Buzz Builder

Why The Oregonian Must Better Address Subscriber Complaints or Risk the Sad yet Funny Path of the Boston Globe

Four months ago, my wife gave me two-year gift subscription to Mix, a new monthly food magazine from The Oregonian that is mailed to subscribers. One of the enticements to subscribe was the offer of a free cookbook. I've received a few issues of the of the magazine which I like for its innovative content and attractive layout. However, today I called The Oregonian, our state's largest circulation newspaper, to ask why I have not received the promised cookbook. The service representative was nice and told me that the she was aware that the book was late to many subscribers and that the paper "wouldn't deal with the guy who did that book anymore." However, when I pressed her about when I would receive the book, she told me that she had no idea. She took my number and said somebody would call me and that they're handling calls on a case-by-case basis.

If The Oregonian knows that there is an issue following through on one of their promises, why are they waiting to hear from subscribers to react? It would be smart to send a letter of apology to all subscribers expecting the book stating that there has been an unforeseen delay yet the book will arrive. In an age of rapidly diminishing circulation numbers for print publications, proactive customer service is the best way to hang onto existing subscribers to avoid nightmare scenarios like this video spoof about the steps that The Boston Globe must take to retain a highly diminished circulation.

BBQ Buzz Lessons

This article is from the June 2 edition of The Buzz Bulletin. Sign up here for the free monthly Buzz Bulletin with tips, strategies, and ideas to get people so excited about your business that they'll recommend it to friends.

With summer fast approaching, I decided to turn my backyard barbecuing fantasies into reality. On Memorial Day Weekend, I ignored the rain and fired up my new Weber Q 320 Gas Grill. While savoring a perfectly cooked burger, I reflected on how the purchase of my BBQ illustrates three important word of mouth marketing lessons applicable to most businesses.

1. Quality + Influential Buzz = Purchasing Interest

I heard a cookbook author on The Splendid Table, a fun weekly radio show and podcast for foodies, extolling the virtues of Weber gas grills over cheaper competitors. She was so convincing that I decided to upgrade from my fast decaying three-year-old BBQ, the third cheap gas grill I’ve owned in the last decade, to something that would last longer and cook better.

Lesson: Create a quality product or service and get influential people buzzing about it in mainstream and social media and you’ll pique purchasing interest. Whether you hire a PR firm or carry out your own campaign to get influential people extolling the virtues of what you are selling, exhaust PR opportunities before purchasing expensive advertising which most people tune out.

2. Positive Reviews Instill Confidence

As a typical consumer, I went online in search of pricing and reviews for Weber gas grills.  I was happy to discover that Home Depot offered free shipping. I was even more pleased to read positive product reviews. To get a wider consumer perspective, I visited Amazon and was impressed with many five star reviews and only a few negative comments for the unit I wanted.

Lesson: Go to Google and enter the word “reviews” or “opinions” next to your product, service or company name to see what customers are saying. Take consistent negative comments to heart and improve what you’re doing. Also, reach out to people who appreciate what you do and tell them how grateful you would be for an online review. Then, direct them to the websites where their testimonials would have the biggest impact.

3. Deliver on the Promise & Build Connections

I opened the box containing the BBQ with dread, expecting missing hardware, damaged pieces, and indecipherable assembly directions since this had been my experience with previous grills. To my delight, the box was complete and the excellent packaging kept all pieces looking factory-new.  The instructions with clear illustrations were easy to follow – even for a guy like me who certainly wouldn’t be confused with Bob the Builder. Prominently displayed on the packaging was a suggestion to register the product online. On the Weber website, there was folksy and fun copy stating that any information submitted would never be shared or used for junk mail. There was also an invitation to sign up for a “recipe of the week” and “special offers” delivered via email.

Lesson: The only way to translate buzz into lasting success is to ensure that your product or service not only meets but exceeds expectations. Also, find creative ways to engage your customers right after they’ve received what you sell when their enthusiasm is high. By getting opt-in permission for email, for instance, you can translate a one-time transaction into a long term relationship aimed at building loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.

If buzz played a role in getting you to buy a particular product or service and gave you ideas that you have applied or plan to implement in your business, please share them in the comments section below so others may learn from your experience.

People Buy and Recommend for Emotional Reasons: Dutch Bros. Coffee Example

The below article is from the April 15 edition of The Buzz Bulletin. Sign up here for the free monthly Buzz Bulletin with tips, strategies, and ideas to get people so excited about your business that they'll recommend it to friends.

"People don't buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons." - Zig Ziglar

Last month, my wife Ellen and I packed up the car (and the dog) and took a long road trip from our home in Portland, Oregon to San Francisco to introduce our daughter Anya to our family and friends in the Bay Area. In both directions, we were reminded that cultivating personal connections is one of the best ways to attract loyal customers who generate referrals.

On the way down to San Francisco, we stopped at Dutch Bros. Coffee in Redding, part of an expanding regional chain of drive-through coffee stores, for a few pick-me-up lattes. At the drive through window, a friendly twenty-something asked us where we were coming from and where we were heading. When I told her that the trip was our daughter's first visit to her grandparents' house, she smiled and asked a few questions about the trip while she made my drinks. The coffee was good yet it was the barista's exceptional friendliness that stood out.

On the return trip to Portland, we stopped at another Dutch Bros. Coffee outlet (caffeine being the fuel behind a 1,200-mile road trip with a toddler and a rambunctious dog!). Once again, a cheerful barista asked us where we coming from, whether we had fun in San Francisco and where we were heading. If there weren't a long line of cars behind us, I'm sure he would have engaged us in a longer conversation based on his friendly demeanor.

Does Dutch Bros. Coffee train its employees to use a customer service script? My wife, an inherently skeptical New Yorker, thinks that they do. Yet even she acknowledges that the experience was a pleasant one. In fact, she avoids the well-stocked and attractive grocery store that is close to our house because the clerks are usually so involved in chatting with each other that they make her feel as if she is interrupting them when she asks a question or simply goes through their checkout lines. She'll drive out of her way to go to other grocery stores further from our house because they have friendly employees who take the time to chat and smile, not to mention make eye contact.

Taking a personal interest in your customers costs nothing yet makes a big difference. When I worked in our family's furniture stores, I remember the outstanding personal touch of one of our managers. In all customer interactions, he made sure that the first three questions he asked had nothing to do with furniture. Instead, he would engage people on a personal level asking how their days were going, what movies they had seen recently, or where they had found some interesting accessory or item of clothing that they were wearing. He listened carefully to what they said and followed up with questions that showed he was paying attention. He varied the approach he took with customers to suit their personalities and moods, yet he always displayed a genuine interest in people before trying to sell them anything.

Think about how your business creates personal connections with your customers. Have you found that more business is closed when you or your employees interact with your customers on personal level? If so, it's worth spending time discussing and developing ways to ensure that everybody in your organization has a plan for connecting with customers in a memorable and welcoming manner. By doing so, you will make people feel connected to your business creating long-lasting loyalty and referrals.

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!

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.

An Antidote to Negative Economic Buzz: Humble School Bus Driver in Queens Feeds the Needy

All the buzz about climbing unemployment rates and economic distress is enough to depress even the most optimistic person. This recent post on the Pink Slips Are The New Black Blog about how one regular guy has made a difference in improving the lives of thousands should lift your spirits:

CNN recently featured a truly inspiring story about a 44-year-old Jorge Munoz who emigrated to the United States from Colombia in the 1980s.

A school bus driver by day, he spends the majority of his free time feeding hungry people out of his mobile soup kitchen in Queens, NY. He started the program in 2004 and he estimates he’s served 70,000 meals to date. Now it has evolved into a non-profit organization called An Angel in Queens.

From CNN:
Muñoz estimates that food and gas cost approximately $400 to 450 a week; he and his family are funding the operation through their savings and his weekly $700 paycheck.

Asked why he spends so much time to help people he doesn’t know, he answers, “I have a stable job, my mom, my family, a house… everything I want, I have. And these guys [don't]. So I just think, ‘OK, I have the food.’ At least for today they’re going to have a meal to eat.”

The Best Marketing in a Down Economy

Below is an article from the March 2009 edition of my free monthly eNewsletter The Buzz Bulletin. To sign up for future issues, please visit the Galvin Communications website.

“Do what you do so well that your customers will want to see it again and bring their friends.”
Walt Disney

In today’s difficult economic climate, it’s easy to feel as if there’s little you can do to improve sales since the media keeps churning out stories about how consumers and companies aren’t spending money. The good news is that many of your competitors will believe this and stop trying to attract customers. This presents tremendous opportunities to grow your business.

Last week, Bob Stonhaus, a friend, client and founder of modular wine storage manufacturer STORViNO, sent me a statistic about the recession of the early-1980s. McGraw Hill Research found that companies which maintained aggressive sales and marketing efforts enjoyed more growth – some 275 percent in the five years after the recession – compared with only 19 percent growth amongst companies that cut or reduced their marketing budgets during the economic downturn.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, “Hey, that makes sense but I don’t have extra cash for marketing since my sales are terrible.” Well, the best marketing doesn’t cost anything. Rather, it takes a commitment to love and delight your customers with stellar service.

Yesterday, my wife Ellen and a friend went to Vinideus, a neighborhood wine shop and bar in Portland, Oregon that we’ve walked by for months but never visited. Ellen was curious to check it out since we’ve seen signs in the window announcing a diverse array of activities including a networking evening, French movie night, salsa lessons and a variety of musical performances. One of the owners greeted her and everybody who came through the doors with a smile and warm hello as if they were arriving in his living room (in fact, the shop has the cozy atmosphere of a family-run bistro in France).

When he overheard Ellen and her friend discussing the nuances of authentic French crepes, he apologized for interrupting but enthusiastically told them about his plans for introducing crepes in a few weeks as well many of the other exciting things that Vinideus would be offering.  When Ellen and her friend left, they had signed up for the shop’s weekly newsletter and were already making plans for their return.

They wandered a few blocks up the street to try another wine bar, where the atmosphere was quite different. While the service wasn’t bad, it lacked the warmth, energy and knowledge of the previous establishment. Likewise, the space itself felt cold—literally and figuratively. There was no music, no laughter and, not surprisingly, very few customers on what should have been a popular place on a Friday night. Ellen’s comment was, “There was no enthusiasm, no love.”

Think about the businesses that you love. What makes you loyal to these companies over others that offer similar products and services? Is it possible to adopt some of their customer service tactics? By doing so, you will take your business to new heights as satisfied customers keep coming back and referring their friends.

Outstanding Service Will Sustain Many Businesses in Good & Bad Times

Based on yesterday's article in The New York Times, it's clear that many New York City restaurateurs are worried about their long term survival in this protracted economic downturn. They are slashing their prices and turning on the charm to keep customers coming in and referring their friends. While this is certainly good news for New York diners, it's a bit tragic to see customer service used in what seems to be a short term marketing ploy.

When I think about my favorite restaurants, I recall good service just as much as tasty food. An informal poll of friends indicates that many of them share my appreciation of good service. In fact, we make many restaurant selections because of fond recollections of stellar service. If the restaurants featured in the New York Times article had always focused on providing outstanding service in good economic times as well as bad, I'm confident that many of them wouldn't be suffering so much in this weakened economy. Truly great service businesses, including restaurants, will usually be able to generate enough buzz to sustain themselves regardless of the direction of the economic tide.

Back from Vacation & Buzz Lessons from Restaurants in Argentina

Well, excuse the long hiatus since my last blog post. My wife and I returned recently from a fantastic 3-1/2 week trip to Argentina and Antarctica. To recharge, I decided to take a break from posting but I'm now I'm back and ready to buzz...

During our vacation, we ate at more than 40 different restaurants and only two meals stand out.In fact, they were such great experiences that I've recommended both restaurants to other travelers.

Bar Uriarte, a restaurant in the Palermo District of Buenos Aires, surprised us. It's a very trendy looking place that's popular with Argentina's fashionable set. We thought it would be much more flash than substance but we were pleasantly surprised. Seated in a comfortable back patio area with very romantic candlelight, we were finally able to relax from all the city's sensory overload. Our server was incredibly friendly and chatted with us about the unseasonably hot weather as well as her favorite items on the menu. With her guidance, we ordered wine and entrees which impressed us with originality and quality. Clearly, the people in the open kitchen, who passersbys on thes street can watch, love what they do since the food is amazing.

We had two other memorable meals in Argentina at El Cucharon in El Calafate which is a city near the Andes in the Patagonia region. El Cucharon, located on 9 de julio Street, has only been open for a couple of months so it still doesn't have a website. But, don't let that stop you from visiting. We discovered the restaurant when we were returning to our hotel and paused to look at the menu. The owner came out from behind the bar he was stocking and invited us in to take a look around. He told us about his longtime dream to have his own restaurant and how he loved the the business. How could we not go back after getting this personal invitation? He greeted us like old friends when we came back that evening. The pasta and steaks were so delicious that we returned for a second meal making it the only restaurant we ate at more than once on our trip.

Two restaurants in Argentina reminded me about some basics of buzz marketing. Providing exceptional personal service and delivering a quality product are two of the best ways to ensure longterm buzz and success.

Olive Garden Restaurant & Playboy Model Kendra Wilkinson: A Match Made in Buzz Marketing Heaven

There's an interesting Page One article in The Wall Street Journal about how large companies are dealing with unwanted celebrity endorsers. Specifically, the story outlines how Kendra Wilkinson, a Playboy centerfold and reality television star on Hugh Hefner's "Girl Next Door," frequently extols the virtures of Olive Garden without any form of compensation. For instance, she recently returned from Italy and declared that the food there is no match for Olive Garden.

Olive Garden is struggling with how to deal with this unsolicited endorsement. In the aforementioned Wall Street Journal Article Michel Kay, executive vice president of WPP Group's Grey advertising firm, which handles the Olive Garden account, said, "I don't feel comfortable talking about this...because it is a complicated issue for the brand." Clearly, the company is trying to walk a fine line with its response, believing that it must maintain the chain's wholesome image without alienating potential customers.

Olive Garden is missing a golden opportunity when it comes to Wilkinson's spontaneous endorsement. Will families actually stop going to Olive Garden because a Playboy centerfold loves the restaurant? I can't imagine this happening - especially since Olive Garden isn't paying a penny for the endorsement. But, surely a lot of  young women who aspire to be models or guys who admire centerfolds might look at Olive Garden in a completely different and favorable way knowing that Wilkinson loves the restaurant.

Growing up, many of us learned that the best way to deal with  compliment is simply to say thank you. If Olive Garden simply took this approach Wilkinson's praise would likely continue generating positive buzz for the restaurant. However, by failing to to express gratitude for her praise, Olive Garden is giving Wilkinson good reason to stop being the company's most visible booster and throwing away an opportunity to continue making introads into a demographic group that hasn't exactly flocked to the chain.