My Passion for Marketing

Customer Loyalty and rewards programs are everywhere, in the airline industry, clothing retailers, book stores and even casinos. Companies want to "give back", no matter how big or small reward.

Not all rewards programs are created equal.

Being a marketer and a consumer, I dissect these rewards programs from two different perspectives.

As a consumer, I am pleasantly blown away about the rewards programs from such retailers as Borders Book Stores and Bob's Stores.

As a marketer, I see how their offers and coupons will drive consumers to their store and/or website.

Sometimes these offers are too good to pass on.

Borders and Bob's does it right. They reward their customers without inconveniencing them.

Who wants a reward if it's a hassle right? How rewarding is that?

Borders does not charge a fee like their competitors Barnes and Noble. Why would I pay $25 annually to B&N when I can get the same or better deals with Borders Rewards for free?

No brainer if you ask me.

No cost. No card. No hassle. Their marketing campaign says it all.

When I get one of their incredible 40% coupons, I almost feel guilty not using it. What's also great, you can use this coupon on ANY book. Not just the pick of the month or on a children's book.

If I want to buy a social marketing book such as Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck or When The Game Was Ours about Magic and Larry Bird, I can with zero hassle or stipulations.

When I make a purchase, I want to do it with a few clicks of the mouse and be done with it.

Borders allows you to shop with ease and feel like a valued customer at the same time.

Sometimes when you have to beat the big boy on your block, you have to outsmart him and Borders did.
Sorry Barnes and Noble.

I found a new "book interest."

They like me for me not for the $25 in my wallet.

Kudos to my new book flame, Borders.

Bob's Stores, a clothing retailer located in New England, is my other rewards program pick.

Just like Borders, they do it right.

No fees. No hassles. Just value to the customer.

I get showered like a kid at Christmas with $10 coupons off anything.

Yes that's right, anything.

Sales items. Clearance. Brand names like Nike and Adidas.

Pssst%u2026.if you buy something for $10 and use the coupon%u2026.you get for FREE!

How can you beat that?

You earn a point for every dollar you spend. At 200 points, you get a $10 coupon.

I must admit, I don't spend nearly that much, but I seem to get a coupon on a monthly basis.

Who am I to complain?

Bob's doesn't stop there however!

They have sales galore. They send you OTHER coupons that you can mix and match.

You can have $200 worth of clothes and end up only paying about $100.

You are probably asking yourself, where do I sign up?

Well here you go: Bob's Rewards.

Their marketing campaign is as simple and straight forward as Borders.

Go shopping and get rewarded.

Hey, I am a guy and I love shopping here!

Granted, I pretty much know what I want.

I go in, go out, and get out of Dodge.

Can't say the same about my girlfriend (I love you baby!).

Rewards and loyalty programs need to be hassle free and rewarding.

I don't want to be haggling with a sales clerk or stuck on hold trying to figure out why I didn't get my points or discount.

Listen up to all.

All you hotels, airlines, retailers, and other businesses that have rewards/loyalty programs, do me a favor, read what I just wrote.

Make your customers happy and reward them hassle free.

The economy isn't that great as we all know and the consumer is going to get the most bang for his/her valuable buck!

Two months ago, I was asked by a former business associate to contribute to some sports history websites (http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/ and http://sportsthenandnow.com/) that he was launching. He asked me because he knew I was very passionate about Boston Sports especially the Bruins and the Patriots.

People always tell me that things happen for a reason.

I was a casualty of financial cuts at my last job, so I have some free time between job hunting excursions. The opportunity presented to me allowed me to tap into some of my passion; marketing, sports, and writing. I starting blogging about 5 years ago about some of my dating experiences and my friends loved them.

With this confidence from my friends, I decided to take a crack at writing about Boston sports from today and from my past memories. I now contribute to Boston Sports Then and Now, Root Zoo, and TruFan as a featured blogger.

I guess people really like what I do. There is nothing like getting your work recognized by others. It's a great feeling of gratification to get comments on my blogs. No matter if it's positive or negative; it shows that I am making my footprint in the Blogosphere!

You can write the best content in the world, but how do you get those fingers to click on your site?

It's all about Web 2.0 marketing.

I am self proclaimed disciple of David Meerman Scott. I took a class he taught based on his best selling book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR. I was hooked.

I tried to implement these tactics in my job at my former employer. The company was set in their ways and didn't believe in web marketing. The website was antiquated and the company relied solely on word of mouth and networking.

They always would say "Everyone Knows Us". Well, everyone knows Coca Cola and McDonald's too, but they advertise.

I was able to sprinkle in some Web 2.0 in the small marketing mix that we had. I added Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube mediums to showcase our technology and sports projects. Everyone loved the exposure and presentation of these newly adopted tactics.

I was not able to see all these tactics and the newly overhauled website come to fruition. However, I have free reign with Boston Sport Then and Now. My partner is open to all my ideas and believes in the power of social media as well.

It is key to have your colleagues in your back pocket and listen to your ideas. If companies continue to be set in their "ways", they are going to fall behind their competitors who are already on the Web 2.0 express.

My partner and I were faced with the challenge on how to build viewership for our family of websites in Boston, Chicago, Baltimore and Nationally. We have good content. Our writers are always sharing great stories of sports topics from today and tales from yesteryear.

How do we get the word out though?

Web 2.0 social marketing is the answer.

Social bookmarking such as Stumbleupon and Digg are the top sites right now. Readers are able to share web sites that they find interesting and want to spread the word about.

Boston Sports Then and Now has had hundreds of hits for articles that have been posted on Stumbleupon. It really works.

For every new article/blog that is posted, I do the following:

1. Tweet the link of the story(I implemented a Twitter account, bossprtsthennow, that has over 50 followers in less that two months)
2. I promote the story on my facebook and facebook pages that are major players in local sports media(i.e. Comcast Sports Net, WEEI, NESN, 98.5 Sports Hub)
3. The blog is then bookmarked on sites such as Stumbleupon, Digg, Ballhype, and Yardbarker which are great sources for sports content.
4. I post the blog on Trufan.com and Rootzoo.com with my website's URL.
5. I monitor Twitter for related sports stories about the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, and Celtics. I then comment on these blogs with a back link to my site.

All of these tactics build not only viewership for our sites but also back links which gives us a higher rank in Google. To complete all these tasks for each blog entry, it only takes me about 30 minutes and its well worth it.

Boston Sports Then and Now is now averaging about 400 hits and about 200 unique users a day.

Not too shabby for being on the World Wide Web for about 2 months!

My passion for marketing is flowing like a raging river and I love it. We are now in the midst of tweaking the brand/image of the sites. We are also exploring companies for advertising opportunities and brainstorming about contests.

The sky is the limit and there is no ceiling for how successful these sites will become. I want to thank Dean for the opportunity in getting me involved. It has kept me busy during my downtime; it has kept my mind fresh and active, and allows me to continue to build my marketing skills.

I still eat, drink, and sleep marketing.

I continue to better myself.

My passion continues to grow.

Remember the old saying, "The customer is always right!" I think that saying is as outdated as tight rolling or pegging your pants, wearing a jean jacket with Rock patches on it, or sporting the "Flock of Seagulls" haircut. The day of the customer is dead folks.

Most major companies are content with building their empires and databases than making their customers happy. Case in point, my latest issues I had with Sprint regarding my cell phone.

The first deception was when I bought a new phone at a Sprint kiosk at a mall. This is probably my fault. You should never by anything from a cart in a mall unless it's a calendar. The rep is by him/her. They are trying to do a million things at the same. The rep doesn't do a few things well rather allot of things okay.

I was a Nextel customer when the two companies merged. I was content with my phone but I decided to switch over to Sprint when my girlfriend did. My friends recommended a new Samsung phone they got.

My girlfriend and I looked at the phone and asked the rep a few questions. Keep in mind, the rep was helping three people at once. I am not even sure if he hears half of what I said.

I asked does the phone have a long battery life. He said yes as he was ringing up another customer. I asked if my plan will stay the same. He nodded. I had a funny feeling about this whole transaction, but I believe there is good in all people.

The phone was good for a bit but the battery would drain after one or two calls. My plan was screwed up and I was not happy when I got my bill.

I had a Blackberry through work, so I dealt with the phone's downfalls. Then it happened. I got laid off. Blackberry.....bye...bye.

I now needed to rely on this excuse of a phone to get messages for potential jobs.

I had a QA rep from Sprint call me asking me how I liked my service. I said the service was fine but I was not too happy about the.....the call dropped. The rep never called me back. If you call me and ask how my experience is, you better call me back if the call disconnects.

I wanted to upgrade my phone. However, every Sprint, Best Buy or The Shack rep told me that I couldn't upgrade for six more months. Okay let me get this straight. A new customer can sign up and get a phone for free or for $25. I have been a customer for 6 years and I need to wait or pay $200-$300 for a new phone?

Old customers don't matter to Sprint. They rather acquire dozens of new ones.

I bit the bullet and decided to wait. With no job, I couldn't afford to shell hundreds of dollars out for a new phone.

Then another problem. My voicemail didn't work. I could not go without voicemail especially during my jobless situation.

I got a rep at Sprint after being transferred 3 times. He diagnosed my voicemail issue by saying that it "Fell out of the database." How does that happen? I was at wit's end.

I have learned in my experience as a customer service rep that yelling will not help. Just talk calmly, but express that you are extremely disappointed. Avoid confrontation and aggression.

After expressing my discontent to the rep and his manager, they offered to give me the phone of my choice for free. I was like wow! How nice is this!??! Sprint is stepping up for me!

They told me to pick out a phone and they will call me back in an hour. They called as promised and I chose the Blackberry that I previously had through my former employer. The rep also asked me if I wanted to extend my contract. I said "If the phone gets to me, sure!" The customer may be right finally? Squeaky wheel gets the grease! Hmmm.....

It was now Wednesday and no phone. Thursday passed and Friday came and gone. I called Sprint and after getting transferred just twice this time, the rep told me that no order was put in for a Blackberry. My blood pressure was rising like a hot lava flow from an active volcano.

I told the rep as I tried to keep my cool, either I get the phone or you nullify my contract extension and I am going to Verizon when my contract expires. He said that he could not authorize a free Blackberry. He told me that he would pass this over to his supervisor and she would call me back.

A whole day passed and nothing. If you don't call back a customer within 24 hours, you are going to do alot more harm than good. The customer feels they are not important as I did.

The next rep I got on Saturday was great! She listened to my grips and discontent. She apologized and told me that no call back was inexcusable. She made sure the order would be processed and I would get my phone by mid-week.

The phone arrived on Tuesday as promised, so did another one. Sprint couldn't even get that right.

They wanted me to arrange for the duplicate phone to get shipped back. I had to set up a time with UPS. If I did not, Sprint would charge me for it! Wow, what a fiasco!

I did get my free Blackberry after multiple calls and multiple letdowns. Sprint saved me as a customer, but it could have been handled a lot more smoothly and professionally.

Large companies need to take care of all their customers new AND old. If a customer feels slighted, they will go to competition. As we all know, cell providers are a dime a dozen.

In this social media age, people can trade stories and exchange feedback about any company. Blogs are the new word of mouth. Companies need to be more sensitive to all their customers' needs or they will hear about it.

Thanks for the Blackberry but not the headache.

All I have to say is WOW! T.O. tweeting about the Buffalo Bills draft pick signing before Adam Schefter from ESPN reported it. OchoCinco tweeting about his FG kick and kick off against New England, literally right after the game probably within seconds (Who knows, he may have had a waterproof IPhone in the shower). I had a bad case of insomnia last night, so I tuned into Ocho video streaming from the Bengals team plane! Great content, especially Ocho's commentary about the Panini he was eating (HBO's Hard Knocks must love this guy). It's rubbernecking at its finest, sometimes you just gotta look!

We are in the rubber age of social media! You just turn your head one way and see Larry Fitzgerald talking about practice in preparation for his game against the Bolts. You turn another and there is Maurice Jones Drew tweeting about his son being faster than Usain Bolt. Sensory Overload! My Twitbin is scrolling faster than the marquee in Times Square. Twitbin is a great application for Firefox that allows you to monitor your tweeting friends in a window on your browser. It could be the best or worst thing ever created. It all depends how you use it! You thought Guitar Hero or Rock Band messed your eyes up!

Since I have been laid off from my job, I have immersed myself in social mediums such as the aforementioned Twitter, FaceBook, Digg, Ball Hype, and blogging on such sites as Boston Sports Then and Now (I recommend checking out the Cup of Joe blogs) and Trufan.com. The power of social media is immeasurable. I can literally post my blog on dozens of sites with the click of a mouse. I can Digg or Ballhype these posts so my rankings on Google will be higher. I tweet my site's newest stories at bossprtsthennow in seconds and have formed a Facebook fan site. This all can be done in about 1-2 hours a day (considering I have free time between job hunting excursions).

Being a marketer by trade, these technologies intrigue me, puzzle me, scare me, and excite me all at the same time. I am excited to use these tactics to build awareness and fanfare for the sites I market or the blogs I passionately write. I am scared and sometimes disturbed about all of the information that is divulged and shared by people. A NY Knicks player is tweeting about his arrest? Are you kidding me? Commissioner Goodell banning NFL players from tweeting on the sidelines during the games. This makes Spygate look pretty harmless now doesn't it? Do we have to confiscate all of the players Blackberries and IPhones before a game?

Technology has changed our lives and the sports we love. Social Media back in the days of Ted Williams, Larry Bird, and Bobby Orr was an off color comment in an interview or a picture of them smoking or drinking. Everything else was pretty much behind closed doors unless it got leaked out. There is no shield anymore including athletes who did something politically incorrect because their face and name will be up on YouTube or Tweeter before the 11 o'clock news. Play hard. Play Smart. Tweet Smart.

Joe Gill is a resident blogger for Boston Sports Then and Now and TruFan.com

The same can be said for a marketing department. Tradeshow assets are in shambles. Databases are not accurate and centralized. Dependable vendors are not in place. This is also the time to roll up your sleeves.

In my last two jobs, this was definitely the case. I spend weeks and months streamlining and cleaning up marketing departments that had no rhyme or reason. In one case, the marketing department was moved from Florida and arrived in cardboard boxes. The tradeshow equipment was damaged or outdated. The budget historicals were inaccurate and marketing files were littered all over the server.

I spent the first few months conducting inventory on tradeshow equipment and replacing the old with the new. I constructed a folder system on my laptop/server so all marketing historicals and files could be found by the click of a mouse. There was no one to train me, so I had to make due on my own. It was a one man show.

Both companies, had no one to show me the ropes. I had minimal training and guidance. I taught myself. I constructed my own systems. I read up on product information. I got familiar with the products and competitors in the space.

The bottom line is the company wants you perform and perform well. No excuses. They don't care if they gave you the marble; they expect you to build Rome.

I planned the tradeshows. Ordered equipment. Set up logistics and even loaded the show equipment myself.

I learned CRM software. I constructed accurate and centralized databases.

I put together media libraries. I accumulated videos and pictures which were used for collateral.

I implemented Web 2.0 tactics such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

I maintained accurate budgets when past historicals were inaccurate.

I surrounded myself with dependable vendors, partners, and colleagues.

I adapted to my environment and you have to as well. These are the golden opportunities that you can't pass up. You may get frustrated and think no one cares. However, if you can leave a job and say the department is in better shape than when you arrived, that's pretty gratifying.

I am now seeking another fixer upper to make into a marketing mansion.

As I enter my second week of unemployment, I am trying to keep busy and to better myself. I am starting to pick up on my reading and trying to learn as much as I can. A little OFF the job training, if you will. Never let the passion die.

I am now reading David Meerman Scott's World Wide Rave. This is a fantastic read regarding how to create a buzz my using Marketing 2.0 tactics. No bait and switch tactics here, these are all home grown ideas and rich content. It's all about what your customers need and want. It's not about what you think they need or want.

Books such as this and David's other book, New Rules of Marketing and PR have inspired me to become a better marketer. I have incorporated these newly adopted tactics in my career and on side projects. At my last job, I started the company's Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube pages. I helped launch a site for a friend and introduced him to Google adwords. I also scripted and filmed promotional videos which have been posted on YouTube(see an example below). The website is doing quite well now even though I no longer contribute to it. However, it's quite satisfying to see something you help get off the ground become successful.

I also have just recently been approached by a former partner, to blog for and help promote, Boston Sports Then and Now. I couldn't be more excited! Be sure to check out my weekly contribution, "Cup Of Joe". This project combines my passions for marketing and sports all in one. This is yet another fledgling website that I am trying to launch into the Sports Stratosphere. Being a discipline of the New Rules of Marketing and PR, I am chomping at the bit to make this site a New England Wide Rave.

Being laid off by your former employer, can be a blessing in disguise. You have 2 choices, feel bad for yourself or feel bad for them for letting such an asset go. I will take the latter, thank you very much. I have had ups and downs in my life/career and have refused NOT to come up on top. When life throws you curves, you may swing and miss, but eventually you will drill that ball over the fence. Keep the passion alive.

I just got laid off for the second time in my career. Having been the second time doesn't make it much easier but it does a little bit. You have been down this road mentally before. However, the shock isn't as bad. The real shock is the economy is in a bad state of affairs and you may be out of work for a long time, but...

You have to keep the faith. Unless you got let go for job performance, it wasn't you. Does that soften the blow, well not really. In my recent situation, it was a numbers game. However, the overwhelming outpouring of support from my colleagues, partners, and clients reinforced that I made my mark and I gave my all. For my confidence, it was a needed jolt. Now it's time to dust myself off and get back on the horse.

The networking has begun. It is time to market myself. I am now the software I helped to promote to the sports market. I am the scientific lab equipment, I showcased to Chemistry grad students. I present benefits to a prospective company, now I need to promote them.

Your resume is your spec sheet. It shows what you do or have done. However, you need to show your prospective client what you can do. That's why I have done things such as this blog. My Passion for Marketing is real. I eat, breathe, and sleep marketing. I dissect commercials and websites that I come across. I ask why they did this or that? How could have they portrayed their company/product better?

I have helped friends launch websites and filmed promotional videos that are on YouTube. I have been approached about blogging for a regional sports fan site. I have dabbled in affiliate marketing and made some extra pocket change. These are things that get my creative juices flowing. It is my fuel. It's what keeps me going especially during tough times.

I am student of David Merman Scott. I am a firm believer in Web Marketing 2.0. The powers of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are being felt globally. Society is so fast paced, all we have time for are quick blurbs. We want information and we want it now with no added white noise. How will your company and it's products help me? Game. Set. Match. If you don't grab your prospect's attention in 5 seconds, they are on to the next website, blog, or video.

I am trying to grab your attention in 5 seconds about me. I am dedicated and passionate about what I do. My expertise is in tradeshow/event marketing. Tradeshows. check. Users Conferences. check. Consumer promotional events. check. Attention to detail and organizational skills are my greatest assets and translate to my body of work.

You still there? Good. As you have read, I am very well rounded. Event Marketing. Social Marketing. MARCOM. Sales. Customer Service. I have been at the front gates of the buyer cycle. In my career, I have promoted, sold, and supported products in both B2B and B2C markets. In my free time, I haved marketed and promoted products for friends and myself. Now that I have more free time than I would like. I am marketing and promoting myself. You sold yet?

Thanks for your time and feel free to request my spec sheet(resume).

I have never done a full blown marketing plan before so I was thrown right into the fire. With guidance from my boss(now my former boss, he has transitioned to a new role), I embarked on my marketing plan writing crusade. It started back in July and finished up this past week with my 3rd version being sent to my new boss.

I have learned a lot in these last 4 months. Marketing plans should not be robotic. It should not say do Tactic A to achieve B. It needs to grab the reader by the ears just like any good story or novel. The result is not having them buy your next book but buy into your "plan".

Your "plan" should be a story. It needs to engage the reader. If it doesn't, your colleagues will move on to the next thing. It must illustrate what you have done and with what. I told the story of building a YouTube channel and Flickr photostream on a shoe string budget. It shows I took initiative and achieved some goals. The goals in this case, was to gain more web exposure and better our SEO on Google and Yahoo. This tactic has achieved both and it only cost about $200. Mission accomplished.

It is all about telling your experiences and achievements from the past year. The reader needs to get in your shoes and see what challenges you faced. If your reader can say that you did all you could with what you had, you performed your job to the best of your ability. You didn't bellyache because your budget was small, you made due with what you had.

Seeing this all on paper in the form of a "work diary", your reader will be excited and enticed to see what you have in store for the next year. Its not all about plans, its about experiences and achievements. Its your body of work that speaks volumes!

Nothing like being a marketing manager of a company that lets you bring in your own ideas. It doesn't hurt that your boss is from the new school of thought and actually promotes your growth!

One of the many tactics I began to employ was email marketing. At the beginning of my tenure, my company just used email blasts through outlook by entering contacts in the BCC field. Ok, this tactic is saying to your customers, "We aren't serious about winning your business!"

I would never buy from a company if they can't invest money in a domain name or an effective email marketing system. You smell like Spam unless your emails look professional and actually target your customer's needs. The folks on the other side of that computer screen will give your email as much chance as a snowball in a volcano unless it piques their interest!

It's all about messaging and appearance! Your email subject line must be targeted and interesting. The reader must feel compelled to take 3 seconds out of their busy day to open the email. Once they open the email you only have a few more seconds to grab their attention or POOF! They are like a David Ortiz home run, long gone and hard to find!

My friend Anthony turned me on to an email service called Constant Contact a few years ago. I tried to use it at my previous job but the old boys club who only believed in old school marketing, derailed my efforts. However, my current job embraces the initiative.

This service is superb. It is extremely user friendly and ANYONE who is computer literate can use it. You can compose emails with the various templates offered. Want to drop in a picture? Click! Click! Done! Change a color? Click! Done! It doesn't get easier than this.

Importing contacts is just a matter of cutting and pasting. You can have various contact lists for different marketing campaigns. This service also allows you to scrub bad addresses after each email blast. One of the biggest downfalls in email marketing is all the "dead wood" that rots in your database. Constant Contact does all the dirty work for you!

The most important and valuable component of this service is the reporting. You can see who opens your email and when. It will also report on the number of clicks for each link embedded in your email.

People it's all about return on investment. In marketing it's all about the mighty dollar and if you have the stats to back up your ideas, you will live to see another day. Constant Contact helps you validate all your email marketing efforts.

I use this service to send out invites for tradeshows, internal emails to our employees, and of course targeted marketing campaigns. If you are a small company or a large company with a small budget, a service like Constant Contact is a must. Give it a whirl! You will be hooked!

http://www.site.thegooknows.com/EMAIL_MARKETING_WITH_EASE.html

Being in marketing and customer service a majority of my career, there is one rule I live by, make people feel WARM and FUZZY! There are too many people in business that just do enough to get by. They seldom put in extra time at their job or do those special things that make their customers feel all WARM and FUZZY!

The Rule of Warm and Fuzzy is going that EXTRA MILE for your client who in turn makes them feel one or a combo of the following ways:

1. Wow that company....really values by business.
2. Wow that company....considers me a person and even a friend not just a dollar sign.
3. Wow that company....will be the first place I contact for similar products.
4. Wow that company....will be the first I refer my friends or family to.
5. Wow that company...sent me a "You're welcome" gift.

I have been on both sides of the Warm and Fuzzy Fence. I had 2 experiences in the last 2 weeks being on the customer side of the warm and fuzzy great divide. One good and one not so much.

Ok first the good...I traveled up to Vermont this past weekend for getaway. We stayed at a hotel that starts with an "S". I have received a multitude of points for my event planning over this past year. It safe to say I get treated pretty well. The hotel with an "S" knows that if I get treated well, I will continue to book corporate events and even stay at their hotel for personal trips.

There is a special lounge for points users that seems only to be open during the week for business travelers. Okay what happens when you actually want to use your points for personal use? I guess no special lounge for me, but wait! I called to the front desk and asked if the lounge has breakfast on the weekends after a pleasant explanation, the rep offered me free breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Not for one day but for BOTH! We are talking top shelf breakfast, no muffins and juice. My girlfriend and I had about $60 in meals for zip! Zero! Nada! The WARM and FUZZY arrow hit me dead center in the consumer bull's eye. Mad props to the hotel that starts with an "S"!

The bad and ugly...as you may have read in the preceding module, I was in charge of planning a user's conference in Sin city, Las Vegas. We chose the hotel that starts with "M". My colleagues wanted to stay on the strip and had good experiences at the "M" in the past.

In planning the event and interacting with the hotel events rep, I wasn't feeling the W and F right off the bat! The rep wasn't being too flexible in regards to my budget. Every time I wanted to cut back, the rep would say that the food wouldn't feed my attendees. I had to cave....what other choices did I have!? Sometimes you feel like a hostage to a hotel's catering and a/v options. Outrageous prices and average service is usually the guarantee.

Okay so after choosing the breakfast, lunch, and a/v set-up, it was off to Vegas. I met with the rep upon my arrival and went over logistics. She also took me to the pool lounge where we were having a client welcome reception. She then left me by saying "Gotta go I am on vacation today!" Okay I appreciate you coming in on a day off but don't make it out that you were doing me a favor. Your effort to make me W and F was quickly doused with that closing comment.

Okay our welcome reception went great and the staff was super friendly. The folks at WR went above and beyond and successfully achieved full blown W and F! They helped me execute a flawless and successful event. WR employees, M and J, both gave me and my client free passes all week. They even gave us cabanas for 1/5th of the cost. Result=I will be booking a few events at WR for sure in 2009!

Can the event rep, from the hotel that begins with an "M", follow suit? We will soon see....

Request for copies, A/V tweaks, and flexibility on room rates went on deaf ears. I was even phoned about beer being brought down to our meeting rooms. The way I look at...if the beer was bought at their casino what should they care? Its more profit for them right? To say the least those WARM and FUZZY slippers were nowhere to be found. It was like I was wearing cleats on a concrete floor.

My co-worker happened to know a big gun at the hotel that begins with "M". He asked me how my experience was and I said, "Rep X wasn't doing a horrible job but I wasn't feeling all warm and fuzzy." Within seconds he was on the phone and things began to happen. I returned to my conference room and an A/V technician was there with tape in hand (I already taped the wiring down myself). I received a call from Rep X to make things right even though she preceded to tell me what she already did for my company. Okay here is my angle on this, if you get called out for not going above and beyond, apologize don't try to paint yourself out as Mother Teresa.

Granted, Rep X did pick up the pace and the hotel with a "M" did adjust our lodging rates, sent me a food basket, and delivered a thank you bottle of liquor to my room. These things brought me back from the Dark Side for sure. I finally had those warm and fuzzy slippers on kicked up on my favorite stool. Result=I will be booking events there in 2009.

Another way to make a client feel all W and F is my little of saying thank you....AGAIN! I call it the "Youre Welcome" Gift. I feel if a customer went out of their way to thank you. They deserve a youre welcome.

After my last users conference in Vegas(see preceding module), clients emailed me and even sent hand written notes to thank me and my colleagues. Thanking us? We should be thanking you! You are the life blood of our company. Without you and your teams spending your budgets with us, we would be out of business. I decided to send some youre welcome W and F gear out to them. If you spent the time to thank us, I need let you know you are always perceived as a valued customer, partner, and friend.

The rule of WARM and FUZZY is pretty easy to pull off. Just envision how you would feel if the company you dealt with, sent you those warm and fuzzy slippers to kick back in!

Ok. You are in Vegas and you have 45 clients coming for a user's conference. What do you need to do?

1. Be organized. Make sure all your ducks are in a row. Have a binder handy with all the important information such as hotel reservations, catering contracts, shipping info, etc. oh yeah make sure you have contact info for ever person touching your conference. Hotel staff, co-workers, event personnel, or even the bus driver, you have no room for error!

2. Plan your days step by step. I call it a run of show. It's my daily task list. Did I confirm the bus for the dinner Monday night? Check. Did I book a room for one of my clients who registered last night? Check. Did my brochures arrive? Check. Follow your list and adjust on the fly if necessary.

3. Once you double and triple checked everything, its implementation and execution time. Has your demo equipment arrived? Is your LCD projector functioning? Are your speakers and their presentations ready to roll? If so, its showtime!

4. After the daily meetings have adjourned, make sure your attendees are reminded of all planned social activities. I recommend an email prior to the conference and daily reminders at the conclusion of the meeting are always helpful. Make sure you communicate all the who, what, and where's. Too much info is never bad especially after a long day of mental acrobats.

5. At these social events, gather intel. See if your clients are having fun or rather be doing their laundry. I try to read facial expressions and their interaction with other attendees and staff. You need to mingle people! You will never know what it's like in the trenches unless you get a little muddy!

6. Your attendees/customers/clients or whatever definition you have for the folks that make your business successful, they must feel that you and your staff are on their level. They need to feel comfortable chatting with you or sharing a drink. My strategy is that I am here for them. I want to make them happy and feel they are amongst friends. EVERY client is important to me whether they are VIP's or have only spent $1000 with my company. It's all about relationships! Business relationships expire after time, but friendships endure!

7. Thank you! Thank you! Tell your attendees this at the conference and after the week has concluded. A simple email thanking them makes the client feel warm and fuzzy all over again. Wow this company really cares about me! There is no room for the out of sight, out of mind mentality in business. Customers must feel important at all times, as they should. Good customer service skills are paramount even at a user's conference!

8. Getting praise from your external and internal customers makes the long days and nights worth it all! Nothing like executing a successful event! You get that instant gratification and you can look back and say "I hit the ball out of the park!" When someone takes time to thank me, I can take time to go one step even higher. I usually send them a cool premium as a "you're welcome" gift. Go above and beyond!

9. In closing, always think about next year. Take notes on what worked and what didn't. We all want to get better right? Keep plugging and polishing those skills! Time for batting practice so you can hit that ball out of the park again!