YouTube Is Not Just for Funny Videos – It Can Grow Your Business

Of course, you’re well aware that people post all kinds of videos on YouTube – from funny animal videos to other crazy stuff. But, have you thought about how creating a YouTube channel (the term for a YouTube page) can help your business? According to industry experts, people send more videos than emails, so you should consider adding YouTube videos to your marketing mix.

Let’s take Coca-Cola, one of the world’s best-known brands. On its YouTube channel, Coca-Cola provides basic company history, a list of its many brands, and links to other social media sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Bebo). But most importantly, Coke’s YouTube page represents another online location for its consumers to come together and share content and feedback. When Coke sponsors a major event, such as the Olympics or the World Cup, its TV commercials appear on its YouTube channel. Consumers comment, and the audience grows. And, those same consumers share the videos on Facebook, Twitter, via email, etc., and in the process, continue the conversation about the brand. What beverage will these consumers remember when at the supermarket or ball park?

Now, let’s take Apple, another well-known brand. On its YouTube channel, it provides company and product updates. Due to the recent “antennae-gate” issue with the newly-launched iPhone 4, this past week’s press conference appears as the featured video. While there are many other video ads on the page, oddly, Apple disabled the ability to add comments to its videos.

According to YouTube’s “most viewed channels” this month, other companies who place a high value on their YouTube channels include Geico, Verizon Wireless, BMW, Blackberry, Universal Pictures, Adidas, Chevrolet, Ford Fiesta, Nike, Xbox, and Disney.

So, as you evaluate the “must-have” components of your marketing plan for the rest of 2010 and beyond, consider the basic tenets of social media and how you can best showcase your product or service to create more conversations with your customers. A YouTube channel may be a cost-effective option.

My YouTube channel is a marketing resource. Check it out here.

What’s up with the Y?

Ever since Brian Williams of NBC-TV announced on his July 12 broadcast that the YMCA has changed its logo to just a “Y,” I have been stewing about the marketing ramifications. As a marketing professional who specializes in brand strategies and corporate identity, I keep asking myself about the reasons for such a dramatic change.

When a company changes its logo, and as a direct result, its brand identity, it is usually due to a new mission, new tagline, or a different corporate direction. Consider Kentucky Fried Chicken back in 1991, when, due to health concerns, it changed its name to KFC to move away from its emphasis on fried food. The company listened to the times, made a change that made sense, didn’t alter its core positioning, and as a result, KFC has continued to grow nationally and internationally.

But, back to the YMCA…who hasn’t or doesn’t refer to the YMCA as the Y? The abbreviated nickname has always been present, and if the management team at the YMCA wished to make a change, then perhaps, the logo should have been redesigned to emphasis a more universal membership. In Brian Williams’ announcement, he said “The YMCA is streamlining and dropping the last three letters of its name.” But, the underlying message or translation is that the YMCA would like to be more welcoming. That is certainly admirable, but a new logo should demonstrate that desire. There are countless designs that could have done a much better job. You can watch Brian’s broadcast here: http://bit.ly/9fYI7k.

Heck, even the Village People from the 1970’s joined the discussion: “We are deeply dismayed by [the] announcement from the YMCA that they feel a name change and a rebranding are in order after 166 years. Some things remain iconic and while we admire the organization for the work they do, we still can't help but wonder Y,” stated the Village People's publicist in an official statement following the announcement.

Remember, while Google alters its logo, which it does often and convincingly, to celebrate a holiday or famous person or invention, the logo retains the core essence of the Google brand. Some clever interpretations of the Google logo can be found online at http://bit.ly/aLh70A. So, my question to the Y is: how did your new logo retain the core essence of your brand while simultaneously adding more dimension to your brand? While you consider your answer, I think I’m going to continue to stew.

The YMCA logo is a registered trademark of the YMCA. Use of the logo here does not imply endorsement of the organization by this site.

What’s Your “Nike Swoosh” (aka, Competitive Advantage)?

You very easily recognize Nike’s swoosh with its message and tagline, “Just do it.” That statement embodies the company’s mission and lifestyle – to name just a few sports: golf, basketball, jogging – above all, an active lifestyle. During Nike’s existence, it has embraced its competition and surpassed each and every one of them in terms of brand recognition and revenues. Who even remembers Nike’s competitors: Fila, Keds, LA Gear, Puma, and Vans? What about your business: do you have a competitive advantage, and is it articulated to all employees?

Answers to these questions will assist you as you build your business from concept stage into a mature company. A competitive advantage that is clearly articulated by top management allows all employees to understand the product or service. They will be able to answer questions, they will be able to improve customer interactions, and they will become an extension of your brand.

Consider Disney theme park employees, or in Disney-speak, cast members. Based on their actions, demeanors, or uniforms (or in Disney-speak, costumes), they understand their mission: to provide a quality guest experience. The cast member employees embody the Disney brand, and that is their most important competitive advantage.

So, what is your competitive advantage? If you cannot express it easily, perhaps, you should go back to the drawing board.

The Nike logo is a registered trademark of Nike. Use of the logo here does not imply endorsement of the organization by this site.

Post-Transaction Marketing: Does Your Company Do It?

You may not recognize it by its name, but you definitely experience it. Once you purchase something from either an online or bricks and mortar store (for example, Amazon or Sears or Staples), and you have provided an email address, you will receive emails with “recommended” items to purchase that may correspond to your initial purchase. For example, if you purchased a book by John Grisham on Amazon, you would receive emails listing other books by John Grisham or other legal thrillers.

This is post-transaction marketing – and it leads to increased revenues if the customer does, indeed, purchase the recommended products. According to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, the most successful companies in post-transaction marketing during the last ten years are:
• 1-800-Flowers.com
• Expedia/Hotels.com
• Fandango
• FTD
• Hotwire
• MovieTickets.com
• Orbitz
• Priceline
• Shutterfly
• Travelocity
• US Airways

The repeat items comprising the list are flowers, movie tickets, and travel. Therefore, people are repeat buyers of these items. The emails that they receive from these websites and/or companies recommend products or services that are appealing, have a reasonable cost, have acceptable delivery time frames, and most importantly, have demonstrated a familiarity and level of service that the customers appreciate.

So, what about your company? Is post-transaction marketing part of your annual marketing strategy? Can it lead to increased revenues with limited upfront time and automated emails over the long term? Many businesses discuss ways to reach their customers, but post-transaction marketing offers an inexpensive option – especially since everyone welcomes recommendations. So, try it.

How can the ATM impact your business?

You may or may not have heard that an important inventor died recently. While this passing did not make news around the world, this inventor’s innovation made a world-wide impact and transformed the entire banking industry. The inventor was John Shepherd-Barron from Scotland, and his invention was the automated teller machine (ATM). During the 1960’s, Shepherd-Barron created the ATM because he was frustrated that he could not cash a check when his bank was closed. Today, there are more than 1.7 million ATM’s worldwide, according to the ATM Industry Association.

Think back to the pre-ATM world. In order to get cash, people had to walk into banks and wait in line – not out of choice, but out of necessity. There were no machines at supermarkets, airports, sporting events, or movie theater lobbies. In order to cash checks, make deposits, and change currency denominations, face-to-face interactions were necessary inside a bank.

But, today, thanks to Shepherd-Barron, the ATM has transformed the entire banking experience. Simple tasks, such as, deposits, withdrawals, and even postage stamp purchases, can all be completed in a matter of seconds at external bank ATM’s, stand-alone ATM’s scattered at a myriad of locations from gas stations to shopping malls to airports, etc., or while seated in your car at drive-thru ATM’s.

There is no doubt that many in the banking industry were not as exuberant about the invention of the ATM as customers were. But today, there are still customers in banks, and there are still “live” tellers. While some may have predicted the death of banking, the ATM has become an important aspect of the overall banking experience.

Now, consider your company and your industry. How can you create a product or service with the potential to transform your industry? Despite naysayers, there are always improvements that have yet to be developed, and customers are always eager to embrace improvements. So, at your next brainstorming session, think about the ATM, and maybe, your company will introduce this century’s greatest invention.

Top 10 Resources for Teamwork and Organizational Behavior

Teamwork – everyone talks about, but how many people genuinely embrace it? How many times has a supervisor said “there is no I in teamwork” but you would have preferred to work on a project on your own? You don’t have to answer. The simple truth is that the creation of effective teams is one of the hardest jobs a leader has. And, more often than not, leaders are unsuccessful in this area, which is the reason that many management/C-level executives change companies so often. Here are some resources to assist with team-building at all levels within a business (small, mid-sized, or large) in any segment (B2B, B2C, or non-profit), which will also improve organizational behavior and corporate culture.

X-Teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed
By Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman
c. 2007

Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers and Facilitators
By Patrick Lencioni
c. 2005

The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player: Becoming the Kind of Person Every Team Wants
By John C. Maxwell
c. 2002

Teamwork 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know
By John C. Maxwell
c. 2008

How NASA Builds Teams: Mission Critical Soft Skills for Scientists, Engineers and Project Teams
By Charles J. Pellerin
c. 2009

Extraordinary Groups: How Ordinary Teams Achieve Amazing Results
By Geoffrey M. Bellman and Kathleen D. Ryan
c. 2009

Results Without Authority: Controlling a Project When the Team Doesn’t Report to You – A Project Manager’s Guide
By Tom Kendrick, PMP
c. 2006

Radical Collaboration: Five Essential Skills to Overcome Defensiveness and Build Successful Relationships
By James W. Tamm and Ronald J. Luyet
c. 2005

Organizational Behavior
By John R. Schermerhorn, Jr., Dr. James G. Hunt, and Dr. Richard N. Osborn
c. 2008

Organizational Behavior: A Strategic Approach
By Michael A. Hitt, C. Chet Miller, and Adrienne Colella
c. 2005

Lastly, in the words of H.E. Luccock: “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.”

Customer Service Geniuses – How Do They Do It, and Can You?

When someone talks about customer service, do you roll your eyes? Or, do you happily recall an experience with a company that transcended all of your expectations? Did you have a delicious meal where waiters constantly refilled your beverage glasses without interrupting your conversation? Did you ever lease or buy a car as a result of a helpful salesman? Or, by contrast, did you ever stay at home for ten hours waiting for a TV repair person who never showed up? The truth is, many companies state in their collateral and on their websites that they provide “quality customer service,” but sadly, many fall short because they don’t understand how valuable this competitive advantage is and how it creates loyal customers for the long-term.

Here are some great books to help your company develop excellent customer service – so that you can add quality customer service to your list of competitive advantages.

The Cult of the Customer: Create an Amazing Customer Experience That Turns Satisfied Customers into Customer Evangelists
By Shep Hyken
c. 2009

The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience, Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
By Joseph A. Michelli
c. 2008

Lexus: the Relentless Pursuit
By Chester Dawson
c. 2004

How Dell Does It – Using Speed and Innovation to Achieve Extraordinary Results
By Steven Holzner
c. 2005

The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture and Coolness
By Steven Levy
c. 2007

Blue Streak: Inside jetBlue, the Upstart that Rocked an Industry
By Barbara S. Peterson
c. 2006

The Southwest Airlines Way – Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance
By Jody Hoffer Gittell
c. 2005

The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary
By Joseph A. Michelli
c. 2006

The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence: A Handbook for Implementing Great Service in Your Organization
By Robert Spector
c. 2005

The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney
By J. Jeff Kober
c. 2009

Ben & Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop: How Two Real Guys Built a Business with a Social Conscience and a Sense of Humor
By Fred Lager
c. 1995

And, for some amusing final thoughts:

What to Say to a Porcupine – 20 Humorous Tales That Get to the Heart of Great Customer Service
By Richard S. Gallagher
c. 2008