Being the Apple of the Industry

When it comes to technology, few companies have enjoyed the branding success of Apple. In certain circles, they've cast themselves as the industry standard. Customers across the country line up for days to be the first to buy their latest products, even if their latest phone has only minor improvements over the previous one. Apple's products are so coveted that many people even overlook the company requiring them to buy special parts or the lack of synchronization with other technologies inherent in some Apple products, just for the opportunity to be part of the Apple community.

The power of the Apple symbol and reputation is something many companies can only hope to one day taste. What makes the power even more incredible is that among the technologically inclined, there is still a debate if Apple products are actually superior to other brands.

So how in the world did Apple manage to control the conversation about technology so completely that users of their devices feel so superior? Perhaps even more importantly, what can you learn from Apple's experience and apply to your own business?

Apple and Innovation

Apple is nearly synonymous with innovation. The company prides itself on being the first to develop a wide range of products. For products that are already in existence, they look for ways to make theirs superior. Being a follower is not in the vocabulary of an Apple designer. Steve Jobs and his business partners were experts at getting people excited. Even if an idea had already been used by other companies, they had a way of making investors and customers feel as though they were getting something new and exciting, and people jumped at the chance.

As a business leader, you should aspire to this same spirit of innovation. Rather than looking and seeing what has made your competitors successful, try instead to see where your competitors still fall short, and capitalize on those differences. Take these weaknesses and use them to drive the industry forward, with your company at the helm.

Apple and Price

There's no denying that Apple products tend to cost more than comparable products from other companies, yet that has not hindered the company's progress. While customers like feeling as though they're getting a good deal, they're more concerned about getting quality and service. An estimated 70 percent of customers would be willing to pay up to 13 percent more if it meant having a more positive customer experience. Apple has fine-tuned the customer experience. Just walk into one of the stores, and watch how carefully the associates acknowledge you, get to know your name, and find out what you're looking for.

The products themselves also define style and elegance. While people might debate whether Apple is the actual industry leader, few would deny that their products do perform well and continue to amaze people with what technology is capable of doing. When companies successfully combine innovation, customer service, and solid products, sometimes a bump in price can actually work in their favor. The higher prices Apple charges only add to the perception that their products are superiorly made.

Whether people love or hate Apple and its products, they cannot deny the influence the company has had on the technology industry. For many, the company represents the pinnacle of branding and controlling an industry conversation. Although only a few companies can so completely dominate their respective industries, all businesses can learn from Apple's business model. Apple offers lessons for even the most seasoned of business professionals looking to improve customer reach. If you're not sure how to go about implementing these ideas, we can help you hone your message and control your brand conversation.

Improve Customer Loyalty

It's far more cost-effective to retain existing customers than it is to attract new ones. Here are a few tips to increase customer retention rates by improving your customer loyalty:

• Mail personalized thank you cards showing your appreciation for recent purchases or interest in your products and services.


• Create a customer loyalty program that offers special promotions and incentives for return customers, such as birthday discounts, a reward punch card, free shipping, monthly discounts, or free upgrades.


• Give customers a great experience with your brand. Offer a quality product and stand behind it.


• Encourage open communication with customers by requesting feedback and suggestions. Offer options such as e-mail, online surveys, a toll-free number, and discussion forums.


• Humanize your brand and create a personal connection with your customers by interacting in social media. Encourage customers to respond to your blog posts, attend trade shows, provide open houses, offer hands-on training sessions, and more.


• Treat your customers like insiders. Include them in decisions, ask for feedback, and assure them their opinions are valued.


• Consistently under-promise and over-deliver to ensure customer satisfaction.


• Surprise your customers with something they don't expect, such as a coupon for "$10 off your next $10 purchase" just because.


• Remember the golden rule. Think about the type of treatment you would like to receive as a customer.

Building a Strong Foundation

If you sit down with nearly any preschooler, they can probably tell you the story of the three little pigs. According to the story, there once were three pigs. Each set out to build themselves a home. The first built his home out of straw. He was done very quickly because of the material he chose. The second little pig chose to build his home out of sticks. Building with sticks might have taken the pig a little longer than using straw, but he was still done rather quickly. The third pig, however, built his home out of bricks and mortar. This house took the longest time to build, and the pig was forced to keep working, even when the other pigs were already relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Not long after the three pigs had finished their homes, the big bad wolf came looking for something to eat. He was able to quickly blow over the houses made of sticks and straw, but no matter how hard he tried, he was not able to blow over the house of bricks.

Building a strong foundation

The third little pig didn't take the easy way out. He saw the other two pigs finishing faster than him and having the time to laugh and play, but when the chips were down, his house was the only one to stand up. The strong foundation made all the difference.

In life, as in business, it's tempting to take the easy way out; to use the easier material that takes significantly less time. The problem comes when we discover just how quickly a weak foundation can fail us. Those who are looking to grow their businesses must keep this idea in mind.

Growing a business the smart way

There are a variety of 'tricks' companies can use to try to grow their businesses quickly. So-called 'black hat SEO,' which refers to techniques such as artificial keyword stuffing and using link farms to grow backlinks, may help companies achieve their objective rather quickly. They may rise quickly in the Google search engine ranks and see the number of visitors to their site rise as well. But Google has been cracking down on sites that use artificial SEO. Some companies have found their sites severely penalized, which has deeply hurt their businesses.

In marketing, companies may be tempted to blast every known platform all at once, without taking the time to develop a company message and brand. In these cases, the effects of the campaign typically fall short. A group that tries to go nationwide with a campaign too quickly might find that the effort exhausts their resources, placing the entire company in jeopardy. Starting local and growing as a reputation spreads is the way to achieve success.

Growing a business correctly means taking the time to grow organically. It means working to develop a quality website that is naturally optimized through a quality blog and well-written content. Marketing campaigns and customer reach goals should be built on a firm foundation that leaves room to grow. We can help customers develop marketing plans to appropriately meet new customers.

There's no easy way to be successful. It requires perseverance and hard work. Like the little pigs discovered, however, there's also no replacement for doing things right the first time. Instead of looking for shortcuts, invest time in learning about techniques to maximize investments and tools for saving time. We can help. Building a solid business foundation means your company will have something to grow on, rather than a flimsy foundation that can blow over. And that's irreplaceable.

All Brochures are NOT Created Equal

When it comes to marketing your business, professionally printed brochures are a great way to build credibility, while also telling your story. Here are a few tips to help you create successful, sales-building brochures:

• Focus on your audience and their needs. List benefits your customers will receive by choosing your product.


• Design an appealing cover that motivates readers to look inside. Include product benefits, a thought-provoking statement, industry tips, and other items your customers will find valuable.


• Keep it brief. Since brochures have limited space, provide a brief summary of your information, along with links for interested readers to go online and learn more.


• Provide clear headlines that make it easy to find information, along with high-quality imagery that supplements your messaging.


• Consider a creatively shaped or unusually sized brochure to grab attention.


• Include information that encourages the ready to keep your brochure. This may include how-to information, tips and tricks, sales calendars, and more.


• Consider providing a Q&A section to answer questions you think your readers may have when learning about your products or services.


• If your brochure is lengthy (8 pages or more), consider creating a table of contents to pique reader interest and make information easier to find.


• Include a call to action, so readers know how to respond. An 800 number, reply card, website landing page, or email address are all good examples to try.

If you need help creating an effective brochure, give us a call today. We have many samples and creative design ideas your customers will be sure to love.

Top Tips for Generating Customer Reviews

If you own a business, you probably know how important great online customer reviews can be to your bottom line. In fact, one 2013 study revealed that eight out of every 10 customers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations.

So how do you go about generating online feedback? Here are some simple things to get you started:

• Get social: If you don't have a Facebook page and Twitter account, now is the time to get one. If you already do have Facebook and Twitter accounts, make sure you're checking them regularly for comments. You need to keep a close eye on your social pages and respond to customer comments -- good and bad -- as they arise. And of course, you need to make it easy for people to find your social sites, so include links on your website and in your emails.



• Make it easy to be nice: Sure, you may like to go on and on about how great your product or service is, but your customers may not be that chatty. For the verbally shy, make reviews easy by adding non-verbal options like multiple choice options or a star-rating system.



• Get your game on: Ever heard of gamification? Basically, that term refers to websites that incorporate some sort of game play into their design to make it more fun for customers to engage. You can get as complex as you want, but even a simple thing like adding virtual badges or trophies for customers who leave reviews can increase feedback.



• Be generous: Everyone likes to score something for free, and offering a free sample or free trial period can be really effective at getting customers to leave reviews.



• Follow up: A customer just made a purchase. Is that the end of the transaction? Not if you want to generate some (generally positive) reviews. Once a purchase is complete, touch base with the customer to discuss both the item they purchased and the purchase experience in general. When you get positive responses, ask if you can share them as testimonials on your site.

OK, so those are just a few ways to generate reviews and feedback, but what should you do if some of that feedback is negative? First, set aside your anger and indignation, and don't stress: Every business is going to catch a little flak once in a while. Don't ignore negative reviews; instead, reply politely to deescalate and help soothe the customer. Try not to get into a debate on your social page; instead, invite the customer to contact you by phone or email, or offer to contact them. Be sure to thank them for their feedback and apologize for any inconvenience they've felt. And of course, if the feedback is on target, use it to make needed improvements.

Engaging customers and generating positive reviews takes work, but it's work that can yield big returns. Take a few minutes today to think about how your business can improve feedback and start building its own base of dedicated fans.

Turn You Competitors' Customers into YOUR Customers

Here are a few creative ways to help turn your competitors' customers into your own:

• Offer a comparison chart that focuses on reasons why customers should choose your product over the competition. For example, you may offer a standard five-year warranty, while your competitors may only offer a three-year warranty. Or perhaps they offer an extended five-year warranty option, but at an additional price.


• Stay informed of what your competitors are doing, but avoid copying their ideas. Instead, add value and make their ideas even better. For example, if a competitor offers free shipping on purchases of $100+, you could provide free shipping on all purchases and possibly even returns.


• Create a unique tagline or slogan that focuses on your key selling points, such as: "Hassle-Free Returns" or "Receive your lunch order within 30 minutes or it's free."


• Add value to a comparable product through added services, such as longer support hours, free training, and live phone operators (no automated phone service).


• Create a customer survey. Ask your audience how you can improve, what new offerings they wish you provided, what they like best about your company, and what areas they may find lacking. Their answers could easily point to ideas that will help you gain a competitive advantage.


• Provide a risk-free trial to test your products or services before committing to a change.


• Compare your guarantee to your competition. If your competitors don't offer a guarantee, this is an extra reason to promote your guarantee heavily.


• Compete with low-price competitors in creative ways. Offer exclusive discounts when items are purchased together as a package, or offer free or discounted add-on bonuses.


• Romance your competitors' customers. Show them the affection they may be missing from their current vendor, and let them know you're willing to go the extra mile to win their business.


• Even if prospects are happy with their current provider, be sure to continue your marketing efforts. Create front-of-mind awareness so you're at the top of their list if they ever change their mind.

Improve the Effectiveness of your Newsletter

Newsletters have a proven track record for creating front-of-mind awareness, establishing and maintaining credibility, and publicizing an organization to the community. Here are a few tips to improve the effectiveness of your newsletter:

• Become a resource by including how-to articles, helpful industry tips and tricks, and links to other articles and podcasts that may be of interest to your audience.


• Feature a special offer or promotion in each issue to track your newsletter results.


• Include a customer testimonial section to highlight customers who are finding success using your products or services. This will not only boost your credibility, but also increase customer visibility.


• Offer subscribers a "sneak peak" at new products. This will make them feel special and encourage them to spread the word about their insider knowledge.


• Create an "Ask the Expert" section, featuring industry experts to answer customer questions. Include the name and business of the customer who asks the featured question.


• Keep track of customer/recipient birthdays and send them a free birthday giveaway or discount.


• Provide highlights from an online customer portal or discussion board where customers can chat about industry trends, new products, and other relevant issues. Include a web link, and encourage newsletter readers to join in the discussions.


• Commit to a regular schedule. Readers will look forward to and expect your newsletter, so inform them if you take a hiatus from the regular routine.


• Post current and archived issues on your website with a link to subscribe.

Give us a call today if you'd like to see examples or need more ideas for creating a newsletter that your audience will look forward to receiving. Our creative experts would love to help.