The Alamo Drafthouse has one simple rule: "If you talk or text during a movie, we kick you out ." People who disagree with this thoughtful, well-placed rule are clearly insolent and disrespectful.
Fear not! Fire bad customers and preserve your brand. Don't compromise to make a couple extra bucks in the short-term when brand experience is on the line.
Your customers will love you and support you for it and you'll gain great opportunities to turn fools' drunkenness into Youtube gold.
As a marketer, I am aware of the value of a customer "in your house ." That "house" may be your physical branch, your website, mobile application or another important touchpoint. When they are in front of you, you gain opportunity . Got it.
However, it's important not to be 100% isolationist in your marketing. Have some fun. I love this example of the Mailchimp chimp:
First, they've given a voice (albeit, a primate voice) to the organization. Awesome. But notice, he's not trying to sell me anything! Whaaaaa? Check it out:
Here's another:
And another:
Not only is he not selling me another valuable Mailchimp service, but he's actually distracting me with a video. And it's a Youtube video! It's not even on their site! (forgive the dramatic exclamations)
Don't they know I could be captured and enraptured by the the millions of time-wasting kitty and baby videos on Youtube. God forbid that I discover Schmoyoho and never return!
I love it. That is building a brand that people can enjoy. Any departure from hard sales is a good one, I think. Just make a good product, find your market and have fun with it.
Forget all the "don't be evil" speak and even all of the big brother contradictions to that mantra. Forget the war with Apple, Microsoft and the others. Forget even the foreboding likelihood that we will one day be paying taxes to Google.
There is something FAR more important. Google has added a fancy notification that tells you when you forget an email attachment!
Google, all is forgiven.
It's easy to be overwhelmed with the fact that you are just one of almost 7,000,000,000 people on the planet. Don't be discouraged. Even in the seemingly unrelated series of events that transpire every day amongst so many, there is purpose and opportunity.
I was reminded of this yesterday when I spoke to a colleague in South Carolina. Michelle is the Marketing Manager for Health Facilities FCU, a credit union in Florence, South Carolina. We were catching up from seeing each other at the South Carolina Credit Union League conference in April when Michelle said, "Hey, were you at downtown Disney last week with your family ?" Now, I've only met Michelle once at the conference.
"Uh, yes ."
"I saw you with your family but by the time I got to where you were, you were gone. "
It turns out that Michelle recognized the ThinkCreative shirt I had on that day. Typically, these shirts are gobbled up at credit union conventions by the notorious adult trick-or-treaters (credit union board members) that attend. In this case, the shirt actually made it into the hands of a colleague.
Somehow, Michelle was able to single out a recognizable item (a tiny logo on a shirt) in the midst of the smorgasbord of enticing shops and restaurants and those pesky gigantic animal monsters that are so desperate for adolescent attention.
Think about that for a second. Michelle was surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of people she didn't know. She was in the pleasure capital of the world, Orlando, FL (what now Vegas?). She was surrounded by children overwrought with titillation demanding to get bedazzled like a princess or rub the hunchback's hump for good luck. Even in the midst of activities altogether separate from the context our relationship, Michelle focused in on a simple red and white mark she had seen just a handful of times and said, "ThinkCreative ."
Although, that it is a fun coincidence, it's also the fruit of consistent branding. Every chance for an interaction with a client, potential client, colleague or vendor should present a consistent and clear face. Every touchpoint should be well-placed, thoroughly thought through and recognizable. Opportunities to have your voice heard are few and if you miss it, it's gone. If you think you've done this already, dig deeper. You haven't . Don't sit back and settle. Keep pushing and you will see how much opportunity is truly out there.
There is always something that can be improved that only a second or third or forty fifth look will reveal.
For your enjoyment and annoyance...
