The devil is in the details. How often have you heard that expression, especially if something goes awry for a seemingly insignificant flaw: from tripping on an untied shoelace to a poorly designed O-ring on the Challenger shuttle. Historians say the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic may not have been wounded so mortally by an iceberg had some engineer many years earlier not skimped on the metallurgy specifications of the rivets. Ah, details, details, details.
A few years ago, I wrote a pamphlet entitled “Are You Ready For Your #1 Customer?” It was for Bliss by Beaulieu floor covering dealers and all about paying attention to details – some big, some small – and assessing your store’s performance for each. For example, do you study your competitors? Does your website enable fast downloads? Do you offer a safe, fun play area for kids? And so on.
My anal obsession with details can be traced back to some wisdom I once read in a book about marketing. It was by Sergio Zyman, the former brilliant, flamboyant head of marketing for Coke. He summed it up this way: “Every detail either makes a sale or breaks a sale.” I don’t know if Sergio actually coined that, but whoever did was a genius. In fact, I would recommend that statement be made into a sign and hung in every break room or office in every floor covering dealer in America. Tattooing on foreheads is optional.
This emphasis on getting the details right is anchored in another old saw: Perception is reality. As consumers, we form our perception about an advertiser from a myriad of details; the composite of which provides a total picture of who we choose (or don’t choose) to do business with. It starts with the grammar on your website, the warmth of the receptionist, the appearance of your showroom and completes with the personal hygiene of you or your salesman. Okay, I’m being a bit extreme perhaps, but it’s important that we understand the subtleties, the interdependence, and the cumulative effect of this chain of details that results in a sale. Or not. Let’s face it, the reality may be that you have the widest selection of carpet, the best installers in the business or the smartest on-staff designer – but that cigarette-breath is a real customer killer.
And never, never, never be guilty of saying what I heard a client admit to recently. They observed that their ad “could be better” and that while it may not generate a lot of business “it probably won’t hurt business” either. Uh-hmm … in today’s ultra-competitive business climate, can anyone really afford to be so dismissive? Let’s all agree that being technologically savvy in reaching your customers online is good. Being strategically thoughtful on how you position your store vis-à-vis the competition is definitely worthwhile. And being creative with your presentation has obvious advantages. Just don’t forget the details.
Next January at the Surfaces trade show, we will recognize the best and brightest young, rising stars in the floor covering industry. I borrowed the idea for the “Future Focus Awards” from my own career experience in the ad business. In many larger markets, the 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies) local chapter will also have a “Jr. Ad Club” for young professionally-minded account execs, art directors, media planners and the like, ranging from new college grads to late 20’s to mid-30’s. Advertising agency and in-house client-side mentors and bosses will give annual recognition in their respective markets to the best of those young professionals who they nominate. In that way, the ad business encourages excellence and in a public way “takes care of its own.”
Likewise, the floor covering industry is an important and fascinating business that attracts young talent. It’s part design, part engineering, part environmental, part manufacturing, part marketing and sales. It’s a relatively small industry but has enormous impact for the quality of life for all of us, wherever we live, work or play. Just as with the ad industry, the floor covering industry’s most important resource is the people who call it their career home, whether they work for retailers, manufacturers, architects and designers or distributors.
Several months ago, Kemp Harr, publisher of Floor Focus magazine, and I met and determined to launch the Future Focus Awards, along with the generous support of a leading brand in the business, 3M Scotchgard, thanks to Jim Stevens, National Sales Manager. You won’t find a stronger advocate for the industry than Kemp and his wife Anne, the art director for Floor Focus. Together, we developed the Award over the course of many meetings and long hours. The judges for the Future Focus Awards are Jim Stevens, Buddy Jones of E. Jones & Associates, a sales and leadership training company; and Frank Hurd of the Carpet and Rug Institute.
Nominees (must be under age 35 with at least 3 years experience) and their nominators can get more information about the Award and entry forms by visiting http://www.floordaily.net/futurefocusawards/
Deadline for entries is December 23 and the winners will be announced at the Surfaces/Stone Expo in Las Vegas, January 24. More information about Surfaces is at http://www.surfaces.com/attendee/show-information.aspx
At a time in this industry and country when sales and growth are in a slump, we believe it’s time to celebrate the young, talented, ambitious and dedicated individuals in sales, marketing, R&D/product design, manufacturing, employee development/human development, and sustainability, on an industry-wide platform. In spite of current economic circumstances, these individuals are the future of floor covering and the hope of all of us. Let’s look to the future, together.
In the mid-60’s in its quest to become a major league city, Atlanta built the Fulton County Stadium and attracted a baseball team from Milwaukee. Years later, before the city attracted something even bigger (the Olympics) and completely gutted the place, what was once the jewel of the city was lampooned by a Sports Illustrated article about major league stadiums. Our beloved Fulton County Stadium was labeled as one of the worst stadiums in America with this simple caption: “Muggy and buggy and smells like a urinal.” That catchy bit of copy has stayed with me all these years because, in every scent of the word (sorry), it was quite accurate. The restrooms were about as rank as the Braves’ performance until the 1990’s.
In general back in 60’s, public restrooms weren’t given the consideration they receive today. For example, if you’re a baby boomer female, you’ll probably agree that architects have finally learned that the fairer sex needs a little more time in the restroom, thus requiring more restrooms and/or stalls than do men. Most stadiums and airports now accommodate this fundamental reality. Maybe it’s because there are more women architects? And who doesn’t appreciate those hands-free, self-flushing fixtures?
But these are commercial bathroom (restroom) basics are they not? Ignore these and your brand reputation will most likely get flushed. Most of us either consciously or subconsciously evaluate the quality of our experience in a gas station, theater, shopping mall, restaurant, or state (as in interstate rest stops) by the quality of the restroom.
In stark contrast, consider the winner of the 10th annual America’s Best Restroom contest, sponsored by Cintas Corp. and reported by CNN: The Field Museum of Chicago. Check out the article in Chicago Tribune for a wonderful case study in words and photos: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-111020-field-museum-voted-top-bathroom-pictures,0,5828163.photogallery
The architects and designers have taken artwork, sound-absorbing design, eco-friendliness, and family-friendly features to a new level. Even if you could care less about natural history, you may want to buy a ticket just to … go.
Check out these other bloggers supporting the Climbing Out Bathroom Blogfest 2011 …
| Name | Blog Name | Blog URL | |
| Susan Abbott | susanabbott | Customer Experience Crossroads | http://www.customercrossroads.com/customercrossroads/ |
| Paul Anater | Paul_Anater | Kitchen and Residential Design | http;//www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com |
| Shannon Bilby | ShannonBilby | From the Floors Up | http://fromthefloorsup.com/ |
| Toby Bloomberg | TobyDiva | Diva Marketing | http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/ |
| Laurence Borel | blogtillyoudrop | Blog Till You Drop | http://www.laurenceborel.com/ |
| Bill Buyok | AventeTile | Avente Tile Talk | http://tiletalk.blogspot.com |
| Jeanne Byington | jmbyington | The Importance of Earnest Service | http://blog.jmbyington.com/ |
| Becky Carroll | bcarroll7 | Customers Rock! | http://customersrock.net |
| Katie Clark | practicalkatie | Practical Katie | http://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/ |
| Nora DePalma | NoraDePalma | O’Reilly DePalma: The Blog | http://www.oreilly/depalma.com |
| Nora DePalma | ProfessorToilet | American Standard’s Professor Toilet | http://www.professortoilet.com |
| Paul Friederichsen | pfriederichsen | The BrandBiz Blog | http://brandbizblog.com/ |
| Tish Grier | TishGrier | ||
| Emily Hooper | FCNewsMag | Floor Covering News Blog | http://www.fcnews.net/category/blog/ |
| Diane Kazan | dkazan | Urban Design Renovation | http://www.urbandesignrenovation.com |
| Joseph Michelli | JosephMichelli | Dr. Joseph Michelli’s Blog | http://www.josephmichelli.com/blog |
| Veronika Miller | Modenus | Modenus Blog | http://www.modenus.com/blog |
| Arpi Nalbandian | TileEditor | Tile Magazine Editors’ Blog | http://www.tilemagonline.com/Articles/Blog_Nalbandian |
| David Polinchock | Polinchock | Polinchock’s Ponderings | http://blog.polinchock.com/ |
| David Reich | davidreich | my 2 cents | http://reichcomm.typepad.com |
| Victoria Redshaw & Shelley Pond | scarletopus | Scarlet Opus Trends Blog | http://www.trendsblog.co.uk |
| Bethany Richmond | carpetruginstit | Carpet and Rug Institute Blog | http://www.carpet-and-rug-institute-blog.com/ |
| Bruce D. Sanders | RIMtailing | http://www.rimtailing.blogspot.com | |
| Paige Smith | Neuse Tile Blog | http://neusetile.wordpress.com/ | |
| Stephanie Weaver | experienceology | Experienceology | http://experienceology.blogspot.com/ |
| Christine B. Whittemore | cbwhittemore | Content Talks Business Blog | http://simplemarketingnow.com/content-talks-business-blog/ |
| denise lee yohn | deniseleeyohn | brand as business bites | http://deniseleeyohn.com/best-bites |
| Chris Woelfel | tileexperts | Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co. | http://www.artcraftgmt.com |
I couldn’t help but be both amused and sympathetic with the recent flap over Jon Huntsman’s media credentials badge handed out to reporters at his recent campaign kick-off event. As everyone knows by now, his own staff misspelled his first name as “John” instead of the correct spelling “Jon.” The added “H” turned what was the candidate’s most important event in his political career into what the Washington Post characterized as his “first step toward oblivion.” To make matters worse, his staff didn’t catch the error until after handing them out to the press corps. A bit like handing out loaded guns to criminals.
The devil is indeed in the details. As anyone who has to check and recheck work before it is published, I can tell you of countless times embarrassment came within a gnat’s hair before being caught and corrected. It’s the little things that can derail the big things. Sadly for Jon Huntsman, it was a typo that his presidential campaign kick-off, staged dramatically in New Jersey (not New York — another mistake on the credentials) will be remembered by.
The big news today in the world of floor covering comes from Lumber
Liquidators with the announcement of doubling their warranty on their Bellawood prefinished hardwood flooring. They’ve gone from a 50-year warranty to a 100-year warranty. And no, they’re not kidding. Yes sir, they’ll stand behind it until your great-great-grandchildren get through dishing-out whatever futuristic abuse they may inflict on it. Is this for real?
The company said “… we’re aware people don’t live in their homes for a 100 years …” Really? Thanks for that demographic observation.
It’s interesting that they didn’t at least increase the warranty in 10-year increments. You know, sort of sneaking up on the big 100-year claim. No, they just leap-frogged five decades and said if they’re around in 2111 (assuming anything is for that matter) you can go ahead and buy that new Bellawood flooring for your dining room with complete confidence. Talk about taking the high ground before your competition.
While it’s true with care and installed properly and under the right conditions, Bellawood would probably last until the 500th anniversary of our great nation, it just feels, well, a bit cheesy to me. But you can’t argue with success and Lumber Liquidators is all that, for sure. Watch for other hardwood flooring brands to follow suit.
And if Bellawood is worth 100 years, then thru-body porcelain tile is easily worth a millennium, don’t you think?
If you have any doubts about the overall decline in civility and respect for our institutions or authority in this country, I invite you to attend a high school graduation in a school district near you. Because if it’s anything like the ones I’ve attended for my five kids (or the college graduations, for that matter) you would be aghast. I’m not referring to the preparation of the ceremony, the quality of the speakers, or the behavior of the faculty or the students. I’m referring to many of the parents, friends and family members (roughly half by my estimate) who choose to completely disregard the polite and repeated requests of the school administrators or the sensitivities of others in attendance by screaming, chanting, hollering, or setting off air horns when their Johnny or Susie walks across the stage to receive his/her diploma.
Their behavior is at the height of selfishness and boorishness. Never mind the assault on the importance of the occasion. Forget the fact that you have been asked not to do what you’re doing. Who cares if you completely startle those sitting near you. Oh, and so what if you completely drown out hearing the next kid’s name. If challenged, I’m sure the reply would be “it’s my (son/daughter/nephew/nice/buddy), I pay my taxes, so get over it!
Rather than being scorned or embarrassed for a sudden emotional outburst of glee, it spirals into a disgusting competition — as in who can out-shout or out-cute the one before. Now the focus shifts from the graduates to attendees — an absolute travesty! We even saw a woman (presumably a mom) get into position by leaning over the balcony railing and unleashing her blood-curdling scream with nothing but sheer determination written across her face. No remorse. No self-realization of “oh my gosh, what did I just do?” Just nothing.
Sadly, this is the example being set for our best and brightest. This is the last lesson: Act like a fool, draw attention to yourself, thumb your nose at authority, think nothing of anyone else and turn a celebration of achievement into something akin to wrestle-mania.
We have been attending a high school graduation every other year for the last 10 years, and I can assure you the rudeness and nauseating behavior is getting progressively worse. I can only imagine what it will be like 10 years from now. Ear plugs anyone?
Twenty years ago, the pinnacle eavesdropping technology was the Bearcat Scanner. With it you could listen in on police and fire chatter over the radio waves. It was amazing stuff. I remember doing a photo shoot with Jack Nicklaus at his home in West Palm Beach. Jack was the spokesman for Uniden Electronics who had just purchased the Bearcat brand. When it came to doing a photo with he and his wife Barbra and a Bearcat Scanner we staged in their den, Jack declined. Why? He was simply uncomfortable with listening-in on someone else’s conversation. And besides, scanners could be used by the bad guys to monitor the good guys whereabouts, right?
Nowadays, the exciting technology is just as intrusive … even more so. It’s enough to make scanning radio traffic with a Bearcat about as sophisticated as reading smoke signals. I’m referring to social monitoring technology. With the explosive growth of social platforms, be they Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. and the popularity of blogging, marketers know that there’s a lot of talk going on about them … good and bad, online. This is valuable information because it can provide insights with regard to brand reputation, service issues and product performance that could never be gleaned from a thousand focus groups or sales reports. And it’s sitting right there for the taking! No wonder digital media and technology companies are scrambling to develop the next monitoring break-through or why companies are devoting personnel and resources to become like NSA listening posts in their ongoing war for marketshare.
In our collective zeal to win in the marketplace, has anyone out there questioned the ethics of this technology – or is that a bit old fashioned? After all, if knowledge is power then the lack of it must mean weakness. If your competitor knows what’s being said about you, shouldn’t you? Companies will even Frontier, Twitter, Fox & Friends argue this is the best way to provide its customers with better service—by listening to them (See my blog Frontier, Twitter, Fox & Friends for an example of this.) But do people really want their digital conversations monitored by big brother or should they just grow up and realize that’s the price of communication technology in the 21st century.
As a marketing guy, I’m amazed and fascinated with social monitoring tools. I say all’s fair in love, war and free enterprise. But to be totally honest, I’ve got a little voice inside questioning all the eavesdropping. It sounds a little like old Jack.
The Joneses is a movie made in 2009 around a interesting premise: “stealth marketing.” I didn’t see it until recently on Showtime. In case you’ve missed the movie, The Joneses is about a company that plants pseudo families in upscale suburban neighborhoods for the purpose of advocating its client’s brands to friends and neighbors. The company tracks the family’s (the Jones’) performance by upticks in sales, presumably within the family’s marketing
While watching the movie, it occurred to me that there was something missing: ubiquitous social media or product website references “to get more information” from the Joneses to their unsuspecting targets. Maybe that was a deliberate decision by the writer to avoid the tiresome “you should check it out online at …” with every dialog exchange. Maybe by leaving that out, the focus stayed more on personal interactions and recommendations without deferring to the heavy reliance on the web as part of the typical decision-making formula.
I suspect the time when the script was developed in 2008 played a role. Internet usage then in the U.S. was estimated at about 73%. Back then, Facebook had about 110 million users at the beginning of the year, or about 20% of its current size. Twitter had about 3 million by the fall of 2008 and was still pretty much a novelty. LinkedIn was just getting going. Perhaps these platforms weren’t part of the script because they simply hadn’t achieved the “icon” status (the paramount level of accomplishment by a stealth marketer touted in the movie) that they have today. In any event were the movie to be made in 2011, my guess is that web, social and mobile media would play a role in the story.
The Joneses is a solid movie about the excesses of brand and status worship in our materialistic society. The over-arching lesson is that genuine personal relationships and love for each other trump the love of self or for things. And given the incredible accelerated pace of communication technology, The Joneses seems like an almost quaint marketing fairy tale after only two years since its debut.
This morning on the Fox & Friends morning show, the “meanest” airlines ratings were being discussed by the hosts. Frontier Airlines was rated #3, having slipped in its baggage handling and on-time performance. Nothing unusual or remarkable there until one of the hosts quickly pointed out his recent experience.
As he recalled with amazement, he tweeted about his own complaint with Frontier and was quickly answered by the airline on Twitter to address his complaint. He was impressed and pleased with the airline’s quick response.
One of the other hosts chimed in that she needed to start tweeting more.
Moral to the story: If anyone doubts the importance and effectiveness of social media, they need to watch TV more often.
Borrowing an iconic name of a street that will forever be associated with the business of advertising, a group of entrepreneurs in south Florida are reinventing the media business, led by pros who have been there before.
I was contacted by an old boss from my Saatchi days after seeing some press I received a while back. Jim was helping start a digital media group in Boca Raton and was anxious to introduce me to it. I was intrigued by the name “Madison Ave. Media” and soon learned why.
At the helm of the company are guys who have carried mounted layouts still smelling fresh of markers and rubber cement into some of the country’s most high-powered board rooms, emerging victorious. Their leadership has been tested not in front of impersonal computer screens but in up close and personal encounters with some very demanding clients. Madison Ave. Media (and its clients) benefit from this experience because it brings with it proven marketing and advertising precepts for success — fundamentals in branding and campaigning that no amount of cutting edge technology or social media technique can overcome.
Working along side these “Mad Men” are the future marketers in our business. They probably wouldn’t know a T-square from a slide rule, but they know how to reach 250,000 DIY women in the Minneapolis MSA with a key stroke. And at Madison Ave. Media, they’re always pushing the limits and developing new ways to reach and understand those ladies in the twin cities, instinctively knowing from birth that technology waits for no one.
The winner of this combination are, of course, Madison Ave. Media clients. Whether they are ad agencies themselves who need to add the latest technology and technique to their media department’s arsenal or in house marketing departments seeking to reach their customers more efficiently or provide their retailers with the latest tools. That’s because Madison Ave. Media isn’t just another purveyor of new media as so many other firms. It’s the new, new media resource that understands the value of it all in reaching today’s elusive consumer.
And that’s why I’ve chosen to be a Madison Ave. Media Channel Partner.
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