found it - the app of all apps. It’s improved my productivity, created break though results, opened new markets, and saved me tons of money. It has transformed my life, and it’s free!

Actually, none of that is really true. I want it to be though - which is why I relentlessly search for the next web-based tool that I won’t be able to live without. My obsession to “test ‘em all” has left an untold amount of inactive accounts scattered around the web. The same thing happens with almost frightening regularity: I read about a new tool, I sign up, I play with it for a few days (or less), and then I never come back. I’m the reason why companies have to measure active users instead of just users.

Anyway, occasionally I’ll find tools that pass the three day barrier. Some will even hold my attention for a few weeks. Very few, however, get used more than a few months. Here are three that have. I have no financial interest or affiliate connection to these sites - I just thought I’d share ‘em cause they’re cool.

In no particular order:

LogMeIn.com
Log Me In is remote access tool that allows you to control another computer and work as if you were sitting in front of it. I started using it as a way of managing the PostcardPerfect kiosks from across the country - and later installed it on my other systems.

Basically, it lets me to log into any one of my machines from anywhere with an internet connection. For example, when using an internet terminal at a conference, I can skip logging into the webmail, VPN, Messenger, etc. I just plug directly into my work computer and BAM - I have access to everything I need.

You only have to install it on the computers that you want to control, so there’s no downloading every time you need to log in from a new location. The free version has all of the features you need, and they aren’t overly pushy in getting you to upgrade. Overall, it’s quick to set up, easy to use, and very handy.

Jott.com
Jott sends messages when you don’t have access to your computer. It works like this: you call Jott (proper noun), you tell Jott who you want to jott (verb), you speak your message, and Jott transcribes it into text and sends your jott (common noun) to that person as an e-mail.

I’m not 100% comfortable with the quality of transcriptions. They’re pretty good - but there’s also a fair share of mistakes. That could be because I slur my words after a few drinks - but that’s beside the point. The point is that I don’t use it so much for other people as I do for myself.

Let’s say I’m driving to work and I have a great blog post idea (”Three Things Marketers Can Learn from the Macarena”) that I don’t want to forget. I simply call Jott (speed dial 6…which may tell you something about my social life) and speak my idea. When I get to work - it’s waiting in my inbox. There are other features as well (jott to twitter, to-do lists with reminders, etc) but I haven’t really gotten around to using them. For me, it’s just a quick way to record my thoughts when I’m on the road.

Mint.com
I didn’t think Mint would last - but I’m coming up to four months and still check it multiple times a week. It is, at the core, a financial visibility tool that pulls data from all of your accounts into one place. It’s great for me because between my company, my wifes business, and our personal affairs - we have a lot of accounts (checking, savings, credit cards, etc.) to keep an eye on.

Mint grabs all of our recent activity, categorizes each transaction, pops the results into handy charts (so I know how much I spent at Wendy’s vs. Arby’s), and fires off alerts about our financial status. That’s it. You can’t execute any financial transactions; it’s more or less read only.

Mint isn’t the place to manage your finances; it’s the place to track them. If most of your transactions are electronic or plastic, it’s a very simple (and free) tool for keeping a pulse on exactly where all your money goes.

The Wrap-up
I know these three services are good because the novelty has worn off and I still use them. They aren’t the end-all of applications, but they do work well and serve worthy purposes. If you have time, I’d check them out.

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The rules of racquetball are simple.

Two players lock themselves in small rectangular room and alternate hitting a ball against the back wall. A point is lost when a player fails to return the ball before it bounces twice on the floor.

It’s a great game for beginners because the lack of skill doesn’t translate into downtime chasing the ball off the court (see tennis). Essentially, you’re in a small room where the ball can be hit off any of the four walls (or even the ceiling) – and it’s still in play.

What’s the point?

New players focus on strength. They consistently hit the ball as hard as they can and assume that the extra force will win them the point. The two problems with this strategy are that it tires them out faster, and the extra force of the hit often causes a higher bounce (giving the receiving player more time to return it).

Experienced players focus on placement. They vary their shots to keep the opponent scrambling to different parts of the court. They use a mix of force and finesse to keep their opponent guessing.

No really, what’s the point?

Your business, your marketing, your career – are all like games of racquetball. If you’re expending full force on everything – you’re going to run out of steam (energy, marketing dollars, etc.). Placement is key. Every time you make a hit you need to figure out what is going to net the best return. You have to continually evaluate the alternatives and ignore the impulse to just throw extra money, time, and energy at your problems.

Placement is realizing that you don’t have to outspend your competitors to win market share. Placement is knowing that a few key projects can do more for your career than years of 60 hour work weeks. Placement is the classic “work smarter, not harder.”

The point? Work on placement.

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A few years ago, while working as a valet, I noticed something interesting.

The scenario went like this:

Cars arriving would tend to park themselves - that is, until one car pulled up to the valet area. Then, almost automatically, a line of cars would start to form behind that first car.

What I realized was that drivers were much more likely to use the valet service if they saw other cars doing the same. I think it’s the same”wisdom of the crowd” mentality that drives a lot of consumerism. Essentially, people assume that if other people are doing it - then it’s probably OK. There is level of comfort and safety in knowing that others have proceeded you.

This is what makes diners avoid restaurants that look empty in favor of ones that are full. It’s why they’ll walk past a street performer that’s not getting any attention - but stop for one with a crowd. It’s one reason that top products stay there and the new, often superior ones, can’t seem to get off the ground.

So, as a small business, what can you do to make your customers feel safe? How can you get them to fall in line with everyone else? What if there is no line?

I think the correct answer really depends on the situation. The valet solution is to “stage” a few cars - but using fake customers is probably not the way most businesses should go. Figure out how you can give potential customers a glimpse of current or past customers. There are a lot of ways to do it; be creative.

While flipping though the mail yesterday I noticed something from an auto shop that did work for me a little over a year ago. It was an 8.5 x 11 sheet tri-folded with the content on the inside. I was about to toss the unopened piece in the trash when the promise of personalized content caught my attention.

So, I opened the newsletter and read it top to bottom. Unfortunately, there was nothing about my car. Two thirds of the inside was about how the shop continually gets training and remains certified. In the final section there was three sentences about how they recommend brake fluid flushes every three years. Not exactly what I had in mind.

Maybe I’m picky, but the newsletter left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I felt lied to. It’s the kind of lying you expect from credit card applications and “you’ve already won!” timeshare bait. For example:

On the flip side of the coin, a Lexus dealer that I went to 3 years ago periodically sends me mail. The pieces always include a picture of my car (stock picture of the same model, year, and color) as well as a service recommendation based on their estimate of my current mileage. Now that, is personalized information about my car.

So, my advice for direct mailers is that while trickery may get me to open your direct mail piece, I’m not going to buy from you once I realize what you did. You are better off figuring out how to make the piece relevant to me so that I’ll read it on my own accord.

Bill Clinton has charged over $350,000 for some of his speaking arrangements. Know why? Because if you want to hire a former leader of the free world to speak at your event, you only have two options (as far as I know, Carter is not for hire). Neither of the options need the money all that much either, so they can be choosy.

This post is about choice. It’s the secret ingredient to a successful negotiation. The less you need the deal, the better your position is. It’s that simple.

If I’m stranded 1000 miles from home and there’s only one tow company in the area - I can forget about negotiating. In fact, that company can pretty much charge me whatever they want. I don’t really have any other options.

Contrast that with buying a car. There are lots dealerships selling the same vehicle, so I could easily take my business elsewhere. I don’t need to buy it from any specific dealer. I can walk away from the sales office and be just fine. That choice greatly improves my position.

So here’s Negotiation 101: Use choice to your advantage.

If you’re going to buy an appliance, check a few stores. Let ‘em know that you are shopping around. Many stores will lower their price. In fact, if they won’t - leave and find one that will. They need your business more than you need their refrigerator (assuming you have other stores you can visit).

Also, recognize that limited choice is the best way to screw over your negotiating position. If you really need the business and a customer low balls you on price - you may have to take it. If you fall in love with a house before the negotiations - you may pay too much (in this case, there’s not actually a shortage of housing options but you have limited your own choices).

This is why many employees don’t ask for raises. Secretly they think that they need the job more than the company needs them. They don’t have anything else lined up and are afraid to risk losing what they have.

Remember, choice gives you the power to negotiate. Have options, and don’t be shy about letting the other party know it. The more they realize that you don’t need them - the more they will be willing to improve the offer.

I stumbled upon an article talking about building a better fast food drive thru. The most interesting part, I thought, was the disparity between what customers reported to value (based on a survey) and the action items the industry were taking to make improvements.

It turns out, there are some gaps.

“Speed of service,” for example, is the top priority for the fast food industry. Amazingly, customers rank it as fourth in importance. Also, notice “wireless payment options,” an initiative 31% of the industry is scrambling to implement. See it on the customer’s list anywhere? Me neither.

I think it’s a common problem. Businesses get sidetracked doing what they THINK their customers want instead of what they KNOW their customers want. I’m sure untold sums of money have been wasted this way. I’ve personally been guilty, and I know I’m not the only one.

The bottom line is this: Want to improve your offering? Ask your customers what they want. It may be something completely different (and cheaper or easier) than you thought.

Thanks to inflation, your costs of doing business will increase over time. Your suppliers will have no problem periodically upwardly adjusting their prices. Sooner or later, you are going to have to make some adjustments of your own.

As I wrote in the last post, you can stay afloat by either raising prices or decreasing the amount offered for the price. Neither option is going to thrill your customers, but I think that with careful consideration you can get away without annoying them too much.

Of course, I don’t have too much experience with the issue. And, since every business is different, my experience probably doesn’t match your (future) situation . So, why am I wasting your time with this post?

I think logically there are some questions you should ask before doing anything. They are basic, but help you to identify what your pricing means to your business and how various parties will react when you change the arrangement.

Here’s five of them in no particular order:
1) How will this change impact my marketing position?
2) How will my customers react to the change?
3) What have my competitors done? Will they react to my change?
4) What is the most appropriate timing for a change?
5) Are there any contracts or agreements that limit my options?