A Failure To Communicate?

Remember the “Seinfeld” episode about the “close talker”?

In the episode, Elaine’s new boyfriend (played by Judge Reinhold) had a tendency to stand WAY too close to people when speaking with them. Of course, his weird behavior made everyone feel uncomfortable, and hilarity ensued. It was episode #82, in case you care.

Have you ever stopped to think about the important role of nonverbal communication in our everyday conversations? You know – gestures, facial expressions, “close talking,” physical appearance, etc. Whether we realize it or not, we often make judgments about people based not only on the words they say, but also on the “supplemental” information provided via non-verbal communication.

OK, so you probably knew that already. But when you speak to another person, I’ll bet you never realized just how important nonverbal communication really can be in the way your message is received. Consider these statistics:

For every spoken message:

• 8% of the recipient’s total “experience” comes from the actual WORDS you use.
• 37% of the recipient’s total “experience” comes from the WAY you say the words (volume, tone of voice, how the words are pronounced, level of excitement, etc.)
• 55% of the total “experience” comes from nonverbal communication.

Amazing! You can spend all day crafting the perfect message – but the recipient will miss out on 55% of your message if he/she thinks your breath stinks of the garlic from the pizza you ate an hour ago.

So – knowing what you now know, you would think that communication over the Internet is practically worthless, right? If Internet communication strips things like tone of voice, and there’s no nonverbal communication, then all our customers receive is a measly 8% of what we REALLY want to say! Why do we even BOTHER with this Internet garbage? How can you possibly live with yourself, Josh, telling us that the Internet is a valuable sales tool?

You could think all that, but you’d be wrong.

The Internet offers an interesting way to reclaim the lost 55% of communication. How? With a quick reply to customers’ email.

A speedy reply sends a powerful nonverbal message to a customer! Think about it: if you were on a web site and emailed a question to a great big corporation (or even a small business), and then someone returned your email within minutes, wouldn’t you be impressed? (For proof, don’t miss the next edition of MAILbytes.)

When a customer believes that someone is literally waiting for their email on the other end, they’ve received a powerful, nonverbal message. So rescue your 55% - and start sending your own power-packed messages today!

Just make sure not to stand too close to your computer when typing the email.

Is My Email Address For Sale?

Whenever I meet with a new client, it seems I always get asked the same question:

“Do you have access to lists of email addresses for purchase?”

It never fails. With email marketing as cost-effective as it is, almost all companies are intrigued by the possibility of getting their email out to tens of thousands of potential new customers. And why not? After all, what company hasn’t purchased a “snail mail” list as part of their direct mail efforts?

At first glance, it makes a ton of sense. But a closer look at the nature of email marketing teaches us that, unlike direct mail, the purchase of email lists can do more harm than good.

Quite simply, email is not direct mail.

There are so many reasons why, but it mainly boils down to customer control. With email, your customers expect to be in control of the relationship. They decide whether or not they want receive email from you, what kinds of information to receive, when they’re ready to unsubscribe, even when they’re so annoyed by your emails that they (heaven forbid) click on the “this is spam” button.

Unlike direct mail, customers have come to expect that kind of control. Plain and simple, they don’t want to receive spam from you.

So if you do choose to send out unsolicited email…sure, there may be a few (very few) potential new customers who will be intrigued by what you have to offer and seek further information. But chances are very high that even more recipients will get annoyed by the disturbance and make a beeline for the “this is spam” button.

And if enough people do just that, well, good luck getting your future emails delivered - even to customers who have opted-in to your mailings. Internet Service Providers such as Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc. now think you’re a spammer, and will send your future emails directly to their customers’ “spam” folder.

And besides…how eager would you be to do business with a company that sends you spam?

If you’re bummed about all this, relax. You’re almost guaranteed to get great results from your in-house list, made up of people who have asked to receive information from you. They’re not only willing to receive your emails, they’re often excited to hear from you!

So if we’re all “stuck” with the email addresses (from QUALIFIED potential customers!) in our in-house list, what’s the best way to grow that list?

The #1 best way to grow an EFFECTIVE email list is to ask customers for their email addresses! This can be done online on a company’s web site OR any time a company interacts with a customer.

1. Online, we recommend that you add a signup box to EVERY page of the site, encouraging visitors to sign up for special offers, incentives, news, etc. (For a nice example of this strategy, check out bedbathandbeyond.com, and look near the bottom of every page on the left side) Don’t ask for more than an email address here. When your web site visitor clicks “submit”, you can ask for more customer information on the next page.
2. In person or on the phone, salespeople or customer service people need to ask customers for their email address (and VERIFY it with the customer each time they speak thereafter). Tell customers that you will use the address to send them special offers and news that will be relevant to them - and that you PROMISE not to share it with others. Most customers these days will be willing to cooperate. Some of my clients have even been successful in actually calling the prospects on their lists and asking for email addresses. Hey, it’s worth a shot!

No, email is not direct mail. The rules may be different…but the benefits are huge. Email is a low cost, completely measurable, almost instantaneous marketing channel. Adjust your thinking a bit…and the results will pay off!

Newspaper Advertising…Dead?

Just yesterday, I saw the following question posted on the popular networking site LinkedIn:

“How close, if ever, is the internet to replacing the Sunday newspaper real estate section for researching real estate listings?”

The question received a wide variety of responses. Some said that the Internet already replaced newspaper advertising a few years ago, while others claimed that newspapers still have some life in them, even in this digital age.

Before adding my two cents on the issue, I wrestled with the question for a while.

Sure, everyone is using the Internet as part of their home search. We’ve all heard the line that more than 70% (or is it 80% by now?) of home shoppers use the ‘net at some point. Yes, that’s an amazing statistic, and particularly exciting for people like me who make their living on Internet marketing. But is that the whole picture?

Let’s say you’re looking for new construction in the beautiful but overpriced state of New Jersey. What’s the first thing you’re going to do? If you have no clue where to go first, you’ll probably start with Google.

So you type in “new homes in New Jersey”, and receive, as of the time this was written, a mere 1,720,000+ results. Happy Browsing! You’ll probably look through some of the first sites in the list, but the information overload will soon drive you crazy.

But wait! Something catches your eye in that long list of search results. Hmmm, you think…didn’t I see that builder’s name on a billboard / newspaper ad / TV commercial / park bench / aerial billboard flying over the beach? Pleased with yourself that you’ve at least found a starting point, you begin your search there, a bit more confident in tackling the daunting task that awaits you.

The Internet has changed real estate marketing in a big way. And in a world of online banner ads, Google search results, home listing sites (e.g. realtor.com, homebuilder.com, etc.), blogger opinions and more, I have no doubt that many customers do find their dream home online without ever looking at an offline ad.

But aren’t those same people still influenced by offline media? The “vastness” of the Internet makes brand recognition more important than ever. They may find you online, but will they stop for a closer look?

I’ve met with builders and realtors who have told me that they’re ready to pull the plug on most offline advertising and jump full force into online marketing. Sure, it’s a great idea to GO STAMPLESS (sorry, couldn’t resist) and start allocating additional dollars to Internet and email marketing, but a carefully-planned online/offline combo is still the best approach.

And of course, make sure that all of your offline advertising directs readers to your web site, your 24/7 sales center.

So now it’s your turn to weigh in. Is newspaper advertising on life support? Post your opinion on the MAILbytes blog. And then feel free to check out the other responses offered by some very bright people on LinkedIn.

Make Every Email Count!

I was delivering a presentation on email marketing last week for a group of homebuilders in Philadelphia, when one attendee threw out the following question:

“What can we do to make sure our email blasts get through to the inbox - and are not sent to our recipients’ ‘junk mail’ folders?”

Ahhh…the classic “deliverability” question.

At first, I told him to avoid including any information in his emails about those little blue pills whose name starts with a “v” and are used for…well, you know - but then I realized he may be looking for an answer that’s a bit deeper.

Problem is, there’s no easy answer. Email deliverability is not an exact science. The rules change often, and vary depending on your recipients’ Internet Service Providers (such as Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.).

But there are a number of things you can do to tip the scales in your favor. I’ll definitely touch on others in future columns, but here’s one simple method you may not have thought about.

ASK your customers to add your email address to their “trusted senders” list or address book!

Let me explain:

E-mail inboxes worldwide have become infested with “spam” (junk e-mail) – and recipients hate it (don’t you?). So over the past few years, large Internet companies like AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. have designed ways to prevent spam from being delivered to your inbox.

They’ve created email filters for you, so that every time you receive an e-mail that they believe you won’t want, they send it directly into your “junk email” folder and not into your inbox.

While this method has proven very effective in blocking most of the spam we receive, there is one catch: the spam filter will likely block some messages that you want to read – and unless you check your “junk mail” folder from time to time, you’ll never even know you received them.

When customers provide you with their email address, they obviously want to receive information from you via email. But many of these customers never hear from you again, because your emails are trapped in their spam filters!

Fortunately, there is a solution. Find out the email address you use as the “from” address when sending email blasts. If your customers add this address to their address book, safe senders list, trusted senders list, etc., then your e-mails will ALWAYS get through.

Make sure your customers know this! Upon registration - whether online or in person - encourage them to take a minute to ensure that they receive the emails they’ve asked for, by taking the simple step outlined above.

Hey - if you’re spending money on email marketing…you may as well get the biggest bang for your buck, right?

Know Thy Web Site

I returned home from a business trip this past week, and my lovely wife greeted me at the door. Being the nosy woman she is, my wife soon began rummaging through my carry-on and found a half-eaten Snickers bar. She caught me red-handed. After berating me for straying from my diet (and then breaking hers to eat the second half) she noticed a contest on the wrapper.

“Enter your code at snickers.com to see if you’ve won the Ultimate Garage Sale Sweepstakes!” the wrapper instructed us.

Convinced that WE were the lucky winners, we logged on. The home page (at right) reassured us that we were in the right place. But when we clicked through to the contest page, we were informed that the contest had ended.

Well, then…WHY are they still advertising it on their home page?

As sales and marketing people, we are expected to know our products and services inside and out. But with information, pricing, incentives and the like changing on a daily basis…how familiar are we with our own marketing materials? Don’t answer yet…

There is a tale of a man who used the Internet to find a home in a new development. After weeks of intense research, he narrowed his search down to five communities, and drove to each so he could see them in person. But after speaking to the salespeople at each community, he discovered that, due to his extensive research, he actually knew more about the communities than they did!

The man was so frustrated that he took the $50,000 deposit check that was in his pocket and decided to use the money to renovate his existing home instead.

Like it or not, your customers are using the web extensively to research your products. They’ve dutifully read, studied, critiqued and printed almost every page of your site – and your competitors’ sites as well.

Have you?

Be sure to schedule some time regularly to review the web sites your customers are looking at:

• Check your site often to make sure pricing and all other information is correct and complete. Notify your “web guy” (or gal) of any necessary changes immediately.
• Do you syndicate your content on any “partner” sites? Review the information on those sites as well so you know you’re viewing the same listings your customers are.
• Monitor competitor web sites. Are they doing something you’d like to see on YOUR site?

Know thy web site…and you’ll have a better knowledge of your customers!

When You Care Enough To Send The Very Best…

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish myself a very happy birthday.

(Hey, it’s my column. I’m entitled to a little self-promotion, no?)

Okay, so it’s not until Friday. But I wanted to give all of you time to find that perfect gft.

So I’ve been checking my “snail” mailbox, expecting to receive a birthday card or two from family and friends. Fat chance.

These days, no one goes through the trouble of going to the store, browsing through hundreds of cards, picking out the perfect one, writing a personal message, sealing the card, finding a stamp, looking up my home address, writing it out and leaving it in their mailbox for the post office to deliver…up to a WEEK later.

But these days, my family and friends usually take the cheap and lazy route. They send “e-cards” online. Awwwwww…they DO care!

Why am I sharing this self-serving tale with all of you? Because yesterday, I received this “electronic” birthday greeting from the salesperson at the dealership that sold me my last car:

Dear Josh,

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a healthy and happy birthday! Hope you and your Honda are doing well and please remember, if you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Once again, have a wonderful birthday!

Wow! I’ve never been so pleased to receive a birthday card from an automated computer system. Yes, it’s only a small gesture, but who doesn’t like to receive a birthday greeting? It made me smile, made me feel good about the company - and made me want to give them more business.

Want to make your customers feel the same way about you? Send your own birthday greetings by email! Be sure to collect your customers’ birthdays, then send them a quick note on their special day. And if you’d like to send something a bit more on the “warm and fuzzy” side, send a free e-card at hallmark.com. They have free e-cards that you can customize and send in only a couple of minutes, guaranteed to make your customer smile.

A small “happy birthday” message can go a long way. If you know your customers’ birthdays, why not let them know you’re thinking about them on their special day? Send them an e-card! Or…how about sending customers an anniversary card on the anniversary of their purchase?

Everyone likes to feel important. Everyone likes to know that someone’s thinking about them. The smallest gestures can win you big brownie points – and with the help of the Internet, it’s faster and easier than ever to show someone you care. Plus – it’s another great example of the FREE promotional tools available to us via the Internet.

So what’s in store for my BIG birthday celebration? Let’s see…I’ll probably spend the day staring at a computer monitor…ruining my “aging” eyes even further…while developing carpal tunnel syndrome from typing…in an office with NO windows…on a gorgeous spring day. What fun!

It’s the Little Things…

It’s so easy to make a huge difference in the eyes of your customers. From the CEO of a large corporation to a minimum wage store cashier, any employee can impress customers enough to make a lasting impression.

Sometimes, the most insignificant gestures can leave a huge impact on a customer.

This week, I’d like to go off on a tangent and share two quick stories. They’re not entirely Internet-related, but they left an impact on me and I thought you’d appreciate them.

1. One morning last week, my wife and I went in to our local Quick Check store for coffee, as we do fairly often. After preparing our cups-o’-joe, we proceeded to the front of the store to pay. The line was unusually long that day…and we were in a hurry.

When we finally made it to the front, the cashier apologized for the long delay. “Since you had to wait so long,” he said, “I’ll give you a discount on your coffee.”

Between the two of us, we probably saved a whopping 40 cents. But somehow, we were so impressed by this small gesture. The cashier was not a store manager, but he had the authority to make sure we left the store happy, and with a positive attitude toward Quick Check. And it worked!

2. While watching “House” with my wife the other night, we were really impressed by a commercial we saw from Sprint.

In it, Sprint’s new CEO, Dan Hesse, was promoting the company’s new “Simply Everything” plan, in which subscribers receive unlimited talking, texting, Internet, email, etc. for $99 per month.

The commercial was nothing special…until the very end. The screen went black, and the email address “dan@sprint.com” flashed on the screen.

To me, this is an incredible change in direction for television advertising. Dan wasn’t just selling to us, he wants to talk with us. Love Sprint? Let Dan know. Hate ‘em? Dan wants to hear about it. Did Dan have a piece of broccoli stuck in his teeth on camera? Tell him yourself.

Don’t contact Sprint by filling out a “contact us” form on their web site. Don’t call a customer service center in India. Email the CEO directly.

Wow. By simply flashing an email address at the end of a TV commercial, Sprint impressed me - big time. Don’t you wish every company was interested in starting the same type of dialogue with its customers?

(By the way, if you want to reach me personally, it’s josh@gostampless.com.)

You can watch the Sprint ad here.

From a lowly cashier to the millionaire CEO, the smallest little “extras” can leave a great big impression on a customer, no matter how insignificant they may seem to you.

Here’s one you can implement right now: respond to your email inquiries immediately.

You have a unique opportunity to delight your customers with a prompt, professional response to their email inquiries. After all, if you sent an e-mail to a large company and received a response within two hours, wouldn’t YOU be impressed?

They say “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” It doesn’t take much to make that impression last. Keep your customers for life. Try to look for more of these kinds of opportunities every day.

Cutting the Cord

Whether or not you’re willing to admit it, I’ll bet you suffer from some sort of Internet addiction.Don’t believe me? Then go three days without checking your e-mail. You’ll probably begin to feel disconnected, out of the loop, even nervous. Sad, but true.

You’ll worry that you’re missing something important at work or in your personal life. You’ll itch to get back online. And if you’re a Blackberry user, who is NEVER without e-mail access…well, I’d seek medical attention ASAP.

Sometimes, the mere threat of going “netless” can make you break out in a cold sweat. Last week, I thought I’d be forced to endure an excruciatingly long period of time away from the ‘net. But at least it was for a good cause.

On Wednesday, March 12th, my wife and I were privileged to welcome our fourth child, a baby boy, into the world. Ari Jonah (A.J.) Shron was born by c-section at 9:34 AM.

The good news is that A.J. is healthy and adorable. The bad news is that my wife’s c-section took a large toll on her, and she’s been generally bedridden since the birth. And she made it very clear: if SHE had to stay in the hospital, I have to stay in the hospital.

As the nurses wheeled in the most uncomfortable-looking recliner I’d ever seen – which would serve as my bed for the next few days – I feared the worst: no Internet access anywhere in the building. At least that was the case a couple of years ago when my daughter was born in the same hospital. Imagine the horror!!

To my relief, the hospital now offered wi-fi, so I was able to serve out my “sentence” fully connected to cyberspace. And sitting in my wife’s hospital room, it was somewhat liberating to know that I’ve brought my office – along with the rest of cyberspace – along with me. Who needs an office anymore when I can do my work from a hotel, coffee shop or hospital anywhere in the world?

Lest you think this article is merely a lame excuse for me to show off baby pictures, I DO have a point here.

I have a feeling it won’t be too long before wireless Internet connectivity is available everywhere. Many people already have access on their cell phones, and major cities nationwide have been working on making free wireless capabilities available throughout their cities. Cafes, hospitals, libraries and many other establishments now offer wi-fi to their patrons.

The future is upon us. When you can connect to the Internet or e-mail anytime, anywhere – a whole new world opens up to you.

Imagine:

• E-mailing your wife from the grocery store to see if you need any milk.
• Checking competitors’ prices while at Toys R’ Us, before you buy little Timmy that new bike he’s been wanting.
• Pulling up real-time traffic information from your car so you can get to your meeting on time.
• Ordering flowers for your wife from the bar to ensure that they get to your house just 3 minutes before you do…

A wireless world is certainly an exciting one. But it will also pose challenges for us as salespeople.

It won’t be long before a prospect will be able to e-mail you from her car, parked right outside your sales office. If you respond immediately, she’ll come in to visit. If not, it’s off to the community down the road.

Are you ready?

We’ll Be In Touch…

One of the best things about email marketing is that it’s completely measurable.When you put an ad in the paper…who knows how many people actually turned to your page and saw it? Sending out direct mail? Do you have any way of determining how many people just tossed it in the trash?

But with email, we know it all…how many subscribers opened your message, how many clicked on a link to visit your web site, how many unsubscribed from future mailings. Sometimes we even know how many forwarded your message to a friend.

Best of all, we can tell you the specific names and email addresses of the people who did each of these things, so you can follow up with additional messages specifically tailored to them.

So before you choose to delete the next edition of MAILbytes…beware. I’ll know.

But if you’ve been doing email marketing for a while (and if you’re not, I can recommend a great company that can help you start), you already know this. You want to make the most of this information! You’d like to see your campaign statistics go through the roof, right?

Here’s how. Use email to advertise products that are not yet available for sale.

In real estate, effective email communication is critical – and extremely effective – before a new development opens for sales. As soon as information becomes available, post it on your web site and invite interested prospects to sign up for your “VIP List”, “Priority List”, etc. But you can’t just forget about these “VIPs” until you’re ready to open for sales.

Stay in touch with them via a planned series of email blasts. Let them know about the surrounding area. The schools their children will attend. The home designs to be built in the community. Any planned amenities. When you expect to open for sales.

Your efforts will pay off. This past week, one of my clients sent out an e-blast for an upcoming community. 65% of recipients opened the email.

That’s an incredible statistic. Why was it so high? Think about it: at this point, there’s no sales office to visit. There’s no salesperson to call. Details on the web site are pretty sketchy. They haven’t seen the floorplans, site plan or standard features list. But they want to know more.

So when they receive an email blast from you, they’re actually excited to open it!

I’ve seen this time and time again. You have a much greater chance of getting through to your recipients if you send them the kind of relevant information they crave. They’re not just allowing you to sell to them…they’re encouraging you.

One builder I’ve worked with utilized a systematic approach to pre-opening communications. Approximately three months prior to opening, they would send an e-blast describing the surrounding area: schools, shopping, recreation, points of interest, etc. About two months before opening, an e-blast would describe the amenities of the community (if applicable): clubhouse, pool, playground, natural surroundings and the like. One month before opening, a description of the home designs. Finally, about two weeks in advance, they would send out an invitation to the official grand opening.

Each campaign performed very well, exciting and motivating potential customers who simply couldn’t wait to sign on the dotted line and buy a home.

Of course, this is no substitute for the kinds of emails you would send following your grand opening (e.g. event invitations, grand openings, information on inventory homes, special incentives, etc.). But many of us tend to focus less effort on marketing our communities in planning. A few simple communications can pay off with a highly successful grand opening – and email is the best way to stay in touch.

Show ‘Yer Love

Whew! I’ve just returned from my first journey to the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. What a week! Endless exhibits, incredible educational seminars, overpriced food vendors, and sometimes, a half-mile walk - literally! - from one event to another. The place was jammed. And despite the current sense of gloom that’s overtaken the housing industry, everyone came away with a renewed vigor, armed with new tools to succeed in today’s environment.

So what can I share with you? Okay, here’s a quick tip that I’ve heard before, but is certainly worth repeating (with apologies for my failure to recall who said it):

When speaking on the phone to a customer, remember to SMILE. Even though the person on the other end will never see you, your cheerfulness will come through loud and clear over the phone.

So that got me thinking…what happens when that same conversation is taking place via email? After all, words on a screen can’t smile…can they?

Case in point…My father is a really nice guy. Friendly, cheerful, upbeat, and generally fun to be around. But sometimes, when I receive an email from him, I’m slightly taken aback. The tone of his emails just doesn’t seem to match his friendly personality. His emails are short and to the point, and just don’t sound like him.

I’m sure he doesn’t intend to sound harsh, but that’s just his email writing style. I’ve gotten used to it over the years.

But he’s my dad. Your customers may not be so forgiving.

As we all know, written communication is not the same as verbal communication. Without the benefit of facial expressions, body language or even tone of voice, the intent of the writer isn’t always fully interpreted by the reader. No matter how friendly, charming or persuasive you are in person, those same qualities may not be so evident in your written material.

That’s why you need to make an extra effort to let your friendly personality shine through in your email.

It’s not always easy. In sales, email communication requires a brand new set of rules. There’s no way to smile and welcome a prospect into your sales office. No way to shake hands and exchange pleasantries before getting down to business.

The customer knows nothing about you other than what they read on their screen.

So, when communicating via email with anyone – customers for sure, but even co-workers and friends – take the extra time to make sure your true personality shines through in your writing. Greet the recipient by name, introduce yourself and answer their questions. End with some sort of call to action, and sign your name.

And before you hit that “send” button, read it back to yourself out loud.

Does it sound friendly? Courteous? Polite? If you were speaking to someone in person or on the phone, would you say it in just the same way?

The Builders’ Show took place over Valentine’s Day (whose bright idea was that? My wife wants to know…). I’m sure many of us in attendance took a couple of minutes to write a quick “love letter” to our significant other at some point that day. Let me tell you…if you’re going to be away on Valentine’s Day (and I don’t recommend it), you’re going to make ABSOLUTELY sure that your profession of love is going to read just right…or ELSE.

Don’t your customers - who will inevitably PAY for that all-important Valentine’s Day gift - deserve some of your lovin’ as well?

For heaven’s sake…you’re a great sales/marketing person. You’re obviously outgoing, friendly, personable and just plain fun to talk to. Develop an email writing style that practically reaches out and shakes hands with your customers! Let ‘em know you’re smiling on the other end!

Does your BRAND smile? Check out this recent post from MediaPost’s “Online Spin” blog!