Attract and Delight More Customers While Spending Less
- by Forging Smart Partnerships
by Kare Anderson, author of Smartpartnering
and Emmy-winning former NBC and Wall Street Journal reporter
1. Give People Another Reason to
Try Your Service or Product
That's how Applebee's and Weight Watchers attracted
new customers without advertising more. When Weight
Watchers designed and branded low-cal menu items for
Applebee's, followers of their diet program could
eat out without guilt, at Applebee's.
Applebee's fans got a first-hand introduction to
Weight Watchers.
2. Become Their Top-of-Mind Choice. Offer a
Tantalizing "Extra"
Who knows how many people chose to stay at the Ritz
Carlton rather than at another luxury hotel because
of an added thrill - complimentary use of a brand
new Mercedes during their stay? Mercedes & Ritz
Carlton forged a smart partnership and became the
top-of-mind choice with their kind of (upscale)
customers and so can you - regardless of the kind or
size of your business.
The bonus benefit? Priceless media coverage of
your "first-ever" offer.
3. I Got Shot and Thrived
What happens when pediatricians join forces with
pizza store managers school principals, city health
clinic directors and others to better reach and
serve their common base of customers: families
with young children?
Together, they did what they could not have
accomplished on their own. They offered a
highly valued, emotionally-loaded and
media-attracting service AND increase foot traffic
into their stores and offices: "I Got
Shot" free immunizations for kids on Saturdays
just before school started.
Pediatricians gave immunization shots at convenient
times in a roomy, cheerful childrens' store, with a
party atmosphere where the kids were the center of
attention. Parents heard about the offer
through all the participating outlets and received
free snack coupons after the kids received their
shots so they could reward their children with a
snack from a nearby store. Partners could provide
better, more news-catching service at less cost
- and inspire greater community and customer
loyalty.
4. Coddle a (Local) Lucrative Niche Customer
Last Valentine's Day, several neighborhood
businesses -- including a Christian women's business
circle, women's medical clinic, florist, health food
store, clothing boutique, shopper newspaper, museum
store, gym, bookstore and beauty salon -- joined
forces for a month-long promotion to attract and
serve women.
The bookstore hosted a series of "Beauty
Inside Out" - themed series of in-store
demonstrations and mini-seminars each led by a
manager of one of the participating businesses and
highlighting a book collection and the local
partners' related products and services.
Each presenter provided a handout that included
reference to at least one of the other partnering
organizations, plus a joint offer of services with
one of them. As well, each presenter wrote a guest
column based on their presentation, which was
featured in the shopper newspaper, with the author's
follow-up offer and e-mail noted at the bottom of
the article. Of course each column author quoted
others in this mutually beneficial alliance.
5. Give Your Niche Market Something They'll Love
to Talk About
A. To reach men in hotels, bars, sports
arenas and restaurants, advertisers used the Wizmark,
otherwise called an "interactive urinal
communicator." As men step up to the
urinal they activate, with the slightest movement, a
sensor that prompts red lights to flash, crunchy
guitar chords to sound and a 30 second commercial to
appear. Yes women, the male response has been
positive.
B. Guests at the Holiday Inn Express get the
opportunity to enjoy Kohler's new multi-function
showerhead and spa bath.
How could the experience at your outlet be enhanced
by a partner's product?
Start Partnering, the Smart Ways and Grow Your
Business Faster
All these success stories are examples of profitable
partnerships.
Want to spend less time selling and promoting and
more time doing the work you love - and enjoy your
success with others? You can. Just join forces
with other reputable organizations that serve the
same kind of customers.
Focus on forging the profitable partnerships that
generate differentiating value and visibility. Then
you can devote more time delighting your customers
and attracting fervent referrals by improving your
products and your customer service. Act now, before
your competitor grabs the best partners and uses the
most profitable method.
Here's more quick snapshots of real life successful
partnering methods that you can adapt to get your
business (or other organization) growing faster.
6. Get Introduced to Prospective Buyers Where
Your Competition Isn't Even in Sight
That's why those who fly on Delta Air Lines airlines
now see cabin interiors and flight attendant
uniforms created by clothing designer Kate Spade.
How can your on-site experience be heightened with
the involvement of a partner's products and
services?
7. Become a Bigger Customer Magnet by Offering
More Helpful Tips Than Your Competitor
That's why, when pillow-maker, Leo Hollander decided
to drop private labeling work in favor of launching
his own brand, he recruited complementary partners.
On his "Live Comfortably" web site, he
provides articles by a feng shui expert, a
chiropractor, and a color specialist. Result?
He boosted all partners' visibility and credibility
- in front of their mutual market of customers.
8. Foment a Fun & Fast Fundraiser
That's how firefighters in the town of Toluma got a
badly-needed but expensive piece of equipment, a
deluge gun, without asking their cash-strapped city
council for a single dime.
Here's how. Business was slow all over their
town. The firefighters were getting nowhere when
they asked for donations from business owners
experiencing a weak economy.
Yet when they approached the manager of a Pizza Hut
he said he didn't have the authority to donate
money, but he had a better idea. "Here's what I
can do. We can pick a Wednesday, say four weeks from
today for an "Our Community Cares" day
here. I make $500 or so on Wednesdays. On that day,
after we sell $500 worth, every dollar after that
I'll split 50/50 with you. So if you inspire enough
people to buy a pizza on that day, you can raise
more money than you just asked me for."
The firefighters loved the challenge. They prepared
banners and asked the local supermarket and gas
stations to put up on their outside walls. They had
signs and announcements printed for free by the
local copy shop ^ with a bright red *donated by*
credit line to the copy shop on them.
The headline on the signs and flyers read, Eat at
Pizza Hut. Save a local life. They visited offices
complexes, even those with signs that read "No
soliciting." (Who's going to kick out the
volunteer fire department, right?) They went to
apartment complexes, video rental outlets, grade and
high schools. They put flyers and signs everywhere.
Once people heard about their cause, handing out
flyers was like giving away candy. The local radio
and newspaper gave them free coverage talking and
writing about their inspirational community story.
When the Wednesday, comes around, the place was
packed. They made enough money to get the Deluge
Gun. Most importantly ^ it was a fair partnership
because everyone contributed, so participants are
likely to want to work together again.
Bottom Line benefit:
SmartPartnerships generate a profitable payoff for
all partners because, at the very least, they get a
credible introduction to each other's customers.
What could be better than reaching prospective
customers through organizations they already know
and trust?
Kare
Anderson is a trailblazer in media, business,
and politics and a former journalist for the Wall
Street Journal, Le Monde, UPI,
and other newspapers. Kare was Pacific Telesis'
first Wideband and Cable Division Director, a
co-founder of a national public affairs and
advertising firm, and now president of the Say it
Better Center. In government, she was a state
senator's chief of staff, co-founder of nine
political action committees and appointed
commissioner. Kare's a frequent strategic
communication coach to leaders in business and
government. Visit her website http://sayitbetter.com
