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Author: Phil Wrzesinski

Driving Traffic to Your Site (SEO)

I had a local entrepreneur contact me about her website. When she launched she was getting regular sales. But she hasn’t had a sniff in months. She thought maybe something was wrong with her site and asked me to take a look.

She sells Made in Michigan, lead-free, lightweight, high-quality, reusable shopping bags, something worth a look for stores like ours. Check out her site, www.berniebags.com. It will be helpful in understanding the rest of this post. (Full disclosure – nothing to disclose. I am not promoting her site or products, did not know her other than as a customer before she approached me, this is purely for educational purposes, but if you like what she’s selling, by all means, buy it.)

I took a look at her site and did not see anything inherently wrong with it. But I am not the best judge of that. I do not shop much online, prefer to buy local whenever possible. So I ask you to check it out and tell me what you see that could be done better.

Her biggest problem, however, is one we all face.

I Googled her product category “Reusable Shopping Bags”. Thirty five pages deep, I gave up. She was nowhere to be found.

So I gave her the following list of things to do to raise her site in the rankings of Google and other search engines…

1) Make sure you have good keywords and metatags. Whoever designed your website should know what I mean. Basically, you want to have the key phrases people might use to search for your product in the keywords and metatags (behind the scenes) parts of you website.

2) Get some “link love”. The more that other websites link to you, the higher your site will rise in Google’s eyes.

Ways to get links include asking your friends/customers who have websites to put your logo and a link on their sites. Also, you can launch a Facebook Page, a Google Places Page, a Yelp Page, etc. If you have a profile on LinkedIn or any other type site, make sure your website is referenced there.

Another way to get links is to comment on blogs and articles online. Run a search on all the articles on lead in shopping bags and write a quick comment like “That’s why I decided to make and market some Michigan-made, lead-free, reusable shopping bags.” Find the bloggers who are writing about this and make comments on their blogs, too.

3) Consider starting your own blog. You can get free blog sites from blogspot and wordpress. It takes time, but you can grow a following. Simply write quick, short, one-paragraph reminders of why using reusable bags is so good. Have links to other articles. Have photos and video. And make sure each post links back to your site.

4) Do a youtube video of the bag and why it is so cool. Most smartphones have video so making a video is easy. It doesn’t have to be polished, just has to be clear and informative. Post it on youtube (free), link to it from your Facebook page and website. Email it to friends and clients and ask them to share.

5) Find yourself in the Google Search and “+1” your listing (click on the little box next to your listing and get all your friends to do the same). This is tedious because you may have to search through dozens of pages of Google Search before finding yourself. But if you and 5 friends each do this on their computers, it will make a difference.

All of the above will simply cost you time, not money. If you want to spend some money, consider Google Adwords. You can drive a lot of traffic that way, but you have to convert a large portion of your visitors to be worth it.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS I know there are some savvy SEO gurus out there who read this blog. Did I hit the mark? Anything I missed that she could do? Anything with which you patently disagree? Your comments will help all of us grow.

A Lesson From Steve Jobs

My son is thirteen. He downloads Apple iPod/iPad/iPhone manuals for “light reading”. His favorite thing at the library is the latest edition of Mac World Magazine. His email address is applenerd@_ _ _. This past summer he taught the teachers in his school district how to use their shiny new iPads. We drove him and his brother to Ann Arbor (40 miles away) four days in one week so that they could attend “Apple Camp” at the Apple Store in Briarwood Mall.

Yesterday’s news was tough in our household.

Many bloggers will be reminiscing about Steve Jobs and what he did at Apple. Here are two things we, as retailers, can take away.

First, the whole concept of Apple Camp is brilliant. Invite a group of people to come to your store multiple times over a one week period and do a continuous activity with them. Imagine having a dozen of your best customers stopping by at 4pm every day to do an activity you planned for them. Your cost would be minimal – some supplies, a little bit of marketing, time from a staff member. Your benefits would be HUGE. Every single attendee would become an instant evangelist singing your praises far and wide.

Give your customers something to talk about and they will talk about it. Apple Camp is what solidified my child as a lifelong fan of Apple.

Second, the Genius Bar is absolute genius. Most of your customers are coming to you because of trust. One way you gain that trust is through information. Apple, by creating the Genius Bar, made it clear that not only did they have people with the information, those people were available purely for the job of passing along that information.

Two great aspects of retail that Apple did right and we all can emulate. Thanks, Steve!

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Yes, you can hold a camp. You are an expert in your field. You know more about your products than your customers do. Figure out a fun way to share that information. If you are a toy store, have toy demonstrations or game nights or puppet shows or dress-up fashion runways. If you are a jewelry store, have a class on gemstones or precious metals. If you are an auto parts store, teach people how to change their wiper blades or even their oil. If you are a clothing store, have an event around Fashion Week in NY. The ideas are endless.

Ripping a New Ad

I just recorded my October radio ad. Here is the ad copy…

They gave up on you. They dropped layaway. They dropped a friendly knowledgeable sales staff. They even dropped classic toys like wooden building blocks. Oh, sure, they brought back layaway, but only for a fee. Our layaway is still free. So is our giftwrapping. And with over five times as many toys as any of our local competitors, why would you shop anywhere else? We’ve always been here for you. Toy House and Baby Too in downtown Jackson. We’re here to make you smile.


There are five things that turn okay ads into great ads.

  1. Make only one point

  2. Speak to the heart of the customer

  3. Speak more of the customer than you do of yourself

  4. Back up all your claims with evidence

  5. Tell a story

Let’s break this ad down and see how it does…

Make Only One Point
This ad is what is known as a contrast ad, designed to contrast one business with another. In this case I use multiple examples to make the point that they don’t care about you, we do. I open with that point – They gave up on you – and close with that point – We’ve always been here for you. This message is consistent with our Character Diamond, focusing on the core value HELPFUL.

Speak to the Heart
On this I could have done better. Contrast ads, however, are about information more than emotion. Still, for effect I added emotion into the line, Oh sure, they brought back layaway, but only for a fee. Sometimes emotion is in how you read it as much as in what you say.

Speak More of the Customer
Here is the same copy but with the key words highlighted…

They gave up on you. They dropped layaway. They dropped a friendly knowledgeable sales staff. They even dropped classic toys like wooden building blocks. Oh, sure, they brought back layaway, but only for a fee. Our layaway is still free. So is our giftwrapping. And with over five times as many toys as any of our local competitors, why would you shop anywhere else? We’ve always been here for you. Toy House and Baby Too in downtown Jackson. We’re here to make you smile.

On this point I did not do well. Spoke of myself six times and the customer four times (and the competitor five times). How could I have spoken more of the customer? Hint: each of the “They” sentences could have included a “you”. Oh sure, they brought back layaway for you, but only if you pay a fee.

Back Up Your Claims
My big claim is that they gave up on you. To support that claim I point out how they dropped layaway and only brought it back with a fee. I also point out how they stopped carrying certain toys.

The only unsupported claim I made was about the friendly, knowledgeable staff. This point is a matter of opinion. Without evidence to back that up I am taking a risk that people will not believe my ad. Those people who believe my competitors do offer great service will dismiss my ad.

In this case I am banking on two things. First, that most people generally believe that my competitors have lousy customer service. This is called assumptive reasoning. Second, that because I backed up my main point, people will believe this secondary claim.

Note: The final claim I make – that we carry five times as many toys – is also not backed up by evidence. But mainly because the evidence is in the store. No one would expect me to count it all for them on the air. But since I give a specific number like five as opposed to saying “way more” or “much more” the claim is more believable. Listeners expect that I have done the math before making a claim like that. And I have. It is true.

Tell a Story
Stories are powerful. Many of my radio ads paint mental pictures for the listener. The mental image for this ad is how my competitors are giving up services while we still have them. Although not as powerful of an emotional story as I have written before, this ad is a good alternative because contrast helps lay the foundation for making future stories believable.

Here is an ad I wrote with a much more powerful story…

You do not have to be a fantastic copywriter to write quality ad copy. Just stick to the five points above and your ads will resonate far better than the boring look at me ads most stores run.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS I gave myself a B for this ad. But it is also part of the bigger picture. Sometimes I use certain ad styles today to set up ads for tomorrow. When you have a long horizon view, a long timeline for your business, you will make different decisions than if you only worry about the here and now.

Is Somebody Trying to Screw You?

You think your return policy is quite liberal. Somebody still tries to take advantage of you.
You think your layaway policy is quite liberal. Somebody still tries to take advantage of you.
You think your giftwrapping policy is quite liberal. Somebody still tries to take advantage of you.

No matter what wonderful, friendly, customer-oriented, liberally-applied service you offer, there is always that one customer who will try to take advantage of it and you. Don’t take it personally. It isn’t you, it is her. She does that with everyone. She always pushes the boundary.

There are two ways to deal with her.

Either tighten up your policies so restrictive and enforce them so tough that she stops doing business with you altogether. Or simply allow her to do what she wants and chalk it up to the cost of doing business.

The first way, however, doesn’t solve the problem. The tighter your policies and the tougher you enforce them, the more boundary pushers you will have. Since these customers are a real pain the neck for your staff, all you accomplish is to upset more people including your front line workers who are the face of your business.

The second way is much better. First understand that the vast majority of your customers are not out to screw you. They love you. The few who actually take advantage of you are exactly that – a few. Embrace them. Love them. Shower them with affection for being customers and you very well might even convert them into partners who work for the mutual benefit of both of you.

Plus, when you make your policies so liberal that it is almost impossible for someone to try to take advantage of you, you eliminate much of the negative feelings your staff might have towards certain customers, feelings, by the way, that can be felt by everyone in the store.

Make your policies liberal, then make them even more liberal. Do you allow returns? Instead of 30 or 60 days, give them a year to change their mind. Give them a store credit if they don’t have a receipt. We once took back a large boxed item that had our competitor’s sticker on it. It was a product I knew I would sell quickly so it was a win-win. The customer was happy and I was, too.

Then empower your staff to make your customers smile by breaking the rules whenever possible. It makes your staff feel more important, makes them happier, too.

Most of your customers will have a receipt, will be in quickly, will not give you any hassles – no matter how you determine your return policy. So make your policy over-the-top liberal and you make everyone happy – except maybe the gal who really did want to screw you.

-Phil Wrzesinski
http://www.philsforum.com/

PS This goes for return policies, but also any policy you might have. Make it in the favor of the customer. Make it as easy for her to understand and use as you possibly can. The more restrictions and disclaimers, the more it turns her off. More than likely she will never use the most liberal part of that policy. But both she and your staff will be happier when you gladly give so much leeway.

Stay the Course

I sailed for the University of Michigan club sailing team. Finished 4th in the nation in the fall of 1986 in a windy National Sloop Regatta on Lake St. Clair outside of Detroit. Winds of 30 knots shifting and changing.

The Naval Academy won that event.

I wasn’t a very good captain. My specialty was boat speed. I knew how to sail fast. With every shift in the wind I would shift to maintain optimum boat speed, regardless of direction. That was our downfall.

The Naval Academy team focused on direction, adjusting the sails to meet the changes in the wind, but always keeping their eyes on the prize.

My boat was faster. They won the race.

Retail can be a lot like sailboat racing. If you go chasing every fad (every wind shift), you might be moving fast, but not necessarily towards your goal. You’ll feel the wind whipping in your face and everything will feel good. But the ultimate destination remains far away.

Understand that to reach your goal you will have to make adjustments, but don’t throw your whole strategy overboard on a whim. You might not be traveling as fast as someone else, but as long as you’re heading in the right direction, you will get there.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS If you don’t have a direction, check out this free eBook on branding: Understanding Your Brand. Once you know your core values, just choose one of those values and be the leader in your industry in that value.

You Get What You Ask For

Many of you are putting out classified ads looking for help that read like this…

Help Wanted: Seasonal employees needed. Apply in person at The Store.

Short, sweet, and cheap.

How do you think your application pool would change if your classified looked like this?

Help Wanted: Are you a friendly person who loves to help others? Would you like to work in a challenging environment where your greatest reward is solving problems for other people and making them feel good? Are you a person who will work flexible hours including nights and weekends? Do you have high energy no matter what time of day? We want to see your smiling face in our store. Stop in The Store and fill out our application by next Friday. We need friendly, helpful, caring, flexible people who can make our customers happy.

Sure, it costs a whole lot more. But you get what you pay for. The first ad will get everyone looking for a job (which is quite a bunch of people). The second ad will only get those people who read that description and see themselves in that role. The ad becomes an automatic filter for you, weeding out many of the undesirables.

Plus, that second ad might get the interest of someone who never knew she was perfectly suited to work for you. She would have ignored the first ad.

When it comes to classifieds, you get what you pay for. More importantly, you get what you ask for. So ask for exactly what you want. It is worth paying a little more.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS The second ad also gets attention for your business. Someone might read that ad and even though the job is not for them, the description of the position gets them thinking, “Yeah, I’d like to shop somewhere that hires people like that.”

Fifty Cent Words are a Dime a Dozen

I got this email the other day. Here it is verbatim…

Hi Phil,
May I send you information regarding an upcoming thought leadership summit focused on data driven decision making, integrated business planning and leveraging business analytics?

Regards,
Alex

I don’t know about you, but that looks like a bunch of business book vomit to me. A “thought leadership summit”? (who is thinking about what?) “Integrated business planning”? (integrated with whom?) “Leveraging business analytics”? (what analytics from where?)

Even if it was from a company I recognized and trusted, I still might not attend because I would feel left out from the beginning because I don’t even know what those phrases mean. I don’t want to go where I will feel like a fool.

Your customers are the same way. They will not go where they feel foolish, either. Do not use words or phrases in your marketing, on the phone or in person that might make them feel that way.

Every industry has big words specific to that industry. But do not assume that your customers understand all those words. Whenever possible, use simple words that make the same point without making the customer feel foolish. Your customers will be more trusting, more comfortable, and more likely to act.

Hi Phil,

Can I send you an invitation to a meeting of business owners who want to learn new ways to look at data to make their businesses more profitable?

Regards,
Alex

Alex, I would have allowed you to send me an invitation if you had written your request that way.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com


PS One of my favorite Ernest Hemingway quotes… “Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.”

Make One Point

As you prepare your advertising for the holiday season, here is one thing you can do to make your campaign work better.

Make only one point in your ad.

That’s it. One point. No more.

The truth is, most people will neither hear nor see your ad. They are so bombarded with advertising that they have tuned you out. Those that do hear or see it will be distracted by life so they will not be paying much attention because, frankly, your ad just isn’t that important to them either. The remaining few who actually do hear or see your ad and give it the minimal amount of attention will be lucky to remember one point. Which point do you really want them to remember?

Say too much and there is a good chance they will remember nothing or at the most, the wrong thing.

Pick the one most important point you want people to remember and say that. Nothing else. Your ads will be more memorable, and you will get your point across more clearly.

Did I make that clear enough?

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Don’t know what point to make? Check out my free eBook on branding Understanding Your Brand. Then download the worksheets. You’ll know what point to make soon enough.

The Customer is in Front of You

I just got back from the All Baby & Child Expo in Louisville, KY. This is the big show for the baby products industry. Thousands of vendors, thousands of buyers, millions of square feet of showroom space.

This was the first time the show had been anywhere other than Las Vegas. Louisville was a big risk. A little harder to get there for those flying. Not the same level of entertainment options. Not the same international cache. Add in the not-quite-stellar economy and the buzz was…

Would there be good attendance?

Apparently not. I lost count how many times I had to listen to vendors complain how the lack of attendees was hurting their business and it was all the fault of the board of directors choosing this location.

Fortunately, I also heard from a fair number of vendors who were having an awesome show, meeting new people, opening new accounts, writing serious orders. It wasn’t Vegas, but it was business, and they were doing it.

The difference? Attitude.

At one point, after listening to a lengthy rant about the show location and poor turnout, I looked at the person across the table and said rather indignantly, “I’m here and I’m writing an order. I don’t care about all that other crap.”

The point is that you can complain about the lack of customers for your business or you can embrace the customers that do show up. Complaining will not drive a single extra person through the doors. In fact, it will drive the few customers you have away. But if you focus on the positives of having a customer in front of you, she will bring you more business.

That is true at both trade shows and retail stores. We like to do business with happy, friendly people. Period. Keep your complaints to yourself.

When the attendance/traffic is not there, you have to maximize the business you do with the customers you have. You do that by being positive and upbeat. You do that by being friendly and helpful. You do that by making sure you focus on the customer in front of you. Make her feel special and welcome. Transfer confidence to her that your since your attitude is good, your business must be good, too.

Yeah, Retail 101. Amazing this past weekend how many people did not get it.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Is it any wonder that the people with the best attitude were having the best show? Your attitude is everything. You set the tone for your employees and your business. Make sure you put your best foot forward every day.

What’s My Motivation?

Why do I write these blogs? Why do I create presentations? Why do I write and publish eBooks that I give away for free?

To help you succeed.

Sure, that’s what I say. But even then, you are thinking in the back of your mind that there must be something in it for me. Altruistic goals always have some hidden agenda.

Here is my hidden agenda…

I love to speak to groups. I love to help other people be successful. I love to write. I love to create. So I do those last two things to accomplish the first two. I write my blogs and eBooks and presentations to get more opportunities to speak (for which I often get paid), to sell more of my book, and to find a larger audience to help (which gets me more speaking gigs and more books sold). Now you know.

The most important lesson here is that no matter how good your intentions, customers always believe you have some hidden agenda. They have been taught that “if it’s too good to be true then it probably isn’t true.”

They are trained to look for the hidden agenda, the ulterior motive they are convinced is there.

So put your agenda out there for the whole world to see. They are going to look for it anyway. You gain their trust when you show it to them before they begin looking.

Tell them, yes, you are in the business to make a profit. It puts food on your table and on the table of all your employees. Tell them, yes, you are being over-the-top helpful because you want them to bring you new customers. Tell them, yes, they can find items cheaper somewhere else, but you are not willing to sacrifice your way of doing business just to squeeze out every nickel in the price. Tell them, yes, you want to win their hearts, you want to build trust, you want to solve their needs, and you want to get them to like you just so you can make that profit. And you will continue to do all those things to continue to make more money.

There is nothing wrong with being profitable (regardless of what the government thinks). But hiding that fact does not change it from being true.

Here is the upside from this transparency. If you openly embrace your agenda and share it with your customers, they will trust you more. And with trust comes loyalty. With loyalty comes repeat business. And with repeat business comes profit. And if you have the guts to tell your customers all that, you will be pleasantly surprised with their response. They knew it all along. They just love you more now that you are willing to share it openly.

On top of that, when you do something purely altruistic, without a hidden agenda, people won’t be trying to look behind the curtain to see what scam you are trying to pull. They will believe you because they have already learned to trust you.

I wrote a line in a contest for a book that said… “the heart of our company lies not in the numbers in our books, but in the hearts of our customers.”

Get into the hearts of your customers and you will have all the numbers you need.

-Phil Wrzesinski
www.PhilsForum.com

PS Yeah, on paper it looks simple. Guess what? It looks the same in real life. Be transparent about making a profit – build trust – get more sales – make more profit – repeat. Simple.