Field Fresh Marketing

Marketing News You Can Use

customer service

Treating Your Customers Like Royalty

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My husband and I recently celebrated at Bistro Bella Vita in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was absolutely divine and here’s why.

Yes, making online reservations was super convenient. And yes, the venue was interesting and the made-from-scratch, sustainably sourced food was, oh, so good. What was most memorable, however, and why we’ll certainly come back, was the way we were treated.

So, it was our 44th wedding anniversary and every staff in house must have received the memo. From the moment we entered they made us feel special—not that staff-singing, all-eyes-on-you, embarrassing modus—rather a genuine warmth that brought smiles to our hearts. Many of the staff individually came to our table and congratulated us. They asked how long we’ve been married and marveled at our years. Our server offered complimentary desserts (I chose tiramisu, gastro-swoon!). When we were leaving, she wished us many more years to come.

Treating us like royalty has made us loyal customers indeed. Next time we’re in western Michigan, you’ll find us dining at Bistro Bella Vita.

CX is King/Queen in 2023

Those in the know say customer experience, or CX, has become a top priority for consumers. Royal treatment may sound highfalutin, but it’s the name of the game for small business marketing.

What experience do your customers have when they patronize your business? Are they coming back for more? What can you do to make them feel like royalty?

Not sure? Ask them!

What I’m Working On This Month

Check out my updated website (and please let me know of any glitches, typos, or dead links:-).

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

Let’s Work Together

Need help branding your business or promoting your product? Let’s discuss ideas.

CONTACT ME

Wisconsin Outdoors is Calling.

Shop Here

Applying the Easiness of Amazon to Your Own Business

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We recently bought garden mulch and the business we ordered from made it as easy as shopping on Amazon. Here’s how it went.

While sautéing dinner and listening (maybe) to his yackity wife, my husband decided we needed mulch. Not wanting to buy from a box store, he googled “local mulch Watertown WI.” Immediately Bags and Bulk Landscape Supply Yard popped up and right there, front and center, was “Free Delivery, Order Now.” Within five minutes he ordered his mulch and it was delivered the next day. 

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

An Easiness Self-Exam

Two years ago, I wrote about helping our customers BE our customers during COVID. These ideas are still relevant, not because of pandemics but because that’s just how it is. Competing with Amazon is a fact of life—when it comes to making things easy for your customer, how do you compare?

  1. How easy is it to shop from you? Can customers order online? Do you deliver? Do you accept returns?
  2. Do you take credit cards? It’s 2022 and we don’t carry cash. Even farmers market and art show customers ask to use credit cards.
  3. Does your business take reservations? If so, how? Must customers call only when you’re open or can they reserve online anytime? 
  4. How easy is to contact you? Is your contact information easy to find? How soon do you reply? 
  5. What about your website? Does the opening page provide the information your customers need most? Hint: Each industry is different. Restaurant or store customers need hours and location. Customers of a service industry, such as mine, need contact information.
  6. Lastly, most importantly, how do your customers FEEL when they’re your customers? Are you making it a pleasant experience? Do they come away feeling happy?
LET’s WORK TOGETHER

What I’m Working On This Month

Food, Faith and Farming Network is a caring, generous and humanitarian organization that gives voice to the sacred connections between land and people. I’m so honored to work with them. 

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

  1. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, by Ingrid Fetell Lee: I read this book for design purposes, but really it applies to everyday life.
  2. How to Make Pesto Like an Italian Grandmother: Basil is coming into full season and pesto is a must.
  3. Always Home, by Fanny Singer: I’m obsessed with anything Alice Waters and want to read her daughter’s  book.
  4. Kayaking in Wisconsin: Love it, go whenever/wherever I can. Here’s a helpful podcast for Wisconsin’s best. 

Information Desk: How Does Yours Compare to Your Customer’s?

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I’m sometimes surprised for what people are willing to pay me. Things that are so obvious to me, I can’t imagine people not knowing them for themselves. But then I remember what I pay others for, like my tax accountant or copyright attorney.

The fact of the matter is…

We are all experts in our own field but we aren’t in anyone else’s. If we think of our expertise as an “information desk,” I sit at mine because it’s what I do, what I study, what I practice. All day, every day. Ditto, for you and your information desk.

(By the way, this topic and desk metaphor were developed from the OG+S newsletter—a good read from great attorneys. Also a perfect followup to my March newsletter.)

Your information desk…

  • What field are you an expert in?
  • What do you know that others do not?
  • What questions do you most commonly answer?
  • What problem does your product or service solve?

…compared to your customer’s

  • What does your ideal customer NOT know?
  • What questions are they asking?
  • What are their pain points?
  • What help do they need?

Now ask yourself, “how can I communicate to my customers that I’m here and ready to help?”

LET’s WORK TOGETHER

What I’m Working On This Month

We wish COVID was over, but sadly it’s not. I’m honored to join with the Hispanic Health Resource Center in educating people on COVID safety and the medical care available. 

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

How Marketing Can Serve Those 87 Emotions

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Happy St. Patty’s, when we’re all Irish for a day and our emotions run green. What better time to discuss “Atlas of the Heart,” by Brené Brown.     

In her latest book, Brown explores the 87 emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. Even though her subject isn’t marketing, it’s a must-read for those who work in marketing.

Long ago, my college marketing courses spoke of four primary emotions—joy, sadness, fear and anger—and how to use them to market to consumers, how to shout and coerce into buying. Times have changed. While we still study emotions, we now market for consumers, for serving them. As Seth Godin says, “Marketing is the generous act of helping someone solve a problem. Their problem.”

Knowing the emotions of our target audience helps us help them. It helps us solve their problem.

Identifying emotions 

While reading “Atlas of the Heart,” I compiled a list of emotions my clients might be feeling. I then brainstormed ways I can help. Here are a few examples:

  1. Stress. In recent years, my clients’ stressors have multiplied exponentially. I need to communicate how I can ease their work load.
  2. Uncertainty. Many in my targeted audience pandemically pivoted into unknown waters. How can I build their confidence in new ways of doing things?
  3. Excitement. New products. New businesses. Sharing the successes of my clients is encouraging and connects me to them.

What are your customer’s emotions and how can you help? Make a list. Start marketing for your customers.

LET’s WORK TOGETHER

What I’m Working On This Month

ZoningHub needed a landing page to coincide with an ad it’s running on an industry-related site. Together we presented the problem city planners face and ZoningHub’s effective solution.

Know someone involved in city planning? Send them to ZoningHub!

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

  1. Goodwill—do you shop or donate? Here’s how thrift stores manage their wares.
  2. Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains: There’s always more to a story than we know, including the stereotypes of Kentucky’s hill country.
  3. Cardamom, I swoon. You mean it doesn’t originate in Scandinavia? 
  4. Cook for Ukraine: Ukrainian, Russian and Polish go-getters come together with a powerful message for helping others.