Rated the best... huh?

How many times have you read or heard something was rated the best? While on vacation in Kauai our hotel's island guide said the golf course at our hotel was rated the best in Hawaii. My question was "by who?" I wasn't surprised to find out they had no idea who rated it. But even if they had known it wouldn't have mattered. I'd rather have a handful of friends, or people with similar interests, tell me something was great rather than some expert. What is great for an expert doesn't make it great for me.

This is what makes the social aspects of the web so great and growing in vitality. I'd love to see a website that rates everything from restaurants to hotels to golf courses to food and as I build my profile it starts to recommend things based on interests, taste and skill level. If I like to hike, but its obvious my skill level is for easier trails than it could recommend similar trails, but if I select my desire to take it up a notch it could figure that out as well.

This website could take the Netflix "Movies you'll love" to a whole new level. This would help lead to reviews that matter to me. And help me avoid foods and services that use marketing slogans that sound like recommendations--like my soy sauce that claims its "used by great chefs".

Why I love to hate movies

I love movies. I love to see new movies. I'd love to see all of them every single weekend. But do you know what I hate about movies?

- Getting into my car and driving a minimum of 20 minutes to the theater
- Waiting in line to buy tickets (although I'm glad I can buy some online to save this grief)
- Shuffling across dozens of feet down the aisles and shuffling back out to go to the bathroom.
- Listening to crying babies, people talking, people shuffling across my feet to go to the bathroom and phones ringing.
- The cost of popcorn, pop, and snacks.
- Dirty bathrooms.
- Walking ten minutes to my car when its 20 degrees or worse snowing or raining?

Here are the facts. I can avoid movie theaters and wait for the DVD version. But I'm impatient. I want new movies now. But I have options. I could steal them from BitTorrents or drag myself and family to a movie theater.

It costs me at least forty bucks to go to the theater with the family and that's with going cheap on popcorn, etc. (If I smuggle in water and a snack or two). A date night is probably between $23-30 with my wife.

Why isn't there a third option? If I want to see a UFC fight or some other pay-per-view event I must pay a premium to watch it. Why not offer that option for newly released movies? Not everyone is going to pay that price but someone like me, who likes to complain and hates leaving his warm house and snacks, might. And that might also mean I watch a more movies a month than the one I see now.

When is nothing on sale?

When is nothing on sale? When everything is on sale.

Ever go into Kohl's? It seems like everything is 40% off. The only way to make something seem special or a great deal is when everything else isn't a deal.

Some goes with marketing. If everything you advertising is the best then you have nothing that stands out as great.

Business 2.0, 3.0, or whatever.0

If you were in charge of marketing yourself what would be the first thing you'd work on? Your personality? Resume? Network? Social network? All of these? None of these?

The answer is all and none of the above. You market yourself every day when you come in contact with people like the person you meet on the plane or the guy who dropped his napkin at the restaurant that you picked up or the person at work that you went out of your way to help. If you believe that the moment you walk out the door until the moment you come home you are marketing yourself then think about your business for a moment.

Does everyone at your company think this way from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed? Every person who works for your company markets themselves and in turn markets you.

And if you believe everything above--then do you also believe that every minute of the day your business does a great job interaction with customers and potential customers? The answer lies in whether your employees do their best to represent their company?

Marketing isn't always about spending money on advertising. Sometimes its the small things that have the biggest impact.

The best kind of marketing--free.

My wife's friend offered a free photo shoot for any friend who could help her rename her company. My argument was using her name was her best marketing tool. Think of all the great photographers--you know their names. Instead I told her what I'd do if I were a wedding photographer. 

1. Call every reception hall that you see spending money on advertising. If they are spending money they aren't fully booked. Offer free wedding photography for the first couple who books a wedding--provided they put your name in the ad as the photographer. (Bonus-If you do a great job chances are they will give you referrals in the future.) 

2. This bit advice comes after you get booked either from #1 or another way. 

a. When you are at a wedding brand yourself by giving out cards. 

b. Take poloraids of every person at the wedding, give them the poloraid and on the back put your company name, number and website. Maybe even offer a deal if they use you.

c. Offer a free photo session for anyone that helps you book a session. 

3.  Even when you giveaway free sessions the only way you give them photos is on a CD otherwise they must pay for the photo printing. That keeps you in their minds every time they want to buy some photos. Just don't overcharge to try and make up for your free session.

4. Create a blog. In that blog give wedding photography advice. Don't promote yourself other than your "about you" page. List a few dozen questions a couple might have about wedding photos and every few days answer those questions. Questions might include: what to expect from a photographer. Average cost of wedding photography. What is the best way to archive your photos. Advice on a photo album. 

Best of all, put a dozen or more of your best photos on the page just so you can say how good you are without any words.

To make it all work costs you nothing but your time. The only thing you have to gain is new customers. 

Children say the simplest things and we should, too

Marketing people can learn a lot from their kids--or other people's kids. Kids tend to put things in the simplest of terms and rarely over-think things. That is the problem with most business/marketing plans. The simpler something can be boiled down for the user the better. If it can't be boiled down easily then perhaps the problem isn't marketing but the product/service itself.