Wowing customers isn’t as hard as one might think. It doesn’t require over the top service or free everything. It is as simple as managing expectations and delivering on the promises made.

Adidas does that well. When my son needed new basketball shoes, he searched his favorite brands for the perfect shoe. His first request was a custom designed pair but his feet grow faster than a Georgia Pine. Replacing custom shoes every quarter offends my sense of value. He had to “settle” for an off the rack pair of performance sneakers.

He chose the adizero d rose 2. After listening to his sales pitch, I’m confident that it will add at least two inches to his hop. If it does, I’ll really beamazed but that isn’t how Adidas wowed me. The order was placed yesterday morning. One of the things I liked about the online store was the free shipping on orders over $49. The ability to upgrade was offered at checkout but the need wasn’t urgent. (Well, it wasn’t urgent to me. My son saw things a little differently.)

Delivery expectations were set at checkout and confirmed in a transactional email. The order would be shipped standard ground and delivered in 4-7 business days.

Less than twenty four hours later, FedEx delivered the package.

WOW!

How did they do that?

• The first thing they did was have the systems in place that turns orders around quickly. Processing orders in a timely manner requires an efficient order management system.
• The transactional emails provided good communication and were consistent with the checkout messaging.
• The timing of the emails was well planned. The “your order has processed” email was sent after 10:00 PM. I expected the package to be picked up by FedEx today. It was delivered instead.
• Geography played a part in the overnight delivery too. The distribution center is less than 100 miles away from us.

Wowing customers begins with managing expectations. Always allow a little wiggle room when you make your promises. This is especially important when third party vendors are involved. When unexpected things happen (and they will), your customers won’t be disappointed.

How much money was wasted last year on marketing campaigns that didn’t deliver tangible results? If the truth were told, it was probably the most wasteful year in marketing history. New channels created a competitive frenzy of one-upmanship to see who could deliver the most viral content with little regard to bottom line management. Proven strategies were left behind in the search for the most fans, followers, and views. In theory the increased exposure would deliver more results at less cost, but it didn’t work for most companies because their marketing team forgot the fundamentals.

The purpose of marketing is to motivate people to spend their money with your company. It’s that simple. If your marketing isn’t moving your customers and prospects closer to buying your products and services it is a waste of resources. When new channels and opportunities appear, it is hard to know if they will work for your business. Creating well-defined tests to measure cause and effect is part of an effective strategy. Asking the following questions before running any campaign will significantly reduce risk and insure success.

1. Does it benefit our customers?

   The best campaigns have customer benefits that are easy to understand. Itemize the benefits so your marketing and customer care teams have a clear understanding of them. This makes it easier for them to share the information with customers and partners.

2. Will it make money, reduce costs, and/or improve service?

   Notice that this question doesn’t include “increase sales”. More revenue doesn’t always translate into bigger profits. Anticipating the return increases the likelihood you’ll receive it.

3. Are the corporate benefits long-term, short-term, or non-existent?

   Too many campaigns are planned today with fingers crossed hoping for a miracle. Requiring tangible corporate benefits is good business. Creating a timeline is solid planning.

4. How do our success metrics affect the bottom line?

   Fans, followers, and video views make great cocktail conversation but how do they really affect your business? If the people participating in your community come from your customer database, social activity will work for your company. But, if they are from the general population, odds are against a profitable outcome.

5. What happens if we don’t run the campaign?

   Asking this question removes the stardust from most marketers’ eyes. If there isn’t a significant reason to run the campaign, why do it? Your resources would be better spent creating one that will make a difference.

Test campaigns are the exception. There may be so many unknowns that the questions can’t be answered well enough to justify running them. Failing to include testing in your marketing strategy reduces innovation. The best strategies find the right balance between proven tactics and new opportunities.

There is a certain safety in following the rules. When a marketing path has been tested, there are few surprises or unexpected challenges. Mediocre entrepreneurs can create successful companies by following the steps of the innovators who have gone ahead. Odds are that the copycat businesses won’t last more than a few decades without a significant management change, but they will provide income for the founders until the industry declines or something new comes along.

When I joined the direct marketing industry ages ago, there were a couple of dozen catalogs that were so similar it was impossible to identify the brand without reading the name. There were slight variations in the items, but the look, feel, and product lines were eerily alike. One of the owners explained the copycat philosophy to me. She said that the company that had originated the look did all of the heavy lifting with testing new markets and products. The copycats had higher profit margins because they didn’t invest in testing or new strategies.

The benefits gained by following the leader didn’t last. All of the copycat catalogs died an untimely death. The companies that survived the peaks and valleys of the economy were the ones who invested in quality analytics so they knew what worked with their customer base. They tested different strategies, tactics, and products. Marketing rules established by others were viewed as guidelines to be tested, not hard facts because every corporate culture is different.

Learning from others worked because the guidelines were based on sound business strategy. They had been tested by varying elements to see what works best. Marketing pioneers readily shared their discoveries with new marketers who, in turn, continued testing and improving results. The information tested and shared ultimately evolved into best practices.

Things change.

In the last few years, best practices based on controlled tests have morphed into rules formed by personal preferences. The catalyst for this change was the introduction of social media and the vision of a marketplace controlled by the people. The new age marketers’ imagined a world where people find businesses to fill their needs instead of one where companies seek customers.

The combination of tough economic conditions and the new marketing channel promising untold riches with minimal effort created a perfect environment for people willing to pillage the online community. Individuals facing record long-term unemployment searching for ways to provide for their family and executives desperately seeking to escape a sea of red ink were easy prey. Self-appointed experts commanded attention with declarations of data cooked up in imaginary labs. Testing of cause and effect required too much time and effort. It was much easier to imagine something and declare it as fact.

Rules of engagement were created and enforced by the new age marketers. In their alternative universe, traditional marketing was taboo. Anyone daring to promote their business or products via social media risked being ostracized on public forums. Requiring a return on investment indicated stodgy old school management destined to follow the dinosaurs into extinction. The new marketing rules included:

• Promote others twelve times to every one promotion for your business.
• Do not use automated direct messaging on Twitter.
• Leave comments on other people’s blogs to increase traffic to your site.
• Do not use social platforms to share promotional messages.
• Give to get.
• Be completely transparent in everything you do.
• Do as we say not as we do. (This one was unspoken. The rule makers didn’t follow any of the rules they created.)

Few dared to publicly challenge the new leaders. The new media was, well, NEW. And, different. And, people were already hurting and afraid of making another mistake. Following the leaders seemed safe and $397 for a guided tour of the new marketing channel seemed reasonable in an unreasonable world.

Did it really matter that the tour guides had little or no business experience? Or, that they aggressively promoted each other with affiliate links while pretending that they were simply sharing good sources? Or, that the how-to information they were sharing was based on personal opinion and theory instead of tested and proven tactics? Not much because it was desperate times filled with desperate people. When you are drowning even grasping a straw provides hope.

Time passes and with time comes experience.

When social media was new, no one really knew how it would evolve. The newness is gone, but there are still a lot of unknowns. It’s a shame that the people who stepped up in the leadership roles spent their time telling people to “be awesome” instead of testing different strategies to find best practices. It’s equally shameful that people followed them blindly down a dead-end path.

Fortunately, not everyone drank the social media Kool-Aid. People that didn’t get caught in the drama invested their time in testing different things to see what worked or didn’t. Real companies are making the social channel work as part of an integrated marketing strategy that includes other channels. There are a variety of successful strategies that move people from social activity into the buying cycle. Instead of trying to be awesome, successful marketing teams work to make real connections with customers and prospects. They may not have a zillion followers or fans, but what they have is much better. They have a proven strategy for using social media to generate revenue.

Testing different strategies to establish marketing rules is the best way to create sustainable growth for your company. Doing this requires a complete understanding of your customers, their behavior, preferences, and how everything works together to create a profitable strategy. Start with your data, add questions, and test everything to find proven cause and effect. It takes time and effort but the benefits are worth the investment. And, don’t listen to people who are selling new age marketing without questioning their experience, information sources, and testing strategy. The same people who promised that “it was all about the conversation” are now talking about search engine optimization, direct marketing, benchmarks, analytics, and return on investment. Being able to talk a good game doesn’t make you a player.

Foodzie, the Artisan food company has a story. Actually, it has lots of stories. The food, the vendors, the founders, and the business model all have a story (or ten) to tell. There are so many stories to be told, the company launched a search for a head storyteller to share all of the tales with the world. Somehow, in the process of captivating “our customers with colorful insights and anecdotes about the producers and food,” a key component of engaging people was missed. Someone forgot to listen to customers and bring the service.

When service is missing, customers become storytellers. The Foodzie story is being told on Facebook by people less than enamored with their shopping experience and the changes made to the business model. Changing how you do business is hard. There will always be some who resist the process. But when customers who promote your company and the products question the value, there’s a problem.

If you are unfamiliar with Foodzie, it has been billed as the Etsy of food because it began as a marketplace for artisan food vendors to connect with foodies. The combination of tasting boxes and thousands of unique products was a winning model that appealed to foodies and media. The company was founded in 2008 by college friends, received venture funds, and grew quickly. Their success story has been told by traditional and digital journalists. After all, who can resist telling others about a growing business that was founded in a tough economy?

Foodies loved telling the story too. They wrote blog posts about the food that included pictures of the products and packaging. It was a marketing dream come true where customers used social media to introduce the company to new prospects. Until now.

It has been said that those who live by the sword die by the sword. The same channel that was filled with raves about Foodzie is now populated with questions about pricing, missing vendors, and delivery. Hopefully it won’t be the undoing of the startup, but the signs are troubling.

Just in time for the holidays, Foodzie unveiled a new shopping experience. According to Rob Lafave, Founder and CEO, they consider the website upgrade the “Foodzie 2 platform” where they have changed from a massive marketplace to a focus on curated featured products. In an interview with Josh Benson, Lafave said, “Our community members can come and find the best of our favorites and have a very focused experience.”

In addition to a significant decrease in the product offerings, there has been a 50% price increase in the tasting box. The explanation for the changes posted on the website reads:

“Based on customer feedback, we recently made a change to offer a more curated, ever-changing mix of products on the site, along with offering a selection of Foodzie Tasting Boxes to choose from each month. The new Foodzie Boxes deliver a greater experience to everyone, as we are able to offer full size items instead of samples, have the ability to include products like pickles and chocolates which we were never able to include before, and still keep the shipping free on everything purchased through our website.”

There may have been extensive internal customer feedback that warranted the changes in the business model and pricing structure, but the social channel is filling up with people who aren’t supportive of the new vision. Bloggers regularly promoting the brand have changed their message:

The company’s Facebook page is filling up with people wondering where the vendors have gone and commenting on the lack of value:

Foodzie began as a new marketplace for artisan food. Using the Internet to make it easy for foodies to connect with vendors is brilliant. But there as two critical points that were missed:

1. Social marketing works best when it begins with listening to the customer.

   Foodzie’s search for a Head Storyteller describes the position with this post on their blog:

   We have a story. Our producers have a story. The food has a story. Stories, stories, stories. Seems like a small thing, but it’s really kind of the whole thing. At Foodzie, we take our food seriously, but not ourselves too much. We’re obsessed with discovering the best products from independent foodcrafters and sharing who they are, how it’s made, and why we love it. As the Head Storyteller you’ll work closely with the founders (that means me!) and designers to weave these stories into every touch point with our customers.

   YOUR DREAM JOB AT A HIGH LEVEL

   Each day will be different (which makes it fun!) but at the core your work will tie back to these three:
   • Storytelling – Captivate our customers with colorful insights and anecdotes about the producers and food.
   • Brand Building – Craft content to communicate the brand.
   • Eating – Yep, it’s a very awesome part of the job. Gotta eat it to write about it!
   STUFF YOU’LL DO OTHER THAN EATING GOOD FOOD
   • All the time, you’ll create and be the strict enforcer of the Foodzie voice across multiple platforms including: blog, newsletter, site, Foodzie Tasting Box, and social media.
   • Daily, you’ll create conversation via social media, including Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
   • Daily, you’ll whip up how-tos, producer interviews and fun food stuff for the blog.
   • Weekly, you’ll deliver delicious discoveries via our email newsletter.
   • Monthly, you’ll dive deep, writing site and print copy for our top product selections that make it into our Tasting Box experiences.
   • As Needed, you’ll be crafting messaging on the site consistent with the brand.
   WE WON’T LET YOU IN THE DOOR IF YOU’RE NOT…
   • Obnoxiously obsessed with good food.
   • A pro food writer with stacks (digital stacks work too!) of articles/posts that make us hungry and make us smile. Years of work don’t matter as much as lots of examples of food writing we can’t put down.
   • A stickler for the small details.
   • Active on social media (the usual suspects).
   • Fast, flexible, and fast. We’re a startup!
   • A do-er, self-starter.
   • Fun.
   • A team player.
   • Hungry to be the best.
   • Living in the Bay Area.
   • Obnoxiously obsessed with good food.

   The need to listen and respond to customers is missing, but being a “strict enforcer of the Foodzie voice” is included. Perhaps things would be different today if the customer voice had been the focus.

2. Long term corporate success is dependent on the ability to deliver.

   Companies have to provide the value and service expected by customers. Foodzie is in the direct marketing business. The concept may be unique, but they have to deliver the selection, pricing, and timing expected by their customers. Consumers are well trained in the best practices of direct marketing companies.

   These practices include billing the credit card when the product ships, packaging that protects the products from damage, and responsiveness to customer feedback. Foodzie bills subscribers on the first of the month and waits to ship the products until the third week. Not only does this practice skate dangerously close to violating the FTC ruling, it escalates operational costs by increasing “where is my order” inquiries, and reduces customer satisfaction:

   

   

It’s always best to learn from the experience of others. If the Foodzie founders had spent a little time learning from the direct marketers who have fine-tuned managing customer expectations and the logistics requires to fulfill orders, they might have avoided the train-wreck happening on Facebook.

Or, they could have simply learned pricing and business model lessons from Netflix.

If only our marketing would go viral…

If only we hired the brilliant analyst that went to our competitor…

If only the other department team members would work with us…

If only we had a larger budget…

If only __________________…

“If only” are very dangerous words when they are put together. They are a combination of blame and regret that do nothing to move you or your business forward. When allowed in the boardroom, they undermine the future and excuse poor performance. Statements like, “Our sales would have been better if only the economy hadn’t tanked” are usually followed with examples of other businesses that are failing.

Justifying failure is never acceptable. Taking responsibility and working to turn things around is a much better response. Moving forward requires the ability to see what can be and to let go of all excuses for not making it happen. The first challenge was to imagine the future. If you can’t see the final destination clearly, you’ll never get there. But, even if you see it, the past will hold you back if problems are explained by “If only.”

There will be times throughout this process that you or your team members will think “if only we had done this earlier.” When this happens, remind yourself and them that you weren’t ready for this growth or you would have done it earlier. Lessons are learned when the student is ready. Even if the lesson had presented itself, if you weren’t ready, it would have been ignored.

The second challenge is removing the regrets and blame from your life, speech, and actions. Over the next seven days, police yourself. Every time you catch yourself blaming external event or other people for roadblocks that keep or have kept you and your business from moving forward, put a quarter in a jar. Pause for a moment to think about the life you’ve imagined. At the end of the week, count the money. Continue doing this until you aren’t making any deposits for a minimum of thirty days. Use the money to do something special. This is your reward for replacing a bad habit with a new vision.

Note: This is the second challenge in Mission Possible: Creating a Better Tomorrow for Your Business and Life. Click here for the first challenge.