Archive for the 'Blog' Category



Focus on the product!

Look, honestly, if your product isn’t shit hot – all the marketing in the world ain’t going to save it.

Sure you will get a bit of a boost when you get nationwide coverage on tv, or a mention in the paper, but honestly is it going to be the answer to building a sustainable business? No.

Focus on the product, bring it up to speed, grow & evolve it from customer feedback.  As if it isn’t hot we can stick any marketing tactic to it and you won’t get the return.  

Whereas if you have a shit hot product – it makes it a million times easier to market – as it markets itself.

Take some time, refocus on what you offer, if not today when?

May 10th, 2009

Good Experiences Compound

One of my points in the bwagy marketing manifesto (download pdf) was that:

“We have all heard, a bad experience results in 64 people hearing about it, a good experience leads to 8 hearing about it.  Sounds out of whack right? Wrong.  If I have a good experience with you I will repeat my purchase, if you keep looking after me, I will keep telling 8 people forever…. and everytime I make a purchase.  Marketing & Business is all about the long term.  If you can get a customer and keep them forever they will sell your products for you.  Easy.   Never forget this.  A good customer experience compounds over time.”

This came from the realisation, that when people talk about a brand they love (or a lovemark) the real thrill and enthusiasm from which they speak from is the continual experience they maintain with this brand.  The fact that they get looked after over and over again.

Karen is one such lady, now Karen is a super mum, she all week as a Theatre Nurse, still finds time to do the cooking, baking, washing, looking after the kids, taking time to really help her friends and family, we all know a Karen in our lives.  They are all absolute legends (and the cornerstones of society).

She absolutely loves Jack Lums, the local fruit and vegetables place, she has been going there for 15 years and she can name all the bad experiences on her fingers, that’s how rare they are! She recommends them to everyone, their price, the freshness, the quality of their produce and they stand behind it.  This consist experience has only compounded her loyalty, in turn she has also spent 15 years raving to them to everyone.  Now if they had tried to take a short cut to make a quick buck they would have lost Karen.  But they haven’t.

You see providing a good experience does compound and pay off over time, the key is it’s a long term strategy, but it’s a solid one.

May 7th, 2009

8 things that lead to success

Great little video from Andrew St. John at TED – he talked to over 500 people trying to find what leads to success. 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6bbMQXQ180

His definition of CRAP is hilarious – watch it again.

May 6th, 2009

The Best Ideas are Free (the book)

As many of you may have heard (and seen the occasional spy shot) my first book The Best Ideas are Free is due out soon.

I sat down last year after 6 months of blogging, printed out every post and spent an afternoon selecting the 63 best ideas.

Since then they have been put together into a book – 63 easily digestible ideas to chew on.

It will soon be available to the general public (I expect to ship July 6th but that may move up if time allows) but I will be opening pre-orders exclusively to you guys.  This is to thank you for all your support, comments (good or bad), readership and to celebrate my 1 year anniversary of blogging!

Now I will be the first to admit that yes you can browse through the blog and read the ideas for free (go for it I encourage you) but hey how much cooler is it having a book?

The book is designed to be such that you can open it up on any page, read an idea within 30 seconds, pick it up and run with it.  The first time you read it you won’t get them all but reread it three months from now another one may be relevant.

If you enjoy the blog you’ll love the book.  Like the blog it is colloquial format – as if I am having a conversation with you.  DO NOT expect a typical book – expect my blog in phsyical form (and yes with all my quirks!).  This truly is a book the way I would want a book to be..

For the 130 pages of goodness you will be given the opportunity to pre-order 1 of 63 limited edition signed copies.

To snag one enter your email below and I will be in touch (first in first served).

(Update 3rd Aug 09: The book is now out, you can click the book cover to the left in the sidebar to get a copy off Amazon or visit www.thebestideasarefree.com thanks – Ben).

(Note: RSS & Email Subscribers need to click here to visit the blog to use the form. Thanks!)

May 5th, 2009

Thank you so so much – bwagy blog turns 1 today

Today I celebrate a year of blogging! Woo hoo!

I started off initially 1 post a week, then ramped up to three posts a week (a huge step).  Then in September decided to try and do one a business day.  Since then I have been set.  

I have explored doing more than 1 post a day but tend to avoid it.  By limiting my output I enhance the value of the posts that do make it.  Often I find myself deleting posts that are great but not great enough.

Some of the cool stuff that has happened as a direct (or indirect) result of my blogging:

The list goes on, it has been a wonderful year & I look forward to many more… so keep watching & participating, glad to have you here.

I just want to thank you all for reading – keep an eye on the blog for a follow up special* announcement later in the day 🙂 -Ben.

May 5th, 2009

Living the brand

Brand experiences tend to be post event. 

However now we have the technology for live experiences. 

Social networks with live engagement are such an example.

Local energy drink provider has taken advantage of this with their V Bebo Community.

Another great example is Vaughan Rowsell.

Now Vaughan is cycling the length of New Zealand Uphill (bottom to top) for charity.  He is just about half way now.

You can send him messages on twitter, see his blog, watch his videos.  I have included his first one below:

 

You can experience it as he does.  With the right software and cell coverage he could even stream live from his cycle trip.

Imagine watching the Tour De France from Lance Armstrongs bike with his commentary as he rides.  Motor racing does this with in car cams – but there is a ways to go.

You could be sponsoring such an experience as Vaughans, some great fits would be:

  • Hotel Chain (where to rest after a long day of travel)
  • Energy / Sports Drinks (providing the fuel for the journey)
  • Clearly the bike / clothing
  • Technology (we are where you want to be)

This isn’t for everyone, yes it is less controlled, you don’t know what will happen.  Maybe it will be boring? Or maybe you will be there when something remarkable happens.  It is reality tv meets real world.  We all know reality tv isn’t that real anyway so why not deliver an authentic experience.  (Hell if you even track Vaughan down you can partake).

Twitter, Blogging, Video all allow people to engage with your brand real time which creates an extremely loyal customer base.  Neat huh?

(Vaughan is raising money for a good cause TASC The Agency for Spinal Concerns, check his blog out for more details).

May 4th, 2009

Flying under the radar

Flying under the radar is good, it gives you time to experiment, learn, without risking everything.

By the time you are out of the radar the recency effect means the ‘majority’ tend to only remember the last good (or bad) thing you did but so what you probably made your mistakes whilst under the radar.

So fail lots and fly under the radar for a bit.

No need to blow your own trumpet once you’re good enough others will do that for you…

May 3rd, 2009

What are you doing all the way down here? You could:
- View my about page
- Or for first timers the New Here? page
- Or maybe email this to a friend
- Or subscribe to get blog updates