Get Organized FAD: File, Act, Delete

		Tuesday, 02 June 09 - 04:37 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Use the FAD (file, act, delete) principle to get organized. This works great with email. When you go through your inbox be sure to file the message, act on it or delete it right away.

Do not read it and leave it in your inbox. If you do not have time to file, act or delete then wait until later to read your messages. FAD saves you time because you only handle each message once. Give it a try.

How do you handle your inbox? Could the FAD system save you time?

Read Weird Magazines

		Sunday, 26 April 09 - 01:06 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Read magazines that seem weird to you because you do not usually read them. You will get great insights and new ideas by looking at material you usually ignore like:

• Better Homes and Gardens
• Wired
• People
• Time
• Ninja Monthly

You never know where your next breakthrough inspiration may come from.

What weird magazines could you check for ideas?

Use a Whiteboard

		Wednesday, 25 March 09 - 09:36 AM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Have you ever been in a brainstorming meeting without a white board or some kind of shared device you can all see? It can be very frustrating as to where you are and what was accomplished. White boards are great because:

• You can all look up and stay on the same train of thought.
  
• It's easy to erase and start over
• The colored markers make it easier to throw out ideas than writing a formal paper
• You can add to ideas and write in the margins

Even when you are alone a white board is a great way to sketch out ideas.

Do you use a white board for meetings? Can you think of a better tool to use than white boards when developing an idea?

Web Hosting and Domain Name Diagrams

		Friday, 20 February 09 - 12:37 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

I'm working on a book about how to make money on the Internet. I was looking for a simple chart that explains how web hosting and DNS works. I couldn't find any, so I made these. Whaddya think?

 

Thanks Terapad!

		Friday, 13 February 09 - 02:19 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

I had some issues with my PayPal account and Terapad was unable to bill me for my premium account (ad free). I sent an email to Terapad support and they said I had been a good customer for so long that they would let me keep my premium account without charge.

Now don't expect them to give you a deal like that, but I was very impressed. I have used Terapad for a few years now and set up a few Terapad sites for clients too. I have been very happy with their service and the way they continue to make improvements.

So if you are not a developer, but want a website with a lot of flexibility, I recommend you give Terapad a try. They still offer free (ad supported) sites so it's worth checking out.

At least you know they are cool to work with :)

What types of sites have you tried? Have you ever used Terapad? What has your experience been like?

The Importance of Shopping Carts

		Wednesday, 10 December 08 - 01:13 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

It may sound simple, but shopping carts can have a big impact on your business

I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like to get a cart. It just doesn't feel manly to walk around the store pushing a cart. Inevitably I end up with two arms full of products that I can barely lug to the checkout stand. I was at Target this week and wanted to get a four pack of Starbuck's Frappucino. Unfortunately my hands were too full to carry it. I didn't know the generic Zantac would be on sale and that I would be juggling 4 boxes in my arms among other items.

Usually I will at least grab one of those little baskets to carry. I tried that at the Grocery store last night. After I checked out I had 4 bags and a 12 pack of soda. I was wondering how I carried all of that stuff up there by myself. The bag boy even volunteered to grab me a cart to get it all to my car.

Okay, I know I have some issues, but the point is people will only buy what they can carry. When their arms get full or their cart fills up, that's it.

Warehouse Stores

I don't really like to shop at Sam's Club, I mean do I really need a 96oz can of Beef-a Roni? On the other hand, they are smart about their carts. Their 'regular' carts are much bigger than a typical grocery store. They also have some flat carts in case you are stocking up or getting bulky items.

Mini Carts

Some grocery stores have wised up and started offering mini carts. I'm more inclined to grab one of these. Not too big, not too small. It's easier to maneuver and doesn't feel like as much of a commitment as the full size cart. Of course I usually fill that puppy up, but I end up buying more than when I grab a little red basket.

I was in a small wine and cheese shop yesterday and noticed they had about 6 of these little carts handy. Great idea for a small store. There is not much room for a full size cart, but you need something because it's hard to hold more than a few bottles at a time.

Kiddie Carts

Once you have kids you realize how important a shopping cart can be. Marshalls has tiny little carts with a weird slant for the child seat that hurts my girl's butt. Hard to keep shopping when your child is in pain.

Trader Joe's has regular sized carts, but they also have these cute little mini carts for the kids. They have a little sign that says "customer in training". Gotta love TJ's flair.

Target has some nice double child carts and some of the grocery stores have race car and fire engine carts. My daughter loves those, but they are like driving a truck through the store so I try to talk her out of using them.

Kohl's has some very cool stoller like carts with a big mesh basket in back. It holds a lot, is comfortable for my daughter and it's compact enough to peruse the aisles with ease. 

The moral is that if the kids are happy, the parents are happy. The cart is a very important part of the experience.

No Carts

Some stores are just not conducive to having carts or baskets. In this setting I encourage you to work closely with your customers and offer to hold items at the counter for them. I used to work at FranklinCovey and I would always put products at the register for folks. They were much more likely to buy more when their hands were free to look at other stuff. 

Online Carts

This article is really about physical carts, so I'll keep this brief. If you have an online shopping cart- keep it simple. Minimize the steps/clicks it takes to checkout and make it clear what items are in the cart. Jakob Nielsen has some more in-depth advice about best practices.

*Update:

Just saw this sweet new kiddie cart at Dierberg's grocery store in St. Louis. Notice the compact design and dual child seats. Not bad!

 

What kind of sales are you leaving behind because your customers need a better cart?

 

Free Press Contact List

		Sunday, 30 March 08 - 08:18 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Get free access to a press database from Joyce Meyer Ministries

I found this cool media contact tool on the Joyce Meyer Ministries website. The purpose on the site is to keep people informed of how they can contact the press and lobby them to be responsible in their reporting. But if you are trying to find press contacts in your area it's a great database driven and up to date tool you can use for free on the site.

What resources do you use to contact the press?

Free Toolbar

		Sunday, 09 March 08 - 01:20 AM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Get a free toolbar with some sweet features

Check out the my marketingenious toolbar loaded with cool features like links, RSS, email, radio, video player and widgets. Besides the marketing tools I have pre-loaded, you can continue to customize and add items to your toolbar for yourself.

Don't like the one I made- make your own here for free.

How could a toolbar like this make surfing easier? How could creating your own for customers increase business?

STL Travel Show Notes: Every Marketer's Secret Weapon

		Saturday, 08 March 08 - 10:00 PM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Q: What is it that each of you has that none of your competitors can duplicate?
A: You

You are unique, no can have your voice, personality or perspective

Pre-industrial age
•    Marketplaces
•    Word of mouth
•    Reputation
•    Conversations
•    Relationships

The Industrial Age
•    De humanization
•    Human resources
•    Interchangeable parts
•    Lack of conversation
•    Corporations spoke corporate talk and pushed messages on the masses

Internet Age
•    Democracy of communication
•    Removal of barriers
o    Cost
o    Distance
•    More choices
•    Re-emergence of the marketplace and conversations

Humans crave relationship
•    Worst punishment for a criminal? Solitary confinement
•    Accused of taking business too personal- should  be more personal
•    Business takes place between humans- depersonalizing actually causes problems
•    People want to be treated like people, not machines

Branding
•    People connect better with people than objects
•    Create a personality to represent product
1.    Connect to an actual person- Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Michael Dell, George Foreman
2.    Connect to a personality- Virgin-Richard Branson, Apple-Steve Jobs, Microsoft- Bill Gates
3.    Create a character- Mr. Whipple for TP, Pillsbury Doughboy, Green Giant, Michelin Man

What you need to do
•    Humanize yourself
•    Tear down the barriers to communication
•    Join the conversation in the marketplace
•    Use the 6 low cost tools I described in part 1 to facilitate
•    Speak conversationally to customers in person and in writing
•    Have a sense of humor
•    Let the market spread the message- make it easy

Must read books
•    ClueTrain Manifesto- free online (www.cluetrain.com)
•    Naked conversations- Robert Scoble
•    Marketing 2.0- free online www.MichaelDaehn.com

Free Social Network

		Saturday, 08 March 08 - 01:09 AM (GMT -06:00) By Michael Daehn in Marketing Tools

Learn, connect and share your marketing genius

I know, I know, I have been a busy beaver lately and here's my latest creation: my marketingenious social network, ta da!

Not sure how much explanation is necessary, you just kinda have to jump in and give it a try. Of course these things work best when you use them to network, so tell your friends and networks. Oh ya, and it's free too.

How could you learn, connect and share with other marketers to improve your business?

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