THE David Anderson

People Matter

We all know that Zappos highly values their people and in turn expects them to obsess over creating awesome experiences for their customers.  Ever wonder what drives that focus?  Here are their 10 Corporate Values:

1. Deliver "WOW!" through service.
2. Embrace and drive change.
3. Create fun and a little weirdness.
4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded.
5. Pursue growth and learning.
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication.
7. Build a positive team and family spirit.
8. Do more with less.
9. Be passionate and determined.
10. Be humble.

Creating an environment of empowerment and unity will go along way to work out the kinks in any company.  Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh (pronounced shay), believes that if, by using proven research, you can find a way to make people happy and more purposeful in their jobs, you will have a formula that can produce great and sustainable companies. “You can argue, which is the means and which is the end,” Hsieh said. “An altruistic view says happiness is the end. But if your goal is to build a long-term profitable business, then happiness is the means to achieve that.”

If you feel that your organization is struggling in this area, adopt the Zappos philosophy and try incorporating these values into your company.

Lead Your Prospects Down the Right Path

When you are fortunate enough to get a prospect on the hook, do you launch right into your “pitch”?  I equate that experience to visiting a website and having to wait for that irrelevant intro ad that you could care less about… such a waste of time.  So what is the best way to engage the prospect?  Start asking questions to find out why they called!

Even if you have been selling the same product for years, you might have a hunch but you don’t know for sure why this particular prospect is interested.  Here is how I like to handle these situations…

1. Find out why they called
   • Ask a question like, “What prompted you to look at this product/service?”
   • Really listen to their answer and pick out a few basic concepts to follow up on with more questions.

2. After they answer, restate in your words and make sure they confirm before moving on.
   • If you don’t restate what you heard it is possible that you misunderstood and it won’t do either of you any favors to head down a path that creates confusion or doesn’t answer their questions.

 Then, if both parties are on the same page, you can outline the necessary next steps to answer their questions and ultimately, close the deal.

You Want Me to Follow You?

Newsflash... I don't follow everyone that follows me on Twitter.  I know, I know, where is my sense of community?  Don't I want to be a contributing member of society?  Believe me, I have no problem with engaging others but come on... some folks out there aren't even trying.  There are plenty of posers and spam bots out there and even some real folks who only broadcast on auto-tweet and I'm not interested in that type of engagement.  When someone follows me, I don't auto-follow back.  I will take the time to check out your profile, tweets, maybe your url and if I see value, I'll follow back.

In case you would like to know what I'm specifically looking for, here are some reasons why I will follow you. 

1. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... you have a picture.  I need to at least be able to visualize who I'm speaking with.  I'm not down for communicating with the mystery "EGG" person.
2. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... you have a profile/bio.  Your recent tweets will give me a sense for who you are but what is your elevator pitch?  That is your chance to sell me.  Be professional, personal, and having a sense of humor also helps.
3. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... not all your tweets are RTs or filled with self-promotional links.  Don't get me wrong, retweeting is a very important piece of social media but if that is all you do, I might as well follow those you are retweeting and cut out the middle man.  Also, I see the value of self-promotion but if that is all you do, you are missing the point.
4. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... you follow most of the people who follow you.  Don't follow back everyone and then after you build up your following, cut everybody off to look like a celebrity.  As Primetime would say, #HOP, don't act like you don't know me!
5. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... you are not an organization.  Ok, I follow some businesses, but for the most part, I want to engage with a person rather than a company.
6. I WILL FOLLOW YOU IF... your auto DM isn't spammy and impersonal.  I don't use auto DMs but I have seen some good ones (e.g., "What took you so long?") but for the most part if there are links and suggestions to "make money", that isn't going to cut it.

2010 - Top Branding Events

Happy New Year to all!  2010 was another great and eventful year.  From a branding point of view there were definitely some historic moments.  Let's take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of the memorable branding events of 2010:

• Old Spice became relevant again with a viral ad campaign.  I still haven't purchased any Old Spice products but I'm sure they have gained new customers.
• A new Gap logo... oh wait, nevermind... bad idea.  Thanks Twitter!
• The ipad launched and I capitulated... but it has been worth it!  New iphone launched but not without controversy... free bumper case anyone?  I think they'll survive.
• SunChips try to go green with the first ever 100% compostable chip bag only to be later buried when consumers banded together to protest the most noisy chip bag ever made.
• Vuvuzela... addicting and annoying but added to the draw of World Cup soccer... even I watched.
• BP Oil Spill - Not many brands fight a global crisis like BP had to this year.  Key take away is be prepared for crisis management and error on the side of the consumer. 
• Tiger Woods - it seems that from a branding point of view he is on his way back up... America will give you a second chance... ask Michael Vick.
• Goofy Bands - ok, not really a branding event but my kids are crazy about these things.
• Facebook, a social networking site with its own feature film?  This brand has reached new heights despite the privacy concerns.  What will 2011 bring?
• King James and the Decision - the majority was critical and appauled at the coverage of The Decision but we all watched and have chose sides.  Who will win/lose... Nike, NBA, ESPN, Lebron?  Either way, the Heat games will get more attention... for better or worse and my son still wants his shoes.
• Toyota - hard to believe that this quality brand became a punchline for comedians everywhere when they experienced issues with accelerators getting stuck in their vehicles.  They should be able to bounce back but they opened the door for others to grab market share... even Hyundai.
• Conan-gate - NBC and Leno took a hit for the way they handled their late night franchise but Team Coco took Conan to heights of popularity that he has never seen... now what channel is TBS on??  ...nevermind, I'll watch Jimmy Fallon instead.

I know this isn't a comprehensive list but some that stand out to me.  What are some of your top branding moments of 2010?

Follow @TheDavid_A

• RT @smallbizcreativ: People ignore design that ignores people. - Frank Chimero
• If you come across as positive, your prospects are likely to feel positive about you... the opposite is also true.
• RT @DonCooper: Networking is an opportunity, not a guarantee. What you get out of it is based primarily on what you put in to it. #sales
• Make sure your messaging focuses on what you do well. Understand where you excel and where your competition doesn't.
• "Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking." -William B. Sprague
• Good salespeople help their customers with their present needs but also prepare them for future needs.
• When dealing with professional procurement dept, be yourself and be positive. They deal with sales "games" all day long.