Did You Notice How Audio Branding Impacted Your Summer Vacation?

by Johnny Gailer

The summer is drawing to an end. And, like most people, you probably took some time off to relax, spend time with family and friends, and maybe even take a vacation. And if you didn't, you probably spent the summer daydreaming about taking a vacation.

While business was probably the last thing on your mind, did you realize how the businesses you visited used audio branding to entice you to spend more money during your time off?

One of the most obvious examples of businesses using audio to manipulate your experience are cruise ships. If you've ever been on a cruise, you know that every place on the ship has its own theme: The tropical carefree pool, the fast-paced full-of-hope casino, the fun-filled kid's area, the serenity deck, the wellness spa, etc.

And as you pass through these areas on the way to your next activity, you realize the ambiance is constantly changing - and not just visually. The way you feel begins to change. You start to feel as if you're actually participating in whatever mood and activity is being displayed. What you may not realize is that mental buy-in is largely caused by music.

After you mentally commit to the atmosphere, you will begin to act exactly as the creator of the experience hopes you will. If you sit and watch the people walking through these areas you will see their faces change and the cadence of their walk change as they are impacted by the surrounding music.

And that is when they get you.

In the tropical pool setting, you hear carefree reggae music which gives you permission to let loose and assures you that "every little thing is gonna be alright." Then the drink server walks up and offers you a tropical concoction in a monkey cup carved out of a coconut that costs $15, and if you're able to pass that up you buy a beer for $8.

In the casino, they play fast-paced music at the entrance so you think you can "just play a quick game and get out." You don't realize that once inside the beat actually slows down - that's to make you feel like time is going by slower. The music is also carefully crafted to be upbeat so it soothes the impact of your loss.

In the cafeteria you hear fast, fresh, fun-themed melodies which encourage you to move through the free food faster and on to the activities.

At the art gallery, they play classical music in the background, and not just because it pairs best with the art gallery setting. It's actually because studies have shown you're more likely to buy higher priced luxury items when classical music is played in the background.

So, looking back, do you see how the restaurants, shops, malls, theme parks and resorts you visited used music to direct your actions?

As a business owner, having read this article, you may be wondering: How can I do this in my business?

Just like the music on a cruise ship, background music in your store can impact the following:

• Increase browse times in your showroom
• Move people through your counter faster during peak hours
• Increase employee productivity
• Create a brand image that sets you apart from your competitors

You can also use music as a medium to play short POP commercials inside your showroom or retail area.

If you're interested in exploring how you can use music to grow your business, or if you'd like some statistics on the impact of music in a business setting, give us a call at 888-465-3661 and ask for Johnny. We'd love to help.

"Don't Crash and Burn" - The 3 Keys to YOUR Survival In a Tough Economy

by Jimmy Harris and Kent Covington

Imagine for a moment that you’re the pilot of a small plane flying over a vast wilderness. The plane begins to lose altitude, and you realize that it’s too heavy to make it to your destination. To keep from crashing, you’ll need to get rid of any excess weight. Will you toss cargo and luggage? Or, will you instead, jettison fuel, rip out instrument panels and tear the doors off the plane? 

The answer seems obvious, doesn’t it? 

But somehow, what seems so obvious in flying an airplane gets blurry when we look at our businesses. In an effort to keep our companies from crashing, we’re tempted to jettison sales efforts (fuel); throw out marketing plans (navigational equipment); and even reduce customer service (the equivalent of taking of the doors of your jet)!

And if we make these choices, we’ll never make it across the wilderness of this economic downturn. Having said that, it is certainly both wise and necessary to reduce operational costs in a recession, so here are a few practical keys to help you make it through. 

Key #3 - Throw out the dead Weight! Yep: You definitely have to toss something. But if not sales, marketing and customer service, well, what are you going to cut? If you’re like most managers, there are probably a few things you know you could accomplish on a smaller budget, or could do without entirely. Have a third or fourth phone line you never use? Can you make it without part-timers? Could you clean the bathroom yourself? 

Try to find things to cut that will make a significant difference in your budget without running the risk of communicating weakness to your customers.  No one wants to stay on a sinking ship.   For example, (yes, we know it’s a shameless plug)  cutting your on-hold advertising service might save you a dollar or two per day, (less if you’re using our co-op program).  But losing this service would negatively affect the way your call-in customers experience your business while removing a critical communication line between you and your customers. 

Key #2 - Offer a Parachute to the (former) Customers of your failing Competitors:Don’t cut here. Expand. Think about it. Watching business dwindle is scary, but we still have a choice. We can either sit around and complain and wait till the worst is over, or we can choose to see this time for what it really is - an unprecedented opportunity to grab market share! As your competitors get gloomy and start to jettison fuel and throw out navigational equipment, someone will need to serve their remaining customers. Why not you? Get aggressive with your sales and marketing so when your competitor’s customers are sucked out the door through bad customer service, they’ll have a parachute in hand that you sent them earlier. That way, you’ll arrive on the other side of the wilderness with even more customers – and they’ll fly with you again and again! NOTE: Increasing marketing and sales efforts in a down economy is counter-intuitive and will require a lot of creative thought and work, but anyone who wants to survive this economy is going to have get aggressive and take some risks. Slash your sales and marketing efforts at your own peril. A funny thing will happen when you stop inviting people to do business with you! 

Key #1 - Bolt the Doors with Exceptional Customer Service!: Just as you should aggressively pursue new customers, if they’re smart, your competitors will begin to do the same thing. It’s time to guard your existing clients like diamonds. “Good” customer service won’t cut it anymore. “Excellent” customer service isn’t enough. You need EXCEPTIONAL service! If the level of service you provide is commensurate with what your competitors offer, you have a problem. You must do things that your competition isn’t doing. You must go farther than they are able or willing to go to serve your customers. 

For instance, if the other guys don’t offer coffee to clients when they arrive for supplies in the morning, then you should. If they do offer coffee, why not go one step further? Offer several varieties of coffee shop quality coffee, served in a large cup with a thermal sleeve and a lid, just as they would receive at Starbucks. And instead of just setting it out on a table, why not serve it to them yourself? Maybe it’s not coffee service for you. Maybe it’s something else. You know what it is, don’t you? Little things can make a big difference. And ANYTHING you can do to set yourself apart from competitors is VITAL in times like these. 

So, cut unnecessary expenses where you can, but remember that your sales efforts are the fuel of your business, your marketing efforts are your navigational equipment and customer service is what will keep your customers in YOUR aircraft for the entire flight! 

One final note: In a bad economy the two greatest enemies to survival and success are fear and inaction. So be aggressive, be creative, and be encouraged! If you outwork and outsmart your competitors now, you’ll land on the other side of the wilderness with all your passengers… and then some!

Don't Get Buried under your Huge Ginormous Snowball

by Johnny Gailer

The end of the year sits just around the corner, and for many of us that means a huge amount of work: Crunching numbers, running reports, setting budgets, creating better processes, not to mention your day-to-day responsibilities.

As you're grinding through this busy time there is one important piece of your business you should take care not to let slip through the cracks:

Marketing.

"There are only two things in a business that make money - innovation and marketing, everything else is cost." - Peter Drucker

Your marketing create the experience that makes your customers keep coming back. Marketing is the lifeblood that fuels sales, allows you to help your customers with more products, and brings new business in.

Your customers only do business with you because they like the way your business appears to them. The way customers and prospects see your business is a direct result from your marketing efforts.

If you're looking at growing your business next year, make sure you don't let your huge ginormous snowball of year-end responsibilities bury your marketing efforts.

And don't forget:

If a farmer has a bad year, that doesn't stop him from sowing seed for the next harvest."

Happy Marketing!

Event Marketing -- How To Plan An Event

No matter how large or small, every event marketing activity needs to be properly planned. While each event is different, there are some general guidelines for the way you can plan all of them. Follow these tips when you organize that special day.

1. Get a clear understanding of the purpose of the event marketing promotion.An organizational event needs to be clearly defined, in order to focus all efforts towards the desired goal. It’s important to know the significance behind the event and the anticipated outcome. For example, is it meant to create awareness, induce trial or promote sales? Analyze the actual results of the event marketing activity against these objectives.

2. Set the key deliverables for your event. How many people do you expect? What do you wish attendees to gain from the event? If it’s a regular event, are you trying to get a larger turnout than last year? The answers will help you plan things better.

3. Set your event budget. This should be a top priority. Set a strict working budget, plus have some extra money put aside in case something unexpected comes up. Keep in mind how much you are willing to spend and potential revenue generating factors, like a registration fee.

4. Select the date and location of the event. Always keep options open and visit a couple of sites before you take a decision. This will help you plan the entire event depending on the availability of room and other facilities such parking, lighting, computer and internet access etc.

5. Set up a project timeline and work backward from the date of your event marketing program. Decide deadlines for each activity, such as the first announcement of the event, preparation of promotional materials, finalization of seating arrangements, recruitment of vendors for food, entertainment, decorations… and the list goes on…….

6. Some events need special permission or licenses to host them. This could be for anything, such as permission to use recorded music, providing security or maintaining traffic control. All this should be done very much in advance, without pushing it till the last moment.

7. If you are publicizing the event then what is the medium of reaching the targeted audience? This might include distribution of pamphlets, pre-printed invitations, mail, announcements or any other media.

8. Plan for emergencies. Write down all the fire exits, and have an evacuation plan on paper ready, in case of emergency. Accidents rarely warn in advance; hence hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. It’s important to prepare a check list and follow up with vendors on regular intervals. Take time and jot down all the important points and make sure you don’t compromise on the quality in order to hack down your budget.

Hi, I am Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. Over the years I have run many successful businesses & made many mistakes on the way. I have created http://www.aykya.com to help you benefit from all I've learned on my journey. Please visit us & download our special 'Freebie of the Month' as a thank you for your visit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Akhil_Shahani

Getting the Very Best From Your People

“If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win”.

-Paul “Bear” Bryant Former University of Alabama Football Coach

What is the single greatest thing that could limit the growth of your business? What is the single greatest thing that could FUEL the growth of your business?

If you are the President of your company, the answer to both of these questions is… “you”. YOU, as the leader of your company, are the single greatest key to its success.

I was recently reminded of the importance of leadership when I read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. Good to Great is a national bestseller that revealed the lessons the author and his research team learned by studying a handful of companies that made the leap from being “good” companies to being “great” companies. Companies like Walgreens, Kroger, and Gillette, that not only achieved greatness, but sustained it. The Good to Great criteria was so stringent that only 11 companies made the cut.

So what did these companies have in common? Well, a number of things of course, but perhaps the greatest commonality was something Jim Collins referred to as “Level 5 leadership”. All of the “great” companies studied for this book had a “Level 5” leader (on a scale of 1-5) at the helm before and during their ascension to greatness.

So what is a Level 5 leader, and what separates him from, say… a “level 4” leader?

One of the most unique things about a “Level 5” leader is “a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will”, to quote Mr. Collins. They are highly driven, but they’re also quite genuinely humble. Not timid or meek, but humble.

How much do you have in common with these great leaders? Here’s a two-question test to find out:

1) Who do you blame when things go badly in your business?

A) Economic conditions

B) Luck

C) Congress

E) My employees

F) Me

2) Who gets the credit when things go well? (Use the same multiple choice answers above)

I’ll give you the answers in a moment.

Many people are quick to accept credit and even quicker to shift blame. The most exceptional thing about Level 5 leaders is that they are exactly the opposite. When things go well, they look out the window to find the reasons. When they go badly, they always look in the mirror. This is not to say that great leaders don’t hold their staff accountable, but they always start by holding themselves accountable. So as you’ve probably guessed by now, a Level 5 leader’s answer to the questions above would be: 1) F & 2) B & E.

The character and humility these leaders exhibited allowed them –and fact in drove them– to build up the people around them. There is no greater hallmark of an exceptional leader.

Shift credit, accept blame, and help others excel. That’s how Level 5 leaders do it… and it’s hard to argue with the results.

Till next time Stay Sharp!

You can learn more about “Level 5” leadership at: www.jimcollins.com/lab/level5/and you can pick up a copy of Good to Great at any bookstore or even your nearest Wal-Mart.

Hiring the Right People for Your Team, Part I: Never Underestimate the Potential of a New College Graduate

by Alli Hill

You don't always realize how difficult the hiring process can be until you're the one on the decision-making side of the desk. Before I joined the winonhold.com team, I was the HR manager for a major mass merchandise retail store, and filling jobs that required little skill and paid minimum wage or slightly better proved more challenging than I anticipated. Long story short: I quickly realized the difference between hiring people and hiring the right people.

One of my best hiring decisions was a guy named Kyle. He just graduated college about 6 months before, had zero work experience, no long-term goals, and just wanted to find a part-time job to fill in his resume. I almost didn't hire him. Within five months, Kyle had earned a pay raise and promotion to a full time leadership position, and is still enjoying his job nearly two years later.

Because of Kyle and others like him, I've learned never to underestimate the potential of a new college grad, and here's why:

• They're excited to get started somewhere. It's not always easy for a new college graduate to find work in their field of study right away. Often they find themselves in the Catch-22 of not being eligible for a job because they don't have the required experience, but can't get experience without finding a job... and so on. If you're willing to give them the chance, they'll be too enthusiastic to let you down.
   
• They tend to have a higher work ethic. Many college grads feel they have something to prove right after graduation, and they're ready to jump in with both feet and make the most of that expensive piece of paper emblazoned with their name. They tend to realize that, as the new guy with no experience, they're the low man on the totem pole, and will be much more willing to do things the way you want instead of a "seasoned" candidate who may resort to doing things the way they've always done them.
   
• They're not complacent. Most of us don't graduate college and immediately acquire the exact position and salary we desire. It's a work-in-progress for many, starting at the bottom (or close to it) and working your way up. College kids don't go to college to maintain an entry-level job for the rest of their lives: they want to further their career, and most are willing to work hard to make it happen.
   
• They want (and need) to work. Have you seen the average cost of education and expenses at a typical four-year university lately? According to CNN, Class of 2013 graduates average $35,200 in debt. Suffice it to say, figures like that put plenty of motivation on new graduates to find a good job after college. Once they find a decent job, they won't be too quick to leave it, not with a mountain of financial responsibility like that on their shoulders.

So, what else should you look for when building the right team for your business? I've got a few ideas coming your way in our next newsletter. Stay in touch!

Hiring the Right People for Your Team, Part II: Review Your Hiring Plan Now!

by Alli Hill

If you lost an employee (or two) right now, how are you prepared to fill the void?

In the ideal world, the right candidate walks through your door looking for a job at the precise moment you need to hire someone. However, for most of us, it just doesn't happen that way. Hiring requires a lot of work on your part, but having a plan in place helps make the process quicker and easier. Here are three things to consider when crafting your hiring plan:

• Know where (and how) to look. If you solely rely on candidates to walk in to your store and hand you their application, you're missing out. To get the best candidates, you have to remain proactive in the search. Posting on internet job boards may get you a large number of applicants, but will also get you the widest variety of applicants, too. This makes it more difficult and time consuming to sift through the more qualified candidates. Don't neglect college campuses, job fairs, or your own company website. Referrals from family, friends and current employees can also result in high potential candidates, so don't be afraid to ask.
  
  
• Never stop networking. If you search for quality candidates only when you need to hire someone, you limit the opportunities for job seekers to learn about your company. Maybe you don't have a position open right now, but the more you network the greater chance you have of coming across good candidates that will look for future opportunities with you. Set up a booth at local job fairs, add connections on LinkedIn, or keep in touch with candidates who may have potential with your company in the future.
  
  
• Know your current staffing needs. It's not always enough to find someone competent enough to do the job. Consider what qualities and strengths a candidate needs to plug in to your current employee ecosystem, aside from their ability to handle the job. Do you currently have any weak areas that could use a boost? Would a certain personality type contribute to or upset the work environment? Figure out the most important areas for a new hire to fit in, and work from there.

Remember, some things are just out of your hands, like when a good employee leaves for another opportunity you just can't compete with, or when it's in your company's best interest to dismiss a dishonest or poor-performing team member. So keep your focus on the things you can control, like your hiring plan, and stay prepared for whatever comes your way. One day, you'll be glad you did.

On a personal note, I am heading out of the office for a while to welcome my new daughter to the world. See you in August!

How Important is Audio Branding? 5 Out of 6 Top Companies Use winonhold.com!

by Jimmy Harris

Have you ever thought about how important your "Audio Brand" is?

It's really, really important because of the scientifically proven fact that people remember what they hear much better than what they see, or read. Don't believe me? Big companies spend billions on getting you to identify them with a sound or phrase you've heard over and over.

Take, for example, the Intel logo. I'll bet you can hear the bongs. No? Click here to hear it. Remember the sound of "Have a Coke and a Smile"... what about "Allstate" ... Can you hear the rich baritone voice saying it?

Here's a quick and easy test from very old advertising. If you're younger than 25 or 30 you may not remember these... but I'm guessing everyone will get the first two.(Answers below)

1. "Plop plop, fizz fizz ___ _____ _ _______ __ __!" What's the product?

2. "We'll keep the _______ on for you." What business is this?

3. "Marlboro tastes good like... like _ _________ ______." Finish the sentence.

If you didn't get that last one, don't feel bad. The last time it legally aired on radio or television was January of 1970! But anyone over the age of about 54 or 55 finished it word for word. You may not even be a smoker, but the advertisers knew if they could get the sound in your head, it would stick. And if you did remember it, let me ask you this: Marlboro spent millions this last year on print advertising (magazines, posters, billboards, etc) - Any idea what their campaign was?

Yeah... me neither.

And that's exactly why radio commercials for cigarettes and alcohol were made illegal way back in 1970. They knew then what many companies are just now discovering.

Audio Branding Works.

Smart and successful companies know this and use it to their advantage. And speaking of successful companies...

Congratulations to Prisco Panza, Chris Lopez, Vince Brown, Carl Long, Stan Bippen and Jeff Kroeker for being selected as "Company of the Year" for 2014 in their industry segments. As a business owner myself, I know you don't rise to the top by accident. It took a lot of hard work, and a ton of great decision making to earn this kind of honor.

And guess what we also noticed? Five of the six companies I just listed are usingwinonhold.com to brand their companies! We'd love to help your company do the same!

ANSWERS: 1)...Oh What a Relief it is! (Alka Seltzer), 2)"light" (Motel 6), and 3) ... a cigarette should."