Time Magazine's 2011 Person of the Year: Good Choice or Bad Choice?

In the words of Time Magazine, the "Person of the Year" is bestowed by the editors on the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year."

Some years, U.S. Presidents have been chosen. Other years, celebrities were chosen. Other years, political activists were chosen. Some of the more unusual honorees include: The American Soldier, U.S. Scientists, Women of the U.S., The Endangered Earth, The Computer, Young People, and The Middle Class. Bill and Melinda Gates have been featured as well as leaders of corporate America.

Due to the number and intensity of protests seen around the world from the Middle East to Europe to the United States this past year, Time's editors chose to recognize 2011's Person or Persons of the Year as "The Protester." Was that the best choice they could have made? I don't think so. Time Magazine should have chosen Steve Jobs, who passed away during 2011.

The impact that Steve Jobs made on all of our lives is immeasurable - and it will continue to be felt for many years. He changed technology and how we interact. From the iPod to the iPhone to the iPad, we listen to music differently, use smartphones differently, and use tablets differently than we could ever have imagined. Jobs envisioned products before the public knew why we might have wanted them - and then he created them. Apple, Jobs' legacy, is driving the industry, setting trends, and helping people connect. Isn't that what affecting the news and our lives is all about?

As Steve Jobs said, "Technology is nothing. What's important is that you have a faith in people, that they're basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do wonderful things with them." Thanks for the tools, Steve.

Are there advantages in being #2 rather than being an industry leader?

 

Many corporate leaders aspire for their companies to become industry leaders. But there can only be one leader for each industry – or in marketing terms, there can only be one product, brand, or business that controls a category. Sure, there are exceptions, but more often than not, there is a big company setting the standard – and others follow.

There are countless reasons why companies would want to be known as industry leaders. Reasons range from setting industry prices to determining product specifications to clarifying standards for customer service. But in many industries, a large and powerful force has emerged as the #2 player who often keeps the industry leader on its toes in terms of new product development, pricing, and customer service – all in an attempt to chip away at the industry leader’s percentage of market share.

Here are some famous industry leaders followed by the #2 players in their industries:

• Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi (soft drinks)
• Hertz vs. Avis (rental car agencies)
• iOS vs. Android (operating systems)
• Google vs. Bing (search engines)
• Ford vs. Chevy (trucks)
• McDonald’s vs. Burger King (fast food hamburgers)
• Duracell vs. Energizer (batteries)
• Home Depot vs. Lowe’s (home improvement warehouses)
• Ritz-Carlton vs. Fairmont (five-star hotels)
• Mozilla Firefox vs. Microsoft Internet Explorer (web browsers)

However, something interesting has happened with many #2 companies. Many #2 companies have used their #2 status as a selling point and competitive advantage. The fact that they are #2 or the little guy (think, David vs. Goliath) resonates with consumers, customers, and prospective customers. Consider Avis and its tagline: “We're #2 – We Try Harder.” Avis may not be the biggest car rental agency, but its ads and theme stick out. Consider the Energizer Bunny – who doesn’t think of the pink bunny when a wireless mouse or keyboard needs new batteries? And while the golden arches of McDonald’s appear on almost every corner around the world, Burger King’s constant advertising and emphasis on bigger and cheaper hamburgers have developed a large following.

So the next time your leadership team asks, “Why can’t we be number one?” Explain that there are advantages to being #2. One advantage to being #2 is the ability to create unique product specifications and/or packaging since no one expects you to be different. Consider the recent uproar when Coke launched its main product in white cans versus classic red cans – there was such an outrage that the white cans were removed from store shelves within a month of their launch. Other advantages include the ability to tweak pricing, the ability to align or partner with totally unconventional companies or brands, and the ability to change packaging or advertising just to see how consumers react.

Without the responsibility of being the industry leader, you have more leeway to appeal to new customers. Depending on how creative your marketing initiatives are and how well they are implemented, you may develop a more brand loyal following than the leader in your industry.

Check out these great quotes about COMPETITION:

In the words of Sir Richard Branson, “We know that people in Australia love the idea of both Impulse and Virgin Blue getting up and adding a bit of competition, and it’s fun to be able to deliver it.”

In the words of Linus Torvalds, “I don’t try to be a threat to Microsoft, mainly because I don’t really see MS as competition. Especially not Windows – the goals of Linux and Windows are simply so different.”

In the words of Henry Ford, “Competition, whose motive is merely to compete, to drive some other fellow out, never carries very far...But when a business ceases to be creative, when it believes it has reached perfection and needs to do nothing but produce – no improvement, no development – it is done.”

In the words of Jacob Kindleberger, “Don't knock your competitors. By boosting others, you will boost yourself.”

In the words of H. Gordon Selfridge, “Get the confidence of the public and you will have no difficulty in getting their patronage. Treat them as guests when they come and when they go, whether or not they buy.”

Has your logo gone square?

There has been an unintended consequence of social media that has flown under the radar. With all the social media and networking sites popping up, companies and individuals have the option to add logos or photos to their profiles, also known as avatars. However, the only option for the large majority of sites is a small square.

But there is a problem. Most logos don't easily fit into a square. Can you imagine the Coca-Cola swirl inside of a square? And what about the entire word Google spelled out? These wouldn't fit into a square very easily without negatively impacting the core brand identity.

To solve this problem, some companies have created a square logo from the first initial of their name. Others have gone so far as to create a new logo that they launched as part of their overall social media initiatives. Others have tweaked their logos so that they fit into a square shape, but they may not be very easy to read. At the end of the day, you may ask, is all of this additional work worth the effort? The answer is a resounding YES.

With so much attention paid to social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, Flickr, and countless peripheral and industry-specific sites), whatever appears in those little square logo boxes reinforces a company's or individual's brand. No one wants to see an egg profile in Twitter or a blank blue head shot profile in Facebook - these mean that someone just doesn't understand the world of social media.

So what did you consider when making your logo go square?

How to Create a Customized Twitter Experience

So many folks talk about Facebook and Google+ that it's easy to lose sight of the other key social media site. I'm not talking about YouTube, LinkedIn, or Flickr. I'm talking about Twitter.

You may wonder why this distant social media cousin only gets media attention when a company's spokesperson posts something inappropriate (think back to the Aflac duck, Chrysler, and most recently, Ashton Kutcher). But for the millions of us who tweet on a daily basis, Twitter is a marketing vehicle that adds value.

If you want to improve your Twitter effectiveness, meet Twylah and some exciting things it can do:

• Your Tweets are presented in a more user-friendly manner – and you can pin your preferred top categories.
• Your Tweets have a longer lifespan than when just posted to the Twitter stream because they live on through SEO.
• You own your traffic and content and can monetize that traffic – while this is still in the beta phase, see Bon Jovi’s page for a sneak peak.

Here are some Twylah pages for you to check out:

• Bon Jovi: http://tweets.bonjovi.com
• UC-Berkeley: http://www.twylah.com/cal 
• Whole Foods Market: http://www.twylah.com/wholerecipes
• Baskin-Robbins: http://www.twylah.com/BaskinRobbins
• And here’s mine: http://www.twylah.com/DebbieLaskeyMBA

If you would like to sign up for Twylah, visit the site at http://www.twylah.com and click on “request invite.” You will hear back from Twylah shortly. When you do, please respond to the welcome email with questions or comments.

If attitude isn’t the key to quality customer service, what is?

Many companies train their employees to treat customers as important individuals or groups to be valued and respected. However, some companies don’t train their employees at all, and as a result, lose more customers than they gain. So what’s the secret? According to customer service expert Richard S. Gallagher, “Think far beyond attitude and treat customer service for what it is: a profession. One that has its own unique set of skills…It is a profession that puts us on the cutting edge of behavioral psychology in how to interact with other people.”

In his book, “Great Customer Connections: Simple Psychological Techniques That Guarantee Exceptional Service,” Gallagher shares his insights for creating successful customer experiences and completed transactions:

[1] Focus on the customer’s expectations (for example: “I certainly understand. Normally we can straighten this out right here on the phone.”)

[2] Give the customer options worded in his or her benefit (for example: “If you can send the request from our website, we can process it as soon as our computers are up. Would you like to do that, or would it be easier to call us back later?”)

[3] Anticipate the customer’s reaction (for example: “I wish there was a way that we could do this because I hate to see you have to call back again.”)

[4] Speak from the customer’s voice (for example: “It’s really frustrating when we can’t help people in a situation like this.”)

[5] The customer needs to feel as if the clerk is taking an interest in him and his needs

[6] A level of trust needs to be established between the clerk and the customer

[7] Ask for the customer’s name and welcome him warmly – and use the name often

[8] Lead with a benefit to the customer (for example, begin the interaction with “How can we help you today?”)

[9] Use a light touch (for example, if the person is a first-time customer, add a dose of humor and say, “I have just a few nosey questions to ask and then we’ll be glad to put you in touch with the right person.”)

[10] Keep focusing on benefits – before asking questions, explain, “We just need to gather some information from you to update our records, so that we can track your issue and make sure you are getting the assistance you need.”

Prior to becoming an author and speaker, Rich had a long tenure as a customer support executive. As director of customer support for a West Coast software startup, he helped lead its growth to become a major NASDAQ firm and later led another 24/7 call center operation to near-perfect customer satisfaction and near-zero turnover. He started his own training and development firm in the mid-1990s and has been featured in media outlets worldwide. Rich has personally trained over 15,000 people in a variety of industries – but with a common denominator, attention to customer service.

Does your company address customer service in a unique way? Chime in with your comments.

Visit Rich’s site: http://pointofcontactgroup.com

Connect on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gallagherPOC

Read Rich’s Blog: http://point-of-contact.blogspot.com

Publications: http://www.pointofcontactgroup.com/index_files/pubs.htm

Watch Rich on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RichGallagherPOC

How do you MOTIVATE your employees?

Consider this statement made by Lee Iacocca, the American businessman who is best known for reviving Ford and re-inventing Chrysler, “When I must criticize somebody, I do it orally; when I praise somebody, I put it in writing.”

Now ask yourself, when was the last time you recognized an employee for doing great work – not at a scheduled review – and put your comments in writing? You probably can’t remember the last time. Instead, supervisors spend a great deal of time criticizing employees for missing deadlines, making mistakes, or not performing according to undefined standards. But the problem is, most supervisors don’t take the time to train their employees to meet their expectations.

The secret to solving this conflict is training. Sharlyn J. Lauby wrote a primer for Motivating Employees, published by Infoline/ASTD Press. Sharlyn is president of ITM Group, Inc., and has held senior-level HR positions in the hospitality, transportation, entertainment, and business services industries. She has designed and implemented successful employee retention programs and was named one of the “2004 Heavy Hitters in Human Resources” by the South Florida Business Journal.

According to Sharlyn, “If you aren’t getting the motivational mileage that you should as a manager, you may be making one of the five management mistakes.” These mistakes are:

1. Misplacing ownership: motivation doesn’t belong to the HR Department – employees find that informal recognition from their managers for a job well done means more to them than a formal company program.
2. Misaligning incentives: don’t give all employees the same incentives – since each employee is unique, determine the unique motivators for each employee.
3. Saving recognition: Since it’s inappropriate to save recognition for special occasions, recognize employee success when it happens.
4. Playing favorites: Managers lose credibility when they play favorites or give recognition when it isn’t warranted.
5. Misspeaking praise: The words “good job” are insufficient – always be specific so that employees know exactly what they did to earn recognition and praise.

There are numerous ways to show employees that they are appreciated and valued. Here are a few ideas to motivate your employees:

1. Provide time off for attendance at professional industry conferences or seminars.
2. Provide one-on-one time with company leader.
3. Provide time off for family events during the holiday season.
4. Give a subscription to an industry publication.
5. Provide a starring role – or leading role – in an important project.

For more inspiring ideas to motivate your employees:

• Visit Sharlyn’s website: http://www.itmgroupinc.com
• Connect on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sharlyn_lauby and http://twitter.com/#!/HRBartender 
• Follow on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/hrbartender
• Become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ITMGroup

Color's Role in Brand Marketing

When creating a marketing plan for a product or service, there are key priorities to consider ranging from competitive strengths, positioning statement, tagline, logo, and comparison with the competition. So, even though research has shown that color increases memory, how high is color on the list?

While color allows for a product’s or service’s brand to stand out from the competition, how do you decide what color is the best choice? Sure, you may prefer blue or red, but if the product is orange juice, clearly orange, yellow, or green might be a better choice. You need to decide which color best expresses the attributes of the brand as well as which color best reflects your brand’s message.

BLUE
The color of blue relays integrity, responsibility, intelligence, reliability, truth, and honesty. Light hues of blue convey peace, softness, and healing. Dark hues of blue convey stability, security, and expertise. Blue often communicates feelings of respect, honesty, and confidence. Some well-known logos featuring blue include: IBM, Ford, Citibank, VISA, Tiffany, Skype, General Motors, jetBlue, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Walmart, Nokia, Facebook, Twitter, and BlueCross/BlueShield.

GREEN
The color of green brings to mind environment, growth, re-birth, spring, and luck. Green often communicates feelings of relaxation, renewal, revival, freshness, and optimism. Some well-known logos featuring green include: Garnier Fructis hair care products, American Express, Starbucks, Green Giant vegetables, Whole Foods Market, Subway, Aer Lingus, L.L. Bean, Tropicana Orange Juice, and National Car Rental.

RED
The color of red brings to mind love, action, courage, determination and can also represent danger. Red often communicates feelings of boldness, passion, energy – and grabs attention. Some well-known logos featuring red include: Coca-Cola, Red Cross, Bank of America, Target, Verizon, Toyota, YouTube, McAfee, Marriott Hotels, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Lego, and Levi’s.

PURPLE

The color of purple brings to mind royalty, luxury, magic, mysticism, and inspiration. Purple often communicates feelings of luxury, spirituality, and authority. Some well-known logos featuring purple include: Yahoo!, FedEx, FedEx Ground, Los Angeles Lakers, WeddingChannel.com, Cadbury Chocolates, and Hawaiian Airlines.

PINK
The color of pink brings to mind youthful exuberance, fun, excitement. Pink often communicates feelings of vibrancy and friendship. Some well-known logos featuring pink include: Victoria’s Secret, Flirt dresses by Maggie Sottero, Pepto-Bismol, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and Mary Kay Cosmetics.

ORANGE
The color of orange brings to mind heat, competition, and productivity. Orange often communicates feelings of strength, determination, vitality, and energy. Some well-known logos featuring orange include: Simply Orange Juice Company, Nickelodeon, Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, Mozilla Firefox Internet browser, Amazon.com, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Tide laundry detergent, and The Home Depot.

YELLOW
The color of yellow brings to mind energy, sunshine, warmth, light, happiness, creativity, vision, and warning. Yellow often communicates feelings of creativity, optimism, warmth, vision, and happiness. Some well-known logos featuring yellow include: Hertz, Goodyear tires, Pennzoil, National Geographic, Ikea, Best Buy, Ferrari, Shell Oil, Yellow Pages, McDonald’s, Subway, Denny’s Restaurants, and In-N-Out Burger – as well as thousands of taxi cabs on streets throughout New York City. Since the eye sees yellow before any other color, there is no question why those cabs are yellow.

BROWN
The color of brown brings to mind rustic, earthy, and warm. Brown often communicates feelings of romanticism and durability. Some well-known logos featuring brown include: UPS, Gloria Jean’s Coffees, and Louis Vuitton handbags/attire/jewelry.

BLACK
Black brings to mind expensive products and has been known as “the absence of color” or “all colors.” It communicates feelings of power, drama, and sophistication.

WHITE
White brings to mind simplicity, cleanliness, and purity – and often catches the eye when it is used to highlight words or image outlines. It is used in hospitals and for health-related items and also for bridal gowns.

Research conducted by Xerox Corporation and International Communications Research from February to March 2003, found:

• 92% = Believe color presents an image of impressive quality.
• 90% = Believe color can assist in attracting new customers.
• 90% = Believe customers remember ads better when color is used.
• 81% = Believe color gives them a competitive edge.

So when selecting your brand’s color or colors, ask these key questions:

1. What color truly represents your brand’s personality?
2. What color suits the characteristics of your product or service?
3. What colors do your competitors use?