Customer Engagement at the POS – POP That Rocks

Last week, Diane Longoria, Pointsmith’s Director of Marketing vlogged on the importance the first 10-12 feet inside the entrance of a retail environment through effectively creating a decompression zone. This week I’ll move further into the retail store and look at one of the last touch points a retailer has with the customer: the point-of-sale (POS). http://www.pointsmith.com/blog/customer-engagement-pop-that-rocks/

Transparency in Engagement Marketing, Part 2

Last week, we partially defined engagement marketing and covered some examples of quick service restaurants and a convenience store chain that put it into practice.  This week we’ll look at a few more examples of how this strategy has worked well for others.  To further define engagement marketing Greg Ippolito, Creative Director of the engagement marketing agency; Annodyne, argues that traditional top-down marketing results, largely, in the production and communication of white noise. Whereas engagement marketing assumes a different approach:

“Think of a salesperson who walks up to you in a store. You tell him thanks, you’re okay, you’re just looking.  But he hovers and looms, finds a way to insert himself into your activity, and is a general annoyance. That’s what typical marketing feels like: intrusive and disruptive.  Engagement Marketing is the opposite. It’s a salesperson who hangs back and engages you if/when you need help. Who can sense what you want to do, and help you arrive at that decision.”  “Engagement Marketing done well, means connecting with audiences who want to hear from you, in relevant, meaningful, interesting ways.”

Domino’s used the power of engagement when in 2010 they reinvented themselves as they made public focus group comments about their pizzas. “Worst excuse for pizza I’ve ever had!”, “the sauce tastes like ketchup” and “totally void of flavor” were some of the comments they made public. Domino’s used these comments as a rallying cry when their CEO, Patrick Doyle stated; “You can either use negative comments to get you down or you can use them to excite you and energize your process and make it a better pizza, we chose the latter.” Everybody in this [headquarters] building, our job is to figure out how to best support them so that we reduce the time and energy that it takes to get done what they need to get done." Source 

Another form of practicing transparency in engagement marketing has been used by an industry as a whole.  Last fall the convenience store industry had a segment on the History Channels Modern Marvels series on convenience stores  In this fascinating piece, viewers were shown the behind the scenes of the convenience store industry.  We see not only the “c-store” industry history but also how the floor plan is methodically planned to optimize revenue in several “zones”.  Take a look at this and you’ll see how even handles on coolers are placed on either the left or right side of the cooler to direct traffic through other profitable c-store zones.

Engagement marketing works well for several reasons, these three being among them:

1.     As is highlighted in the Modern Marvels c-store segment, consumers like to think that they have the inside scoop on what really goes on behind the scenes. This satisfies the sense of curiosity that is indwelt in in all of us

2.     It has a tremendous positive effect on store level employees. What store employee doesn’t want to see his boss get his hands dirty and to have him or her show humility on national television?

3.     Third, it gives “the boss” great ideas to take back to corporate which he or she can then implement. This comes full circle when it is brought back to the store level.

Are you practicing engagement marketing with your consumer and store employees?  What best practices have you put in place, which have had a positive impact on sales, perception in the marketplace and on store employees? 

Why I Am a Member of the AMA Atlanta Chapter

Norwegian Marketing Professor Johan Arndt once said: “Informal conversation is probably the oldest mechanism by which opinions on products and brands are developed, expressed, and spread.” Professor Arndt knew the value of casual conversations and in my words, networking. 

Just like many of you, early on in my career I learned the value of networking.  I attended many industry social gatherings which often led to stronger relationships with my peers and clients.  A conversation which started out as a casual one led to engaging and spirited conversations about personal matters, business and brands.  Those conversations led to stronger relationships and opportunities to speak at industry functions and serve on industry committees.  These in turn led to increased awareness of my company and personal brand. 

In the last year, the AMA Atlanta chapter has been the best opportunity I have had to develop and build relationships within the Atlanta marketing community.  Keep in mind, I reside in the remote, southwestern Atlanta “suburb” of Houston, Texas.  Why Atlanta AMA when my own city has an AMA chapter?  There are two reasons.  One is because Atlanta is where a good chunk of my target market is and secondly, because of the professional relationships that have been developed, I have personal connection to several of the members.   To expand on the second reason, I have found it easy to stay involved in the chapter because AMA Atlanta has taken a multi-channel approach in promoting its activities and events through their social media efforts via Twitter and Facebook and online via the AMA Atlanta website and their Linked in group. Without question though, my favorite part about being a member is through their many opportunities to personally get to know others through the events that they host each month.  Monthly chapter signature lunches provide an opportunity to network prior to the lunch and are always packed with great content from the guest speaker.  Each time I attend, I walk away with a bounce in my step and have a notepad full of new marketing ideas, and a pocket full of business cards.  The signature lunch speakers are always incredible. Where else can you take just a lunch hour out of your day and hear premier speakers such as Hala Moddelmog, President of Arby’s and Kat Cole, President of Cinnabon.  Their marketing knowledge, experience, practical ideas and personal motivations have been a tremendous source of inspiration for me.  The luncheons are only part of the events and activities planned for the chapter.  Please review the AMA Atlanta events page for additional opportunities to connect.

As you read this, I would imagine that you are faced with the same pressures and time constraints that I have.  You may find yourself thinking, that you don’t have time to be involved in extracurricular activities such as this.  If this is the case, I’d really ask you to consider well Professor Arndt’s above quote and dwell for a moment on your own experiences and how you have grown by leaps and bounds by personally connecting to peers and clients.  I personally endorse the AMA Atlanta chapter.  Isn’t it time for you to get involved? 

Are You Kidding?

In the not too distant past, when my wife and I were headed out the door on date night, my boys who were at the time, ages 7,5 and 3 asked where we were going.  ”We’re going on a date  to a restaurant!”  “We want to come too,” they said in unison.  Thinking about it for a second and not wanting to spoil the alone time with my wife, I attempted to convince them that they wouldn’t enjoy this kind of restaurant.   “Well guys, I don’t think you’d like this restaurant. You see it rant doesn’t have a play area like at McDonalds, in fact you might even find it boring.  Mom and dad are going out to eat and all we plan to do is just sit and talk most of the time and not even go near a play area,” I said. “No play area? What kind of a restaurant has no play area (?), they responded”  And with that, we were out the door, free to enjoy a leisurely dinner at a restaurant with no play area.

This story was recently brought to mind when I read an article by Out to Eat With Kids founder and CEO, Jennifer Bilbro titled: Tips on creating a kid-friendly restaurant . In this article Jennifer does a great job of outlining some tips on what restaurants should do to make their restaurants not only kid friendly, but parent and adult friendly as well, including the “must have” for kid friendly restaurants, crayons and teaching kids to be responsible with them.  A.D.D. moment:  Am I the only adult “kid” who often colors with those crayons that are intended for kids?

Red Robin

As an experienced father-diner, I thought I’d expand on the fun aspect of kid friendly restaurant tips with my own ideas.

What unique things does the restaurant provide that engage the kids? 

Once when my family and I were at a Carrabba’s Italian Grill, the waiter noticed that we had three kids dining with us and brought over three lumps of pizza dough and asked them to treat it as if it were clay and mold it into a toy.  One made a car, one an airplane and one a spilled coffee cup. (Not really on that last one but it would remind him of his dad.)  After our boys were finished, the waiter took them off to the kitchen, baked them and then brought them out.  Often after this experience, I drove by that restaurant, I thought about how well they engaged their customers, even the non-paying ones.  Our boys also remembered the experience, and never commented that it was boring because it didn’t have a play area. 

Chick-fil-A is masters of being kid friendly.  Their iconic cow exudes fun every day as does their family-friendly atmosphere.  In addition to this, they are masters of local area marketing events where they sponsor school events, concerts and kid oriented community events.   Their annual Cow Appreciation Day, is an opportunity for kids and adults to get a little wacky and dress up as a cow for a free Chick-fil-A meal.  This is also a great way for them to build on tradition.

In my opinion, no restaurant provides a more kid-friendly restaurant than McDonalds.  They are the originator of the Happy Meal,  the aforementioned play area and even though he is semi-retired, Ronald McDonald and  his side kicks, Mayor McCheese, Hamburglar and Grimace.

What are your favorite kid-friendly restaurants and what have they done to not only win your kids over but adults as well?