MEETING MINUTES
Friday, July 15, 2011
Volume 18; Issue 25

Member Spotlight
This week's spotlight is Erin LaGrassa.  Please keep this member top of mind this week for referrals. 

Special Meeting
Next week, July 22nd, we are having another offsite event at Erin LaGrassa's place.  Kids welcome!  Helmets and pads encouraged.
Polestar Distribution - 663 W 2nd Ave, Suite 13, Mesa, AZ 85210 - Get Directions

What is your best marketing idea?
Members were asked to announce their best marketing idea.  We then broke into groups with the task of coming up with the best marketing plan.

• Andy Jensen - Turning a client into an advocate, done through different service models.  We have a lot of success with it.

• Fred Vandervort - Sending out cards.

• Erin LaGrassa - Filming U-tube videos on our own U-tube site.  Shows use of each product, etc.

• Ryan Bohlander - Personal sales, talking face-to-face with a parent.

• Janice Jaicks - Our constant contact email blasts.  Each month we send a newsletter out, safety tips - without showing sales.

• Phyllis Prater - I give incentives back for referrals.

• Terry - 10% off for new customer referrals.

• Mark Menasci - I only advertise in one little paper, the Jewish News.  If they like you, they tell everybody they know.  I get tons of referrals from one particular company.  I take care of the employee for free and they give out my name.

• Jake Ulrich - We obviously we have a huge marketing division, especially with the merger.  But mostly it is groups like MABE, face-to-face networking.

• Nick Carr - Constant Contact helps us a lot.  We also tap into other professions (attorneys, real estate agents, accountants).

• Chris Curran - Its a tough deal for me.  Selling doesn't work for me.  The key for me is being authentic and efficient.  I give away a lot of free legal advice. 

• Joe Zingale - Our marketing plan is we have no marketing plan.  Most of our business comes from referrals.  The second most important part of getting business is from our partners  - general contractors, architects - that see the customer first.  We are trying to get more of a web-based presence to show what we do.  We are trying to get more salesmen in our maintenance division.

• Robert Busch - My business is product and service so my marketing plan encompasses both.  I offer coupons, percentage off, available via the internet.  We use the web a lot.  Also send out cards using our email base.  Always in the face of doctors giving them cards.

• Tim Green - We don't do much marketing either.  Just word-of-mouth based on providing quality product and service.

• Don Ellis - Our loyalty program.  1000's of contacts we send birthday and anniversary cards to.  We use Constant Contact.

• Sandro Menasci - Favors with other repair shops.  We all have services we can't do and so we refer out.

• Barb Luther - Give talks to groups.  Helps take away fear of process.  Also focus on SEO.  And I belong to several groups like this.

• Shawn Vigneau - We do a lot of business to business.  Free massages.  Surveys.  A marketing team goes around the Valley, bring lunch and setup therapist for event.

• Nick Mawrenko - Because it is more of a personal service, it is more of a one-on-one, get to know people over coffee situation for me. 

 We then broke into groups with the task of coming up with the best marketing plan.

• Group 1 - Start by defining target market (demographics).  Based on that what information, determine the type of client you want to attract, most lucrative.  Also research competitors.  Take all information, brainstorm options and choose best marketing start.  Find out who your best advocate is and make sure they are appreciated so they will continue to refer you.  Work on customer retention.

• Group 2 - There is no one marketing plan that will work for every business.  Improving communicate with your existing customers very important so they will refer you.  We have our valuable resource in our past customers.  Go back to them and see if you can do more business with them.

• Group 3 - When we meet new people we need to have a call to action (schedule an appointment).  Follow-up (thank you cards).  People like to be touched in different ways.

Conclusions

• One marketing system does not work for everybody. 

• Marketing is difficult to track.

• Try something new - measure and test.

Guest Speaker - Bill Vandervort, SendOutCards.com
Bill talked about Appreciation Marketing.   A lot of business focus on Self Promotion - we are the best, we are number one...we, we, we.  Customers don't respond to that.  Appreciation Marketing is thanking them for their business, letting them know you appreciate them. 

Every idea mentioned today boils down to customer appreciation.   People are loyal to people not a business.  Why do people leave?  64% leave because of perceived indifference.  They didn't think you cared enough to stay.  It boils down to customer appreciation and follow-up. 

Some more stats: 17% of emails are opened.  Only 52% of letters are opened.  But greeting cards have a 99% open rate!

For 62 cents plus a stamp www.SendOutCards.com will take care of it.  Bill touched on some of the pricing and options available.  You choose your card online and it is sent out the next day.  No labels are used.  The cards all have the personal touch.  Each client is shown how to use the system and get help setting everything up including uploading their images and business cards.  The options on what you can do is unlimited!

Whether you use this system or another one, the point is to stay in front of your customer.