Field Fresh Marketing

Marketing News You Can Use

customer service

Keeping it Real and Emotional

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Have you noticed each year brings fewer and fewer holiday cards in the mail? Chalk it up to our digital society and social media. And while a tangible, hard copy of anything evokes extra thought and care, I admit this year I also went the way of “too busy.”

Shame on me.

Poking at my guilt was this article on small business trends for 2024. Yes, artificial intelligence will continue to be the hoopla. But guess what it’s not? REAL. In the coming year emotional intelligence will be our marketing edge. Empathy. Relationships. Tactile products. Human interaction. Experiences in which we physically partake. Customer service. Soft skills. The REAL list goes on and on.

In 2024, I’m focusing on real. How about you?

My Mistletoe Wish

My friend, Carla, fills her home with beautiful wreaths made from her garden, and her gift of mistletoe radiates the loving person she is. May these same gifts of hope, joy, friendship, and love fill your Christmas and New Year. God’s blessings to you!

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

Let’s Work Together

Think Adunate might be a good fit for your next project? Give me a holler and we’ll discuss ideas.

CONTACT ME

Perfect Gifts for Your Outdoor Adventurers

Winter is a beautiful time to be on the trails!

Shop Here
NOT SUBSCRIBED? LET’s Do This!

How to Handle the War on Christmas

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Just when you think we’re done battling the alleged ‘War on Christmas,’ someone revives it once again. The meme below recently appeared in my social feed and given it immediately amassed more than 400 comments means the argument is far from over.

When it comes to marketing your business, such talking points take joy out of the season. As one commenter said, “It’s my least favorite time of year to do social media for our business. I’m always waiting for at least one person to get mad.”

How do you handle respecting others while staying true to your brand? The answer is holiday spirit. No matter what holiday you celebrate, ’tis the season to show love, be compassionate, and promote peace.

How to Market with Holiday Spirit

  • Know your market. Avoid making assumptions of someone’s traditions or beliefs.
  • Stay out of echo chambers. The world is filled with amazing people, even if they are different than you. Appreciate diversity.
  • Be respectful. The best way to bring light to your business and belief is to be kind. Be more than kind…think of your customers before yourself.
  • Let your customers have a voice. Choose to not take offense. Instead, graciously accept season’s greetings in the spirit they are given.

What I’m Working On This Month: Not Much!

My husband recently had shoulder replacement surgery. He’s an easy patient; nonetheless, I stepped away from the computer to spend more time with him. My projects this month have been delightfully tactile—such is a benefit of being self-employed. Want to get started on your own road to flexibility? I can help!

What I’m Tuned In To This Month

Let’s Work Together

Think Adunate might be a good fit for your next project? Give me a holler and we’ll discuss ideas.

CONTACT ME

Perfect Gifts for Your Outdoor Adventurers

Winter is a beautiful time to be on the trails!

Shop Here
NOT SUBSCRIBED? LET’s Do This!

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