Tom Feltenstein

Twitter, Facebook, Instant Messaging, Podcasts, and a host of other social media has infiltrated society.  People perceive that the Internet has taken over marketing and advertising, when in fact this is not the full picture. More traditional means of media such as magazines are holding their own against the wireless warrior. During Google’s 12 year reign, for instance, magazine readership has actually risen 11 percent due to online versions. Social media proves once again that there is enough room for all forms of advertising and marketing mediums.  Just as movies didn’t eliminate radio and TV didn’t oust movies, social media isn’t going to kill other forms of advertising and marketing.

You cannot assume that customers are going to behave a certain manner nor can you assume you know exactly what they want, because invariably you will be wrong. Before you jump on the social media bandwagon and eliminate other marketing efforts, take a moment and think about your customers. What is their average age? What are their interests? And which social media platform – out of the hundreds – might be best for your audience? If your target audience is over 45, they might not care as much about some social media platforms as a younger group of customers would. Research shows that people between the ages of 35-44 are more likely to use Linkedin, Digg, or Twitter than they are to use Facebook.

Lastly, I’d like to give a word of caution about starting new marketing mediums. Don’t assume because something is all the rage on TV or on the news that it directly applies in the exact same way to your market or business. This perception can cost you big bucks. To determine the best method of reaching your customers you need to research your advertising and marketing strategies and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Ask your customers for feedback and responses. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.  What tactics do you use to reach your customers? Are you using social media for your business and if so, how?

Every time a customer has a bad experience with your business, they’re going to tell at least 10 people. Now add Facebook and Twitter to the mix, and those 10 people just turned into hundreds or thousands.

Social media is word of mouth on steroids — and it can kill your business. This new medium of exposure is here to stay, so why not use it to your best advantage and give your customers something good to talk about. Great customer service is one of the single most important aspects of a successful business.

Below are my Three Quick Tips to improve your customer service:

1.) Have a good attitude. If you don’t like what you do then it is going to show not only to your customers, but to your employees as well. So if you hate the hamburger business, sell your restaurant and do something else.

2.) Build relationships, not just sales. Making a connection with your customers is crucial to your success. People do business with people they like, so call your customers by name, take the time to learn about what they like, and show them that you value them as a person.   When I owned a chain of restaurants, I used to tell my employees: “You only need to remember two things about a customer: their name and one other thing about them.”

3.) Take action. Sweep your floors, keep your restrooms clean, and handle customer complaints. Being proactive gives you credibility and earns the trust of your customers. People are willing to pay for security, integrity, and proper treatment, but they shouldn’t have to. These should all be automatic. Make sure you give your customer the best experience possible. Don’t just meet their expectations, exceed them!

How do you provide extraordinary customer service?

Last week I spoke at Restaurant Leadership Conference where restaurant owners and experts gather to share ideas, network, and learn from the best in the industry. The tone and message of  Restaurant Leadership 2010 was clear: Your business must adapt or become insignificant. I presented this message alongside an extraordinary lineup of speakers who all agreed that this past year brought tremendous market challenges to every facet of our business.

Here are four key lessons learned from the conference:

• Remain true to your organization’s fundamental profit drivers in a chaotic market
• As individuals and as leaders, it is our perspective that allows us to see options for success amid the challenges
• There is no doubt that social media is changing the landscape of restaurant leadership, but social media tactics are only as good as the underlying value the business provides
• With technology being able to share one person’s message to millions in a matter of minutes, providing great service to your customers as well as your employees (your internal customers) is more important than ever

The basics of a successful business haven’t changed. Offer something of value, do it well and give great service. That hasn’t changed for decades. But the environment we do that business in changes on a daily basis. In order to be a market leader you must see innovation where others only see challenges and grasp opportunities when others play it safe.

Are you stuck and in need of a breakthrough? We want to know! What tools and techniques will you be most likely to implement this year and why?

Today, social media is heralded as the end all be all to help grow your business. It seems that endless opportunities abound for anyone who has mastered this revolutionary practice. Once your Facebook and Twitter accounts are active and videos posted on YouTube, with the wave of a wand and an utter of the magic word – Abracadabra – you’ll have more customers than ever before and you can sit back and watch your bank account grow. As if! Social media can’t and won’t magically build your business. What most people don’t realize is that building your friend or fan list on this type of media is not the same as developing an effective marketing strategy.

The number of views or followers doesn’t determine your actual success. Fans, apps, tweets, or videos don’t constitute a solid marketing strategy. How much money are you making with social media? Can you make a direct correlation to internet sales and the number of fans you have? Have your YouTube videos demonstrating how great your products and/or services are increased the number of new customers?

While I’m not discounting the value of social media, which for small businesses or ones with a niche product or service is a great way to get your name in front of a large customer base for a relatively low cost, the problem is that the majority of companies focus too much on the latest social media trends rather than on their customers. When it is all said and done your customers don’t care about how many fans or video testimonials you have. They want to feel valued and be treated with respect. While I believe social media is valid and has its place, I know from experience that social media will never replace the personal touch.

Newspaper articles and blog posts hail Pepsi’s decision to opt out of advertising during the recent Super Bowl as the giant cola manufacturer’s Big Gamble.  I say, “horse feathers!”  Choosing not to waste money on multi-million dollar ads that do not move the sales needle is not a gamble, it’s a sound decision.  Super Bowl ads never have, and never will, generate a strong return on investment.  Although they’re sexy, often controversial, and create a big buzz, these mega-productions are a giant waste of money.

Instead, Pepsi said it has chosen to devote more marketing resources to social media, which is essentially a neighborhood marketing strategy for the digital age.  After all, social media platforms such as web sites, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter gather together communities of individuals who share common interests, engage in intimate conversations, and exchange ideas.   Doesn’t that sound exactly the way people interact in neighborhoods?

Congratulations to Pepsi for finally accepting the neighborhood marketing challenge. Let’s hope more companies follow suit, and choose to spend their marketing dollars wisely.

Twitter’s new Local Trends Debuts to Zero in on Specific Geographic Locations

Twitter – that wildly popular micro-blogging site – has added a new wrinkle that makes it possible for subscribers to read tweets about the hottest topics in their specific location.

“Local Trends will allow you to learn more about the nuances in our world and discover even more relevant topics that might matter to you. We’ll be improving this feature over time to provide more locations, languages, and data through our API,” writes Twitter’s Jenna Dawn, on the company’s blog.

“The big events that come up around the world will always become a global conversation, but what about the big events that only happen in your world that only matter to those around you? Or the slight differences in the way Californians perceive an event, like Obama’s election victory, versus those São Paulo, Brazil?” Dawn said.

Because the Local Trends feature is still in the developmental stage, locations are presently limited to 13 cities worldwide. Over time, we anticipate that this new Twitter feature could be quite useful for companies who wish to keep consumers in their area updated on business trends that can have an impact on their communities – yet another way that strategic neighborhood marketers can maintain an ongoing dialogue with their customers.

For up-to-the-minute tweets on the hottest new info on neighborhood marketing and strategic 4 Walls branding, join me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/toms4walls

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