Buzz Builder

Sharing Controversial Views Alienates Customers and Drives Negative Buzz

Dave Benjamin, a friend and owner of Island Planet Sails (a sail making company), sent me a few  thought-provoking stories which illustrate how businesses alienate customers and generate negative word of mouth when they share controversial beliefs.

Here’s Dave’s note:

Several years ago a good friend was seriously shopping for a new car. At one dealership the salesman explained that his offerings were better on account of non-union labor. He explained that my friend would never have to worry about getting a "Friday car." What the salesman didn't know was that my friend belonged to a union and had grown up in a "union family." He walked off the lot.  

Today in Sayulita, Mexico we experienced something that far surpassed the dumb statement of the car salesman. We are currently exploring Mexico in our sailboat and my parents are visiting us. Anyhow Mom walks into a jewelry shop that is owned and operated by an American (or possibly Canadian) woman. The woman explains that she makes all the jewelry herself and then further goes on to say she "is not a stone cold Jew." My mom's jaw dropped and she quickly exited the shop. Later we all wandered into a tastefully decorated and quite attractive jewelry store operated by a young Mexican couple. The woman explained that they made all the jewelry themselves and provided details about the pieces that were of interest. My mom left the store with a pair of attractive earrings and we were all impressed with the small shop and friendly owner.

I am always amazed when I see political bumper stickers in a shop or on a company vehicle. Think back to the gay marriage proposition in Oregon a few years ago. That was a polarizing issue. I saw many signs in businesses and on business vehicles. It is counterproductive.

Politics, religion, and organized labor are topics people often have strong and often unchangeable views. I have some strong political views myself but a business or business website is simply not the place to share those. Be in business to be in business is my motto.

I would take Dave’s statement one step further. If you don’t have something nice to say about another person, group, company, etc., you should say nothing. It’s impossible to know whether the person you are addressing belongs to the group that you are disparaging. 

Back to Eden Bakery in Portland Cultivates Organic Word of Mouth

A couple of days, an urge for something sweet drove me into Back to Eden, a four-month-old bakery in Portland, Oregon. I've been monitoring rave reviews for the bakery on Yelp so I was curious to to give it a try. When one of the owners told me that all items on the menu were vegan, I was leery since I just couldn't imagine baked goods without any dairy product tasting good. But, the baker must have a degree in alchemy because everything looked delicious and tasted even better. The rich and dense pumpkin whoopie pie on its own changed my perception of veganism. That one item alone is worth a trip. Cap it off with hot chocolate made from hazelnut milk for something completely different and delicious.

John Blomgren, one of the owners of Back to Eden, told me that the business is doing well thanks to positive word of mouth. Many people have found the bakery thanks to the rave reviews on Yelp. When customers sample the goods, meet the nice owners, and visit the beautifully-appointed store, it's not surprising that they come back, refer their friends, friend the bakery on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter. It's awesome to see a small business firing on all cylinders when it comes to generating positive word of mouth.

John also told me something that many business owners should take to heart. He said that he and his partner decided to start the business without any fanfare like opening parties or aggressive media outreach. He figured that they could do these once the business had established itself. Furthermore, he knew that many kinks needed to be worked out before he could ensure people would be so pleased that they would come back and refer their friends. 

I'm glad that the business approach Back to Eden is taking is so sound since I want my source for great baked goods to last for years!

Hyundai Canada Leverages Buzz from the "World's Worst Parking Job Ever"

Thanks to a tip from Janet Clesse Hager at Tinfish Initiatives, a marketing firm in Portland, Oregon, I just watched a savvy YouTube video (see below) that Hyundai in Canada posted in response to a one-minute video about a Hyundai car that was crushed in "the world's worst parking job ever." The original video featuring the parking accident in Canada went viral and has been seen by 2.4 million times in its first two weeks online.

Kudos to the marketers at Hyundai Canada for seizing a great opportunity to to generate positive goodwill for the their brand by offering the owner of the trashed Hyundai a sweet replacement ride. Hyundai of Canada's video, which  has been watched 193,000 times in just the week since it has been posted, is a great example of the value of monitoring social media as it relates to one's brand and reacting quickly to an opportunity for creating positive buzz (or doing damage control for widespread negative word of mouth).

Business Networking Video Tips

In these tough economic times, many companies have slashed their marketing budgets. One of the best ways to increase visibility and sales for your company is through networking. Because networking is so effective and low-cost, I'm considering the possibility of doing a short series about networking. Below is the "pilot"  of this series. If you would like me to continue this series or have questions or ideas for upcoming episodes, please let me know.

Service After The Sale: Lessons from United Airlines, Crate & Barrel & My Local Seafood Shack

"There's a place in the world for any business that takes care of its customers---after the sale."  Harvey MacKay

When I visited Cannon Beach, Oregon last week with my family, I enjoyed a delicious lunch and learned a valuable lesson about how not to deal with an unhappy customer.

Anyone familiar with Cannon Beach has been to the casual seafood cafe where you order at counter, seat yourself, and come back to pick up your food when your number is called. After picking up our order, my father realized that the server had mistakenly given him french fries with his steamer clams instead of the garlic bread that he had ordered. In an effort to score points as the good son, I went to the counter to clear things up. The surly manager insisted that my father had asked for fries not garlic bread, and that he would only give me the bread if I came back with the basket of fries.

For once, I was shocked speechless and returned to my table empty-handed. The restaurant manager might have saved a dollar by not giving my father garlic bread, but he alienated a group of four people (and one very vocal dog) who left the restaurant talking about its poor service instead of its food.

A few years ago, Jeff Bezos, the founder and president of Amazon, said, "If you make customers unhappy in the real world, they might each tell six friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends." Well, I haven't told my experience at the seafood restaurant to 6,000 friends but this newsletter article is going out to nearly 1,500 people, some of whom will pass along the story.

Nowadays, it's impossible to know how widely a story about poor customer service will spread. For example, in July, Canadian musician Dave Carroll released a hysterical music video in which he sings the blues after United Airlines workers at O'Hare smashed his guitar and the carrier refused to cover the $1,200 cost to repair it. The original video has already been watched more 5.6 million times and Carroll has been featured on major television programs in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Surprisingly, even after Carroll's message become a pop culture phenomenon, United Airlines failed to apologize and compensate Carroll for his broken guitar causing the singer to release a second video in mid-August which has been seen approximately 407,000 times. Furthering the bad buzz for United Airlines, Carroll testified as a witness at the Passenger Rights Stakeholder Hearing before the United States Congress on September 22.

In an age when negative word of mouth can mushroom quickly, savvy companies understand the value of customer service after the sale. Recently, my wife and I ordered a TV credenza from Crate & Barrel. A couple of weeks after ordering, we found a much smaller piece of furniture which would better fit our room. When we called Crate & Barrel to cancel the order, the customer service representative said she would gladly do this. Just two days later we received a nice thank you note and copy of the credit card return in a handsome presentation style envelope. Crate & Barrel's prompt and graceful return process won our loyalty. We will not only return but will also recommend the store to friends.

What process do you have in place that empowers your employees to resolve a post-sale complaint or issue? It's worth reviewing or risk becoming the subject of a newsletter or YouTube video.

Mainstream Media Buzz Still Matters: "The Reports of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated"

It's good to be back to this blog. I took a month off to enjoy the great summer weather and beautiful scenery of the Pacific Northwest.

A few weeks ago, social media guru Taylor Ellwood interviewed me for his Blog Talk Radio program. One of his questions really stuck with me. He asked, "Is mainstream media dead when it comes to creating buzz?"

With tremendous cuts in advertising spending during The Great Recession and the rise of social media, there have been many stories about the demise of mainstream media's influence. But, a quote from Mark Twain reacting to a rumor that he had passed away also applies to the news about traditional journalism's demise: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

We spent a week in the beautiful beach town of Bandon, Oregon. Before arriving, as a chocoholic, one of my must-see spots was Coastal Mist Artisan Chocolates, a chocolate maker and retail shop, which received enthusiastic coverage in The Oregonian, the Pacific Northwest's largest circulation newspaper.

If you love chocolates and visit Oregon's South Coast, make a pilgrimage to Coastal Mist. The husband-wife owners Kevin and Tara Shaw craft the most exquisite truffles and other chocolate goodies that I've ever tasted. It's no wonder that they Best in Show award at the 2009 Oregon Chocolate Festival which they smartly highlight on their website (hint: if you win awards, don't forget to buzz about them everywhere).

Since I visited Coastal Mist nearly every day while we were on vacation (yes, I have a severe chocolate problem), I got to know Tara who is very friendly and happy to talk about her passion for chocolate and living in Bandon. She told me that The Oregonian article continues to be a big generator of retail and website traffic even a month after it appeared. The article is especially important for Coast Mist in providing credibility since it is not in a big city where many people think a premier chocolate manufacturer would have to be located. Order from Coastal Mist and you'll know how irrelevant a big city location is to making amazing chocolate.

Most businesses like Coastal Mist who receive prominent coverage in the mainstream media can attest that the positive impact of that buzz is palpable.

Make People Feel Special and Thrive in the Recession

Here's the main article from the August 2009 edition of the free monthly Buzz Bulletin from Galvin Communications (sign up here for future issues):

How do you make your customers feel special? The answer to this question can be the difference between success and failure in today’s challenging economy.

A few weeks ago, my wife Ellen and I went on an awesome vacation that also taught us valuable lessons about treating customers right. On a five-day trip on Oregon’s fabulous Rogue River, which is one of the most beautiful spots we’ve seen in our lovely state, we learned about accommodating the needs of clients with grace and joy.

We did the river trip with O.A.R.S., a leader in adventure travel from white water rafting, sea kayaking and hiking to multi-sport, special interest trips. When we learned that our group of 10 travelers had two eight-year-olds as well as couple in their sixties, we were a bit concerned about the trip’s chemistry and whether  we would enjoy it.

On the river, one of our three guides always seemed to focus on keeping the two kids entertained with knock-knock jokes, squirt guns, and fun snacks. Meanwhile, a second guide watched over those who opted to kayak and provided insightful tips for enjoying the river’s exciting rapids while staying away from dangerous obstacles. The third guide focused on the adults who rode in the rafts and wanted to take pictures and learn about the natural surroundings.

Each night, we pulled into a beautiful riverside camp to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal that the three guides prepared on outdoor stoves as if they were chefs at a gourmet restaurant. They accommodated the needs of all the diners with a tasty blend of meat and vegetarian dishes. Looking around as people enjoyed their meals, there were a lot of smiles because the day had been arranged to meet each person’s individual needs.

We were sad to the leave the river and our excellent guides but excited about driving up the Oregon coast to Portland. One of our stops was Home by the Sea B&B in Port Orford, a small picturesque seaside town on Oregon’s South Coast. As soon as we stepped through the door, it was clear that proprietor Alan Mitchell knows how to make his guests feel special.

He insisted on taking our picture in the backyard with craggy rocks, a lush forest, and spectacular beach in the background. Alan and his wife Brenda have travelled a lot and know that most couples never get enough pictures together in beautiful spots since few remember to ask strangers to take their pictures. Alan also insisted on taking us around town introducing us to local characters and explaining historic spots and unusual items such as a 250-year-old myrtle tree. During the tour, he took many more pictures of us together.

When we got home, there was an email waiting for us from Alan with an assortment of cool photos documenting our brief visit to a town that we never thought would be so interesting. Like 5,000 other people who have stayed at Home by the Sea B&B over the past 20 years and received similar photographs and personal tours, we felt quite special.

Sometimes there are easy things to do make people feel special that make a lasting impact. Joe Pelayo, the CEO of executive recruiting company Joseph Michaels, Inc. in San Francisco, is a master at building relationships. He takes his friends and clients to networking events and enthusiastically introduces them to the people he knows while providing a sincere and ringing testimonial for who they are and what they do. By elevating others, Joe builds friendship and business at the same time.

If you just do just one thing each day to make a friend or customer feel special, it will surely lift your spirits and business prospects.

Interest in Sustaining Buzz in Social Media Grows

Last week, I was in California and presented a four-hour Buzz Camp to massage therapists and alternative health care providers at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville. I was impressed with the enthusiasm and interest that people had for using social media and other Web 2.0 tools to create buzz for their practices.

It's exciting to see that social media is generating real business results for small business as an excellent article in today's New York Times indicates. Another piece worth reading in the Wall Street Journal points out that sustaining buzz in social media requires creativity and strategic thinking.

United Airlines Finds Path to YouTube Infamy in Broken Guitar Song

I just caught my wife cracking up as she sat in front of her computer watching the latest YouTube sensation. Canadian musician Dave Carroll released a hysterical music video in which he sings the blues after United Airlines workers at O'Hare smashed his guitar and the carrier refused to pick up the $1,200 cost to repair it.

The video, which was only posted four days ago, has already had more than 641,000 views. To learn the details behind the story behind the song, visit this article on the Chicago Tribune's website.

The video is a great example of how we're living in the Age of the Empowered Customer. Companies that ignore customer complaints are now just one small step away from YouTube infamy.

Why Last Impressions Are Essential to Generating Referrals

A few years ago, I wrote about how critical first impressions are to business success. But, a company’s last impression with a customer carries even more weight when it comes to generating repeat and referred business.

Recently, my wife Ellen and I spent three nights at the Trumpeter Inn, a bed & breakfast on San Juan Island in Washington State. During our stay, Geoff and Shaun, the attentive husband-and-wife owners, provided top-notch service which included answering all my inquiries about the best things to do and places to see (no easy feat when you consider that Ellen calls me “The Question Man” for my propensity to grill people for information).

On our last night, we told Shaun that we needed to catch the 6:00AM ferry to the Mainland. It pained us to leave early since breakfasts had been so delicious. Shaun promised to have brown bag breakfasts waiting for us when we left. While other hungry ferry passengers had to make do with stale vending machine food and coffee, we enjoyed a breakfast bonanza which included homemade muffins, yoghurt parfaits with fresh fruit and granola, boiled eggs and juice. We sipped gourmet coffee out of takeout cups that she had thoughtfully left for us next to the coffee machines, which were programmed to kick into action when our morning alarm sounded. The Trumpeter swans that Shaun drew on our breakfast bags made us smile as we unpacked them on the ferry with San Juan Island receding in the background.

Over the years, I’ve left stayed at enough bed & breakfast inns to know that I would have to fend for myself if I checked out before the standard breakfast hour. By doing something completely unexpected in such a classy way, the Trumpeter Inn stands above it competitors and it’s no wonder that it’s the top-rated B&B on San Juan Island according to TripAdvisor, America’s leading customer review website for travel recommendations.

It’s not just B&Bs that benefit from leaving customers with a strong positive impression. With the weather heating up in the Pacific Northwest, I hired a company to power wash and seal our back deck. After I was given the price for the job and the work had started, I asked the owner of the company whether he could spray off our outdoor table while he was at it. Not only did he do this, but the job took longer than expected because he took extra time to thoroughly wash the table and all the outdoor chairs so they look almost new again—at no extra charge.

Professional service providers can also find ways to leave their customers impressed. Whenever we complete an engagement for a client in which we’ve carried out a successful media relations campaign, there is always the possibility that journalists will contact us about a future story. Whether we are billing a client or not, we promptly follow up on media opportunities and respond to queries on the client’s behalf without charging anything. We’ve learned that the hours we work for a client without being paid after an engagement officially ends is a wise time investment because it dramatically increases the chances that the client will reengage our services and recommend us to others.

In these tough economic times, those companies that find ways to leave a great last impression will not only survive but thrive.