workbook - the ultimate indestructible blueprint for maximizing sales in 2017

THE ULTIMATE INDESTRUCTIBLE BLUEPRINT FOR

MAXIMIZING SALES IN 2017

Thursday, January 12

1:00 - 4:00 PM

MEREDITH OLIVER, MASTER CSP, MIRM EVAN CARROLL, MSIS

STAN PHELPS, JD, MBA

2 2017 NAHB INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS’ SHOW®

RECOGNIZE THE ROLE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PLAYS IN THE CUSTOMER BUYING JOURNEYCX + CJ = More Sales!

CX = Customer Experience

CJ = Customer Journey

In today’s session we are going to explore how to drive more traffic, leads, and sales when you add CX + CJ into one indestructible sales and marketing blueprint.

THE CUSTOMER’S BUYING JOURNEY

1. Awareness Stage: The buyer realizes he or she has a need.

2. Consideration Stage: The buyer defines the need and researches options.

3. Decision Stage: The buyer chooses a solution.

NOTES

AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION

3THE ULTIMATE INDESTRUCTIBLE BLUEPRINT FOR MAXIMIZING SALES IN 2017

THE FAN FACTOR ™

WHEN YOUR FANS START DOING THE SELLING AND MARKETING FOR YOU!• What if we started treating our clients, buyers, customers, prospects and

online followers like FANS at a rock concert?

• What if we started calling our clients, buyers, customers, prospects, ups and followers FANS instead?

• What if we gave the FANS what they want in our online content?

• What if the FANS became the focus of our content instead of ourselves?

NOTES


WHAT IS A PURPLE GOLDFISH?

The entire premise of Purple Goldfish is that the customer must come first. Customer experience should be priority number one. It’s essential that you stop focusing all of your energy on “the two in the bush” (i.e. your prospects) and start taking better care of “the one in your hand” (i.e. your current customers).

Many of your favorite companies use Purple Goldfish, whether they use the term or not. Five Guy’s gives extra “bonus fries” in the bag and ballpark peanuts while you wait. Izzy’s Ice Cream has the little scoop or “Izzy” added to the top of each cone. Safelite unexpectedly details your car while the windshield resin dries. Nurse Next Door delivers a warm apple pie when they’ve made a mistake. All of these examples embrace the concept of G.L.U.E. or Giving Little Unexpected Extras.

NOTES


PURPLE GOLDFISH IN THE WILD

From your own experience, think of a Purple Goldfish you’ve encountered in the wild and how it aligns with the concept of G.L.U.E. Write your answers below to share with the group.

DESCRIBE A PURPLE GOLDFISH YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED:HOTEL

RESTAURANT

RETAIL

OTHER

DESCRIBE HOW YOUR PURPLE GOLDFISH ALIGNS TO THE CONCEPT OF G.L.U.E:

GIVE

LITTLE

UNEXPECTED

EXTRAS


CONVERT VISITORS INTO FANS DURING THE AWARENESS PHASE OF THE CUSTOMER JOURNEYTHE AWARENESS PHASE• I think we might need a more energy efficient house…

• I think we might need a bigger house…

• I think we might want a better school system…

In the awareness phase, the customer thinks I might have a need.

At this stage of the journey, he or she is just beginning to entertain the idea of making a change.

FANtastic Marketing utilizes The Fan Factor during the Awareness Phase to create fans BEFORE they buy.

FANtastic marketing requires:

• High quality product

• User-friendly website

• Niched, target audience

• Compelling graphics

• Powerful brand story

• Extensive digital footprint

Where do most buyer’s experience your brand during the Awareness Phase? Your website!


ON A SCALE FROM 1 – 10, WHAT IS THE UX (USER EXPERIENCE) ON YOUR WEBSITE?

Remember: Good UX is in the eye of the beholder! Your website is not about you. It’s about your fans.

The Components of Good UX:

• Usability – Can your visitors achieve their goals on your website?

• Clarity – Do your visitors understand what you sell and your USP?

• Relevancy – Does your message resonate with your target audience?

• Appealing – Is the user interface visually appealing?

• Compelling – Does your website connect with your fan’s emotions?

THE ULTIMATE HOME BUILDER USABILITY TESTCan your website visitors find a home, a community, a floor plan, an available home, or custom home portfolio in one click or less from your homepage?

0 10


FANTASTIC HOME BUILDER WEBSITE BENCHMARKS

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR WEBSITE IS FANTASTIC OR FLAWED? ANALYTICS!Set up the following Google Analytics reports to be delivered via e-mail on a monthly basis. Here are the selection sequences.

1. Audience>Overview. This report gives you an excellent big picture view of the health of your website. It measures the number of sessions, visitors, page views, average number of pages viewed per session, average session duration, bounce rate and percentage of new sessions.

2. Acquisition>All Traffic>Source Medium. This report tells you where your website traffic is coming from.

3. Behavior>Site Content>All Pages. This report provides traffic metrics on each page of your site. Learn what pages receive the most views, how long people stay on each page, the bounce rate per page, and the exit rate per page.

4. Conversions>Goals>Overview. A conversion occurs when an activity is completed from your call to action list, such as an e-mail sign-up or the submission of a request for information. This report tells you how many conversions your site has received, and even more importantly, it tells you what traffic source generated those conversions. Please note this report requires additional set-up. It does not automatically start tracking your conversions.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS INDUSTRY BENCHMARKS• Avg. Session Duration – 3:00 to 5:00 min/per visit

• Pages/Session – 1 to 1.5 pages per minute visited

• Bounce Rate – 30% to 40%

• Floor Plan Pages - :30 – 1:00 time on page

• Community Pages – 1:30 – 2:00 time on page

• Goal Conversions – 1 – 2% of Unique Users


HOW WELL DOES THE USER INTERFACE AND CONTENT ON YOUR WEBSITE DO THE FOLLOWING? • Define where you build

• Preview homes under construction

• Clearly state your pricing

• Sell your company story

• Establish your credibility

• Persuade me why your homes are better

YOUR FANS WANT VISUAL CONTENT• Photos

• Videos

• Virtual Tours

• Interactive Site Maps

• Interactive Floor Plans

• Testimonials & Reviews

ADDITIONAL ANALYTICS TOOLS• Crazy Egg

• Hotjar

• Domo

• Optimizely

• Kissmetric


CONSIDERATION— CREATE CUSTOMERS, NOT JUST TRANSACTIONSWHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE JOB?If you were to ask every sales representative in your company this question, how would they answer? Chances are good that you’d hear about generating sales. After all, that’s how they’re incentivized. While sales might be the goal, focusing on the customer means that your number one job is to create customers, not necessarily to create sales. By focusing on creating customers, sales will follow, and so will positive word-of-mouth and referrals!

WHAT CUSTOMERS EXPECT - THE THREE R’SCustomers expect a personalized, quick, and consistent experience. A recent IBM Institute for Business Value report brings this fact into sharp focus:

• 76% expect organizations to understand their individual needs. We see this as an imperative to have a Relationship with customers.

• 81% of consumers demand improved response time. We see this as being highly Responsive, by getting all of the basics right the first time.

• 68% anticipate organizations will harmonize consumer experiences. We see this as organizational Readiness to create a consistent experience throughout the entire sales process.


ARE YOU DOING THE BASICS TO RESPOND TO YOUR PROSPECT’S NEEDS? • Be on-time and “open” for scheduled meetings

• Communicate proactively with prospects, ensuring they have all of the information the need

• Listen to understand—not to respond

• Prepare for meetings in advance and know everything you can about the prospect

• Have all of the information ready and available that will help them make a decision

RESPONSIVENESS—GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

NOTES


RELATIONSHIP—BUILDING TRUST AND RAPPORT WITH PROSPECTS

“Getting to know the customer as a person is the most important thing.” — Sales Manager

WARMTH AND COMPETENCEPeople like doing business with companies and people that give them a sense of pride. Research indicates that companies need to demonstrate both warmth and competence to build a sense of pride for their customers. While competence relates to the quality of the product and your company’s ability to deliver it, warmth deals with how you make the customer feel. Your goal in sales is to build a genuine relationship with your prospects, such that they want to do business with you.

STEPS TO QUICKLY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS• Smile. It may sound simple, but smiles are contagious and you want your

prospect to know you are happy to serve them.

• Share something about yourself. Humans tend to be guarded, but by opening up yourself to your prospect, they see that you trust them and are more likely to open up to you. Once they open up, they’ll share information that may help you build a deeper relationship or show them properties or features of interest to them.

• Reinforce trust with body language. Open up vulnerable areas including your neck and navel. Don’t block these areas with your hands or arms. By not “protecting” yourself, you show your prospects that you trust them and are comfortable with them.

• Focus on them. Suspend your ego and listen. Allow them to educate you in what matters to them. Avoid focusing on yourself or what you can do for them.

• Flatter them, but only a bit. People like to be complimented, but they know when they’re being buttered up. So do so in moderation and certainly keep it appropriate.


HARMONIZE YOUR EXPERIENCEHarmony is a musical term, which is best described as the pleasant sound you hear when all of the musicians are working together. The opposite of harmony is discord, and this is what you hear when each musician is playing, but isn’t playing along with the entire group. If you’ve ever heard musicians warming up independently before a concert, you’ve heard discord.

WHAT EMOTIONS DO YOU WANT YOUR PRODUCT TO CONVEY?

WHICH TOUCHPOINTS ALLOW YOU TO REINFORCE THOSE EMOTIONS?

CREATING #FOMO

READINESS—CREATING A #FOMO-WORTHY EXPERIENCE

CREATE THE EXPERIENCE

• Unexpected

• Exclusive

• Relatable

TRIGGER SHARING

• Visual

• Simple

• Encouraged


THE FIVE INGREDIENTS OR R.U.L.E.S. OF A PURPLE GOLDFISHThere are five ingredients or R.U.L.E.S. when creating a purple goldfish:

• Relevant - it should be of value to the recipient

• Unexpected - it should “surprise and delight”

• Limited - it should be something rare, hard to find or signature to your business

• Expression - it should be a sign that you care

• Sticky - it should be memorable and talkable

TWELVE TYPES OF PURPLE GOLDFISHThere are twelve impactful ways you can provide little extras. Half of the Purple Goldfish are based on value and the remaining half dozen are based on maintenance:

VALUE MAINTENANCE#1. Throw-ins

#2. In the Bag / Out of the Box

#3. Sampling

#4. First & Last Impressions

#5. Guarantees

#6. Pay it Forward

#7. Follow-Up / Thank You

#8. Added Service

#9. Convenience

#10. Waiting

#11. Special Needs

#12. Handling Mistakes


DRIVING VALUEOf the 12 types of Purple Goldfish, six drive customer value. Each type adds a distinct “extra” for the customer and makes them feel they’ve received more than they’ve paid. Here are examples of each type of Purple Goldfish:

#1. Throw-ins – little extras that are included with your product or service. They help you stand out in a ’sea of sameness’. Southwest Airlines – ‘Bags Fly Free’ and no change fees on Southwest.

#2. In the Bag / Out of the Box – little unexpected things that are added as a surprise. Maggiano’s – order a pasta dish and Maggiano’s will pack an additional one up for you to take home on the house.

#3. Sampling – give your customer an ‘additional’ taste by offering a free ’something extra’ on the house. Bigelow Tea – order a box of tea from Bigelow and you’ll be treated to a sample of another flavor on the house.

#4. First & Last Impressions – you have two chances to make an impression. When your customer comes through the door and right before they walk out, hang up or log off. These little extras make you memorable and more importantly ‘talkable’. Hard Rock – When you check in the Hard Rock will let you sample a Gibson guitar. Check in, plug-in and rock out.

#5. Guarantees - giving your customers that ‘little extra’ pledge that you’ll stand behind your product or service. LL Bean – Leon Leonwood backs his product for a lifetime.

#6. Pay it Forward (value) – give a ‘little extra’ back to the community. Plaza Cleaners – if you are out of work and need a suit cleaned for an interview, Plaza will clean it for free.

NOTES


CREATING YOUR PURPLE GOLDFISH: VALUE Using what you learned about driving value, consider your own organization. Can you think of a Purple Goldfish you could offer for each type of value?

CONSIDERING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS, DESIGN A PURPLE GOLDFISH FOR EACH TYPE OF VALUE:

TYPE YOUR PURPLE GOLDFISH

Throw-ins

In the Bag / Out of the Box

Sampling

First & Last Impressions

Guarantees

Pay it Forward


BEING LOW MAINTENANCEOf the 12 types of Purple Goldfish, six are about being low maintenance. Each type deepens your relationship with the customer and positions your organization as easy to work with. Here are examples of each type of Purple Goldfish:

#7. Follow-Up/Thank You – make the ‘little extra’ follow up with your customer. Rite Aid follows up with a call to check on a patient.

#8. Added Service – the ‘little extra’ that’s an added unexpected service. Safelite – not only repairs or replaces your glass, but they also vacuum your car and clean your windows.

#9. Convenience – what ‘little extra’ can you add to make things easier for your customers. Amazon – Frustration free packaging that’s hassle free and good for the environment.

#10. Waiting – all customers hate to wait. If it’s inevitable, how can you do a ‘little extra’ to make it more bearable. Pacific Cafe – while you wait for your table, enjoy a glass of wine on the house.

#11. Special Needs – acknowledging that some customers have needs that require special attention. Rainforest Cafe – the restaurant caters to the needs of customer by doing a ‘little extra’ for those with food allergies.

#12. Handling Mistakes – admitting that your wrong and doing the ‘little extra’ above & beyond to make it more than right. Nurse Next Door – this nursing agency in Canada takes the idea of ‘humble pie’ literally by delivering a pie when they make a mistake.

NOTES


CREATING YOUR PURPLE GOLDFISH: MAINTENANCE Using what you learned about being low maintenance, consider your own organization. Can you think of a Purple Goldfish you could offer for each type of maintenance?

CONSIDERING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS, DESIGN A PURPLE GOLDFISH FOR EACH TYPE OF MAINTENANCE:

TYPE YOUR PURPLE GOLDFISH

Follow-Up/Thank You

Added Service

Convenience

Waiting

Special Needs

Handling Mistakes


ABOUT THE PRESENTERS MEREDITH OLIVER, MASTER CSP, [email protected] @meredithcsp

Meredith Oliver, CSP, MIRM is a sales and marketing strategist. She is the President and Creative Director of Meredith Communications, a digital marketing agency in its fifteenth year delivering digital marketing solutions for homebuilders. Meredith holds a Masters Degree in Communication Technology and is a published author of three books, “Click Power: The Proven System Home Builders Use To Drive More Traffic, Leads and Sales”, “FANtastic Marketing: Leverage Your Fan Factor, Build a Blockbuster Brand, Score New Customers, and Wipe Out the Competition” and “FANtastic Selling: The 10 Undeniable Traits of Rock Star, Top Producing, Quota Busting Salespeople.” All three books are available online and at the BuilderBooks bookstore at the Builders Show. She is a professional speaker and holds the prestigious CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation, the highest designation conferred by the National Speakers Association. She has spoken to audiences from 10 to 2,000 at prominent industry events such as the International Builders Show and National Automobile Dealers Annual Conference and Expo. Meredith is a Past President of the National Speakers Association Carolinas Chapter. She is a Past National Chair of the NAHB Institute of Residential Marketing and currently sits on the NAHB National Sales and Marketing Council Board of Governors. She is the Past Chair of the PWB Communications and Education Committee and is the current Chair of the 2017 Nationals Awards. Meredith’s accolades and awards include the 2016 NAHB PWB National Member of the Year and the 2015 Bill Molster Award for Outstanding Service & Lifetime Achievement by the NAHB National Sales and Marketing Council.


STAN PHELPS, JD/[email protected] @StanPhelpsPG

Stan Phelps, is the Founder of PurpleGoldfish.com and the Immediate Past President of the Triangle Chapter of the American Marketing Association. He is a TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, and IBM Futurist. Throughout his career Stan held many marketing leadership roles with Adidas, International Management Group, PGA of America and Synergy. He’s the author of five books: Purple Goldfish, Green Goldfish, Golden Goldfish, Blue Goldfish, and Purple Goldfish - Service Edition. Stan holds a JD/MBA from Villanova University and a Certificate in Achieving Breakthrough Service from Harvard Business School. He lives in Cary, North Carolina with his wife Jennifer and two boys Thomas and James.

EVAN CARROLL, [email protected] @evancarroll

Evan Carroll is an author, speaker, and experience architect. His career spans roles in user experience, marketing, and product management for leading agencies and technology companies. He’s the author of two technology books and has appeared in major news outlets including The New York Times, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR’s Fresh Air, The Atlantic, and Popular Science. A frequent speaker on technology, marketing, and digital culture, Evan has presented to audiences at SXSW Interactive, the Library of Congress, the Internet Archive, the American Bankers Association, the American Bar Association, the American Marketing Association, and the Direct Marketing Association, among others. Before starting Evan Carroll and Associates, Evan worked at ChannelAdvisor, an e-commerce software company that helps brands and retailers extend their reach. Previously, Evan worked at Capstrat, an award-winning communications agency in the Omnicom Group. There Evan helped technology, healthcare, and higher education clients craft their digital and traditional communications. Evan is co-author of the book, Blue Goldfish, which highlights businesses leveraging technology, data and analytics to do a “little something extra” to improve the experience for their customers. Evan holds MS and BS degrees in Information Science from UNC-Chapel Hill. He’s a past president of the Triangle American Marketing Association and is a member of the National Speakers Association.