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Positioning With Inbound Attraction

Dear Colleague,

Why do I get so many emails asking me if I need Vicodin and Viagra? Is this some sort of cosmic message that the Universe is sending me? Do I need to sit up and pay attention to the subtle suggestions of the powers of email?

My email box is full of spam and it irritates me sometimes. Though I have installed spam filters galore, I still get those pesky ads wanting to know if I need to get hopped up and pepped up.

No, I don’t need drugs, credit reports, fancy watches, unlimited cable access, or any of the other miscellaneous nonsense that finds its way into my email box. Do you?

….Which brings me to my final newsletter of the year 2004. “How does that relate”? You ask. I want to make a direct correlation between spam emails and your 2005 goals.

SPAM emails fall under the category that I call “Proactive Outbound” promotion. That simply means that a company or individual aggressively and actively pursues new customers through a variety of marketing techniques. It is an approach that is performed with a broad brush. There have to be many touches in order for the desired results to be achieved. This strategy is useful in some cases, but for the most part it is costly and yields poor results.

For 2005, I would like for you to concentrate on the profitable method of promotion that I call “Inbound Attraction Positioning”. It is much more lucrative and much less stressful.

What is “Inbound Attraction Positioning”? It is the method of attracting or magnetizing customers to you. These are customers who are just dying to do business with you. They can’t live without you, or so they think. They are drawn to you because of the tremendous value they perceive you have and the value they know they will get from you. At many levels you meet their buying needs.

Here are some tips on how to implement “Inbound Attraction Positioning”.

1. Create a unique experience for your existing customers. Do something different and special for them. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. It just needs to be special and different from anything they have experienced with your competitors. For example, Starbucks regulates the aroma in their stores so that you get attached to the scent of coffee and you make it a point to loiter in their store.
2. Cultivate the relationship you have with your existing customers. Make phone calls to them to just check in. Don’t try to upsell them anything. Just express genuine interest. Ask about the kids, the dog, the vacation, the school activities, their health, the holidays, and the weather or just about anything other than business. Make it a short call with no agenda other than to be friendly. My bank does this with me every so often and it has paid handsomely for them.
3. Give away information that will improve their business or their life. You have special insights as a result of your business experience that will help your customers. Send them a note with a helpful tip, a meaningful how-to or give them free advice about something you anticipate happening in their future. One of my vendors recently sent me a book that documented the life of Zig Ziglar. I got some tidbits out of that book that I really enjoyed and were quite useful.
4. Deliver more than they expect . That means you must have the conversation about what their expectations are. Once clearly defined, exceed those expectations with service, products, communication or extra value. For example an electrical trade contractor doing some work at my office recently did less than I anticipated. This was a very good thing. Why? He wisely and consciously determined what my real needs and expectations were and made suggestions that resulted in better operations in my office though I didn’t spend as much money with him as I could have. Hence, my service expectations were exceeded.
5. Make everything relevant to your customer. The problem with spam email is that so little of it directly applies to me. Therefore, I am not interested. When you address the specific needs, issues and concerns of your customer, it creates an attraction that is almost unbreakable. That means that sometimes there might not be a fit. I recently turned down a consulting contract because I thought the prospective client would be better served by someone else with different skills. I may have lost the contract, but I am certain I gained a recommendation from that prospect for other customers.
6. See yourself as a customer magnet. Your mindset about your business will have more of an impact than any strategy, policy or procedure. When you move through your business day with the mindset to help your customers rather than “get” from your customers, you’ll place your business in a very attractive position.

You’ll see a few changes later this year in my newsletter along with some upgrades in our technology. The change is due to a continuing effort to improve and serve my readers better. One thing I do promise is no SPAM. Thanks for your support in 2004 and I wish you continued prosperity in 2005.

From all of us here at Paul Montelongo International, take great care.

Sincerely,

December 29, 2004

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"America's Construction Industry Motivator"