The Service Attitude

by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

Michael LeBeouf, in his best-seller, The Greatest Management Principle in the World, says that any behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated. Guerrillas build a “fifth column” of customers, a loyal underground of followers who fight for the cause by rewarding them at every turn.

As the customer turns to leave the hi-fi shop, the guerrilla adds, “Oh, by the way, you’re going to need a pair of headphones, especially when your teenagers get their hands on this new system. Here, take these with my compliments.”

“Wow! Thank you for all your time and help, but the headphones, this is wonderful!” No buyer’s remorse here! This customer is excited about the new stereo system, and grateful to the guerrilla for selling it to him.

Guerrillas know that this last step in the NaB and CaPTuRe selling track is the most critical, and the one most often overlooked by the competition. Rewarding customers involves keeping something extra in reserve, congratulating your new clients, then delighting them by “throwing it in” at the last minute.

Once guerrillas have given the customer the reward, they disappear into the sunset like the Lone Ranger. Hurry on to your next call, help another shopper, or go hide in the stockroom. You want to be remembered for the reward, so give the customer something special to remember you by. Be warned: your customers will be so pleased they’ll want to continue the conversation. Be polite, but break it off.

The objective of the Reward is to leave the new customer feeling special. One of our clients runs a very successful office supply store and is devoted to promoting environmentally responsible products. After writing up the order for a new copier, the clerk thumps his forehead and says, “Oh, I almost forgot! You’re going to need some paper. Let me throw in a case, no charge. I’d like for you to try this recycled copier paper; it’s a bit more expensive than virgin stock, but it has a smoother finish, and besides, I don’t want to mess up my paperwork.”

No matter how hairy the negotiations may have been, no matter how remorseful they might feel about spending the money, even if they think they could have wangled a better deal elsewhere, the last thing the customers are left with is a feeling of surprise and conquest.

Mike Lavin runs the Berkley Design Shop and two other sleep and kid’s furniture stores in the San Francisco Bay area. When a customer purchases a complete bed set — mattress and platform frame, and the purchase has been completed, the salesperson who wrote up the order says, “Oh, by the way, why don’t you go over to our linen display and pick out a set of sheets. They’re on us.” He could have bundled a sheet set with the package, but that would defeat the objective. For the reward to be effective, it must be something beyond the customer’s expectations.

Part of this is gratitude, an expression of appreciation for the business. But frankly, Mike knows that the average American keeps a bed for nine years, and if he treats them right, they’ll come back to buy all their future linen at the Berkley Design Shop.

From a weekend at a resort to a free order of fries, guerrillas have learned the power of giving customers something extra when they make the sale. But make sure that the customer knows it’s a bonus. A guerrilla copy shop offers a courtesy telephone, marked by a large sign that says “For our Customers’ Convenience,” and a mail drop with a sign that reads, “We’d like to save you the trip.” A lumberyard gives every customer an oversized flat carpenters’ pencil, imprinted with the stores name and number, but before putting it in the bag, the clerk always mentions, “These are usually a dollar, but today it’s just our way of saying ‘Thanks.'”

Everyone loves to win, and everyone loves getting something for nothing, especially when they don’t expect it. So guerrillas send every customer away feeling as though they just hit the jackpot. It feels like winning the lottery or getting a call from Publishers Clearing House. In the Reward Stage, guerrillas secure their position with customers by always rewarding them for their business.

Attention!

One of the most powerful ways to reward people who do business with you is to pay attention to them. Even something as simple as a hand-written thank-you note can be a reward. It’s an old-fashioned custom that’s seldom used in business, but it differentiates a guerrilla from a competitor by showing you care.

The travel industry has put the reward tactic to work as competition for the business traveler heats up. Amenities like shampoo, hair driers and mini-bars used to be found in only the best hotels. Now, even low end properties pamper guests with a complimentary basket of goodies. Frequent patronage is rewarded with free upgrades and limo service, complimentary cocktails, coffee, newspapers, and breakfast, or even credits toward catalog merchandise.

Airlines have established special clubs and lounges where they lavish their customers with VIP check-in, comfy chairs, big-screen TV, workstation-size phone booths, desks, conference rooms, fax machines, snacks, and a private bar. Customers pay a substantial annual fee for the privilege of being pampered, and will endure long connection delays in order to fly their airline of choice. And all because they’re members of the Club. Rewards win customers and keep them coming back.

The Right Attitude

Approaching the Reward Stage with the right attitude is essential. Contrast the attitudes of two major airlines, as reflected in the way they administer their frequent-flyer programs. Both companies compete for lucrative business travelers in every major market in North America. Both programs reward customers with a free round-trip ticket after they’ve flown 20,000 miles.

The first airline restricts how the free ticket can be used: you must fly Monday through Thursday, stay over a weekend, and book the trip at least seven days in advance. Holidays are blacked out as well, and once the ticket is cut, it’s non-negotiable. They feel that they’re giving you a free ride, so you really can’t complain. Their attitude is, “You’re a freeloader. We don’t care, because we don’t have to.”

The second airline allows their customers to use the free ticket any day of the week, without restriction (except for some holidays) on a space-available basis. You can book your trip as close as one hour before departure, and if your travel plans change, the ticket is completely negotiable for up to a year. Their attitude is “We want to do everything we can for you. You’re one of our most valued customers.”

Both airlines are giving away an identical seat, but the perceived value of the reward in the customers’ minds are quite different. An attitude of gratitude is what matters. Perhaps that’s why the first airline is losing millions, while the second just placed orders for 40 billion dollars worth of new aircraft.

Exclusive Video: 23 Reasons Why Customers Pay More

 Exclusive Video: 23 Reasons why Customers Pay More by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

Tip: Enclose Your Business Card with Everything

by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

We got a call from the training department at Public Service Company, the electric utility that serves our part of the country.

“We’re doing a door-to-door campaign to promote energy conservation, and we need someone who can train our people in basic door-to-door sales and courtesy skills.  Can your firm do that?”

“Certainly,” I said.  After all, during my college years, I was a sales trainer for a company that sold encyclopedias door-to-door. 

“We do custom sales and management training for companies all over the world,” I explained, and then went on to question the caller about the size of the group, the timetable, budget, and other logistic issues.

“By the way,” I asked, “how did you find out about us?”  Good Guerrillas are always measuring the effectiveness of their marketing.

“Someone down in the Billing Department got your card, and forwarded it up to us here in Human Resources.”

“You mean, the department where I pay my electric bill?”

“Yeah.  Don’t know how they came across it, but it says you do sales training, so they passed it along to us.”

Further investigation solved the mystery.  I had given our new secretary a handful of bills to frank and post, and she had dutifully followed our rule of enclosing a business card with every piece of mail we send out.

Business cards not only make a first impression; they’re often the last thing that the customer has to remember you by. You never know where they’ll wind up.  The result in this case was a $40,000 contract!

Learn more.  Get the book Guerrilla Selling available in the Bookstore section of this site.

Copyright MMV THE GUERRILLA GROUP, inc. All rights Reserved.

The Service Attitude

by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

Michael LeBeouf, in his best-seller, The Greatest Management Principle in the World, says that any behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated. Guerrillas build a “fifth column” of customers, a loyal underground of followers who fight for the cause by rewarding them at every turn.

As the customer turns to leave the hi-fi shop, the guerrilla adds, “Oh, by the way, you’re going to need a pair of headphones, especially when your teenagers get their hands on this new system. Here, take these with my compliments.”

“Wow! Thank you for all your time and help, but the headphones, this is wonderful!” No buyer’s remorse here! This customer is excited about the new stereo system, and grateful to the guerrilla for selling it to him.

Guerrillas know that this last step in the NaB and CaPTuRe selling track is the most critical, and the one most often overlooked by the competition. Rewarding customers involves keeping something extra in reserve, congratulating your new clients, then delighting them by “throwing it in” at the last minute.

Once guerrillas have given the customer the reward, they disappear into the sunset like the Lone Ranger. Hurry on to your next call, help another shopper, or go hide in the stockroom. You want to be remembered for the reward, so give the customer something special to remember you by. Be warned: your customers will be so pleased they’ll want to continue the conversation. Be polite, but break it off.

The objective of the Reward is to leave the new customer feeling special. One of our clients runs a very successful office supply store and is devoted to promoting environmentally responsible products. After writing up the order for a new copier, the clerk thumps his forehead and says, “Oh, I almost forgot! You’re going to need some paper. Let me throw in a case, no charge. I’d like for you to try this recycled copier paper; it’s a bit more expensive than virgin stock, but it has a smoother finish, and besides, I don’t want to mess up my paperwork.”

No matter how hairy the negotiations may have been, no matter how remorseful they might feel about spending the money, even if they think they could have wangled a better deal elsewhere, the last thing the customers are left with is a feeling of surprise and conquest.

Mike Lavin runs the Berkley Design Shop and two other sleep and kid’s furniture stores in the San Francisco Bay area. When a customer purchases a complete bed set — mattress and platform frame, and the purchase has been completed, the salesperson who wrote up the order says, “Oh, by the way, why don’t you go over to our linen display and pick out a set of sheets. They’re on us.” He could have bundled a sheet set with the package, but that would defeat the objective. For the reward to be effective, it must be something beyond the customer’s expectations.

Part of this is gratitude, an expression of appreciation for the business. But frankly, Mike knows that the average American keeps a bed for nine years, and if he treats them right, they’ll come back to buy all their future linen at the Berkley Design Shop.

From a weekend at a resort to a free order of fries, guerrillas have learned the power of giving customers something extra when they make the sale. But make sure that the customer knows it’s a bonus. A guerrilla copy shop offers a courtesy telephone, marked by a large sign that says “For our Customers’ Convenience,” and a mail drop with a sign that reads, “We’d like to save you the trip.” A lumberyard gives every customer an oversized flat carpenters’ pencil, imprinted with the stores name and number, but before putting it in the bag, the clerk always mentions, “These are usually a dollar, but today it’s just our way of saying ‘Thanks.'”

Everyone loves to win, and everyone loves getting something for nothing, especially when they don’t expect it. So guerrillas send every customer away feeling as though they just hit the jackpot. It feels like winning the lottery or getting a call from Publishers Clearing House. In the Reward Stage, guerrillas secure their position with customers by always rewarding them for their business.

Attention!

One of the most powerful ways to reward people who do business with you is to pay attention to them. Even something as simple as a hand-written thank-you note can be a reward. It’s an old-fashioned custom that’s seldom used in business, but it differentiates a guerrilla from a competitor by showing you care.

The travel industry has put the reward tactic to work as competition for the business traveler heats up. Amenities like shampoo, hair driers and mini-bars used to be found in only the best hotels. Now, even low end properties pamper guests with a complimentary basket of goodies. Frequent patronage is rewarded with free upgrades and limo service, complimentary cocktails, coffee, newspapers, and breakfast, or even credits toward catalog merchandise.

Airlines have established special clubs and lounges where they lavish their customers with VIP check-in, comfy chairs, big-screen TV, workstation-size phone booths, desks, conference rooms, fax machines, snacks, and a private bar. Customers pay a substantial annual fee for the privilege of being pampered, and will endure long connection delays in order to fly their airline of choice. And all because they’re members of the Club. Rewards win customers and keep them coming back.

The Right Attitude

Approaching the Reward Stage with the right attitude is essential. Contrast the attitudes of two major airlines, as reflected in the way they administer their frequent-flyer programs. Both companies compete for lucrative business travelers in every major market in North America. Both programs reward customers with a free round-trip ticket after they’ve flown 20,000 miles.

The first airline restricts how the free ticket can be used: you must fly Monday through Thursday, stay over a weekend, and book the trip at least seven days in advance. Holidays are blacked out as well, and once the ticket is cut, it’s non-negotiable. They feel that they’re giving you a free ride, so you really can’t complain. Their attitude is, “You’re a freeloader. We don’t care, because we don’t have to.”

The second airline allows their customers to use the free ticket any day of the week, without restriction (except for some holidays) on a space-available basis. You can book your trip as close as one hour before departure, and if your travel plans change, the ticket is completely negotiable for up to a year. Their attitude is “We want to do everything we can for you. You’re one of our most valued customers.”

Both airlines are giving away an identical seat, but the perceived value of the reward in the customers’ minds are quite different. An attitude of gratitude is what matters. Perhaps that’s why the first airline is losing millions, while the second just placed orders for 40 billion dollars worth of new aircraft.

Ten Characteristics of a Guerrilla Marketer

by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

It’s a jungle out there. You are not paranoid; they really are out to get you. Doing business in this highly competitive business environment requires the boldness and ingenuity of a veteran commercial mercenary.

Today’s winners in business are the renegades, the rebels who break all the rules, who use information and surprise to gain a tactical advantage. There are ten characteristics that set these guerrillas apart. Study them. Sell by them.

1. Investment

The average business in America invests only 3of gross sales in marketing. The guerrilla averages 10 Guerrillas believe that the difference between winning and losing, more often than not, is a very slim margin. So they invest heavily in technology, in people, and in themselves. They are constantly expanding their horizons, constantly training, and constantly on the lookout for anything that will give them a slight advantage.

2. Consistent

Poor selling done consistently will be more effective than great selling done sporadically. In the mind of your customers, consistency is interpreted as credibility, longevity and success. Guerrillas earn this confidence by communicating their identity, not their image. They are very resistant to changing their name, their logo, their color scheme. Be consistent and you will outsell the better armed, better equipped, better organized corporate regulars.

3. Confident

Guerrillas believe in their products, their services, and their people. They count on others in the organization to deliver on every promise, every time, and then some. If you can’t feel that kind of confidence, you’re working for the wrong outfit. When something goes wrong, take personal responsibility for making it right, right away.

4. Patient

A guerrilla will set in the trees for days waiting for a clear shot. Less than 4of sales are made on the first call, over 80are made after the eighth call. Guerrillas are always on the lookout for the next need cycle, and strive to be there when the need arises. So stick with it. Keep mailing out your brochure.

5. Assortment

The old days of Henry Ford, when “you can have it any color you want, as long as it’s black” are long gone. Guerrillas offer a wide variety of goods and services, and adapt their offerings, their terms, even their delivery schedules to meet the customers’ needs. Look for the new, the unusual, the unique, and add it to your offering. Ask customers what they’d like to see. The more flexible you can be, the better. The more options you offer, the more people you can serve, and the more successful your company will be.

6. Subsequent

Guerrillas are in this for the long haul, and getting the order is only the first step. Guerrillas spend 10of their resources educating the universe, promoting the business to the community at large. They spend 30of their time marketing to prospective customers. But they spend a whopping 60of their time, energy and money marketing to people who have already bought. Why? It costs five times as much to sell a new customer as it does to make the same sale to an existing customer. Guerrillas sell and re-sell and re-sell the benefits of their offering.

7. Measurement

Any behavior that is rewarded will tend to be repeated, so guerrillas reward every customer and client for the opportunity to serve them. It’s the thirteenth doughnut in the baker’s dozen; it’s doing everything you promised, everything the customer expected, and more. And because expectations are constantly changing, guerrillas are always asking “how are we doing?” and “how can we improve.” Survey your customers. Get out in the field and talk to them. If you do exactly what they tell you, you cannot fail.

8. Convenient

Guerrillas are both receptive and responsive. They know that they have to be “user friendly.” That means easy to reach, easy to talk to, and easy to do business with. They return their calls. They give out their numbers at home, at the office, in the car. They keep phones staffed at night and on weekends, even if only by an answering service. They are in touch. Be available. Lend an ear to your customers when they have a suggestion, a question, or a problem. And do everything immediately.

9. Excitement

Guerrillas are enthusiastic, and militantly optimistic. They have a good word for everyone, and never complain about the weather, the economy, or the people they work for. Their passion spreads like a wildfire. People love to do business with people who love their business. Spread good news and cheer about your people and your industry to everyone you meet. Start a one-guerrilla revolution to turn your corner of the economy around. Launch a success conspiracy. Enthusiasm is contagious.

10. Commitment

The guerrilla is enlisted in a larger mission than just closing the deal and getting the order. They are deadly serious about adding value and serving the community. When a customer complains, the guerrilla tracks down the cause and corrects it, whatever it takes. They have no time for excuses and apologies, and they never argue with results. They treat every customer as if the survival of their business depended on it, because it does.

Get committed to your marketing effort, and if you’re more comfortable hosting receptions or maintaining membership rolls, assign someone to be your full-time designated guerrilla. It’s time we launched a revolution in American business. You have no choice. To survive in today’s brutal economic environment, you must become a guerrilla.

Welcome to the Guerrilla Marketing Blog!

Welcome to the Guerrilla Marketing Blog, with exclusive content by Orvel Ray Wilson, Co-Author of the Original Guerrilla Marketing series of books.

Check back for tips, tools, reports & discussions every week!

 We look forward to helping apply our successful Guerrilla Marketing tactics to your business!

Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP