WHAT'S NEW?

Dear Askers & Answerers,

Today's the day! Our new Resource Library is finished. We just established the links this morning. So you can now get to it from the "Participate" box in KHE.

Please jump in and publish a few of your favorite resources - anything you think other members would benefit from knowing about. Think of it as our collective bookmark list. Of course, be sure to search first, to verify your resource isn't already in the system. But chances are it won't be in the beginning. The Library is starting out with just a few samples - until we all add our contributions.

One guideline: Please don't post your resource more than once. I know that requires some judgment calls when a resource is suitable for more than one category. But omitting duplicates will make the Library easier to use over time. We can search "All" categories for specific words, so it shouldn't be hard to locate what we're looking for, even if it's in a different category than we expect.

You'll notice there's a Comments feature in the Library. Anyone can append a note to any resource listing. So if you see someone else has already posted the tool you were thinking about, you can always add a few suggestions of your own about how to use it. You may also want to weigh in on whether or not you found this resource useful, and why.

Finally, the Resource Library is like our Profile Pages. Feel free to list white papers, free trials, software plug-ins or anything else (free or fee) that your company offers. The only thing that doesn't really fit here is consulting services. Let's keep that information on our Profile Pages. (Soon we'll make a searchable "Member Directory" to make our Profile information easier to find.)

I hope you enjoy this new feature. I expect this will become a handy reference tool for us all!

Happy exchanging,

Val Frazee
Moderator, Know-How Exchange
MarketingProfs.com

GOING, GOING, GONE!

Here are KHE's 10 oldest questions. They're likely to close soon. Have an idea to offer? Better do it now!

1. How to Sell Promotional Items
2. Taglines for Quick Services and Food Offer
3. Market intelligence, current trend?
4. Getting national publicity for sympathy gift business
5. Why Doesn't Satisfaction Guarantee Loyalty?
6. How to Write SWOT for Panasonic Products
7. Web Shops
8. How can I reduce shopping cart abandon rate?
9. Marketing Plan Launch strapline
10. PR for Dirt Motorsports Racing

RESOURCE REFERRAL: FIND THE PERFECT SEAT

A while back, Peter (henna gaijin) sent me a batch of resources to share with you. This one is terrific for travelers. This site will tell you which are the best and worst seats on a variety of airplanes. Let's say you have a flight on one of American Airlines' Boeing 737s and you want to make sure you get a seat with lots of legroom, full recline, a good view of the movie and power for your laptop.

Too much to ask? Not really. Just visit this page on SeatGuru to locate the perfect seat. I'll take 7D, thank you very much! Hover over the seats to see the descriptions. Notice the color map. And be sure to post your own comments if you have something noteworthy to add.

Resource: SeatGuru.com

I'm always looking for resources to share with our readers. If you know of one, send me a blurb. I'll send you 250 Question Points.

LESSONS LEARNED: CULTIVATING CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

Last week MissyV was looking for ideas. A budget change reallocated print advertising money to cultivating additional business from key clients. She wondered how best to go about it. Here are some highlights from the discussion:

• Jett: Well, luckily, you are in a good position and this decision is a very wise one. Now you have the opportunity to create and develop a database marketing program. This means (in a nutshell) marketing to your current customers and prospects rather than taking shots in the dark. You have the opportunity to survey and create a newsletter for promotions, new info, new tech, new service, company announcements, etc. The amazing part is database marketing can produce conversion rates of 20% or more, versus the average >2% with direct mail and cold calls (it varies). If you don't have a website, I highly recommend an allocation of the budget to create one.
• Jackson: Building stronger relationships with that group of people who probably generate 80% of your sales makes a great deal of sense. There are many things you can do, but in my experience with founding corporations I will tell you that giving your key customers a "voice" in your business will pay back in spades. One of the most successful programs I have ever created for clients of mine is a "Customer Council". First, it recognizes your best clients as "experts". Second, they will become even stronger allies as they now will have a commitment to whatever you do since they are now part of the process. The final benefit is that they are now part of your team and as such are less susceptible to attack from competitors.
• MissyV: The Customer Council idea sounds like something very similar that we've been tossing around as is the idea for a way to get communication going among the key clients. I will need to research further how a newsletter would work with our industry (manufacturing). Most of the programs/projects are driven by the client's project and those need to be kept confidential until on the actual market.
• Sharon (Researcher): This sounds remarkably like a fundraising model for nonprofits. So maybe you could take a few hints from that group. ... To translate, you need to become "friends" with those primary clients. You need to get to know them and their business better than they do sometimes. Don't just ask them what they need ... frequently they don't think that way. It's up to you to come up with the solution for them. Another thing fundraisers do is something called stewardship. This simply means if you give money for a project, the organization reports back to you on the progress of that project. For instance, you can report back on a product you sold your client based on the need it satisfied: how much money it saved, how it improved efficiency, how it streamlined a process, whatever. Of course, you'd need data from your client, but if you have that relationship with the client already, and he knows what you're going to do with it, it may be possible.
• mgoodman: I'd say that Step #1 is doing some very thorough and detailed research on your customers/partners, so that you know as much about what makes them tick as you possibly can. Don't just try to learn about how they use your product(s). Learn what's important to them in every area of their business. Become their most important resource and consultant. You need to make sure you are aligned with th eir interests and hot buttons. Only when they are convinced that you're in this because you genuinely care about them, will they "pay you back" the way you want them to. You have to give if you want to get ... and it may be a delayed reaction.
• rbooht3399: As others have said, you're on the verge of something BIG! Best advice: You're dealing 1-on-1 with a smaller pool. Personal contact will be a premium. Take the time to get to know the customer ... personally and professionally. Build trust and sell in a non-agressive way. Take a step back and see how you like to be sold to. Have you ever heard of the Certified Networker Program? (certifiednetworker.com) I've been through this class before. If you're new to network/referral-based marketing, this is something you should consider. It teaches you many things about relationship building. Martha Rogers of Peppers & Rogers is a guru on 1-to-1 marketing, so use her as a resource as well.
• rnorth3: Try wearables: A smart-looking jacket with your logo, polo shirts, cotton sweaters, etc. Nice things that folks will want to wear, even on casual days at the office. Then when someone asks about that logo, they can tout your company's features. Get your best customers "talking" to your prospects. Take video of your customers talking about your company and put that on your website. Feature a different testimonial each month and build up a bank of them. When you have a couple, compile them into tape or presentations for your sales guys to use.

The Question: Change In Advertising Direction - Need Ideas

TIPS & TRICKS: ANGLE BRACKETS IN FORUM POSTS

Recently we implemented a change to block code from being inserted in forum postings as a defensive measure against hackers. The unfortunate side effect is that if you use angle-brackets in your questions or answers, your posts will not be published.

I'm not sure what these things are commonly called, but they're the brackets located above the comma and period on my keyboard. They are also the symbols for "less than" and "greater than".

I know this limits your ability to use html tags for formatting. Sorry about that! For now, just bold and italics are permitted. Later on, we may refine our code to allow other tags.

If you forget and use the brackets, just email me. I can delete them and publish your post. There's no need to rewrite your message. I can also edit old posts that have disappeared, if you call my attention to them. Why bother? As SRyan so aptly stated: Because it improves the arhives for everyone - you included.

Have a question? Ask the experts.

Post a brief synopsis below, and invite other members to offer their feedback.

My Question Title

COMMUNITY LEADERS

As of this week, these are our superstars! The Most Inquisitive are those who have asked the most questions. (Where there's a tie, we broke it based on number of points they offered for their questions.) The Most Expert are those with the highest number of Cumulative Points (given to them by question authors for offering helpful answers).

NOTE: These are our top members as of midday November 4, 2004

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MEET VIRAGO

Anthony Burns is the marketing director for Beijing Hi-Tech Wealth Interactive Technology Company. Better known as virago in KHE, Anthony has participated on both sides of the conversation, posting more than 200 responses as well as seven questions. Read on to learn more about this week's featured member.

Where are you based?
One year in Beijing, China. Before this 10 years in Sydney, Australia.

What do you do in real-life?
I think right now it's learning. But my work is limiting, so I do other things to keep me going such as teaching international business, international marketing consulting and some proposal writing.

Tell us about your company.
I started a new recruitment/technology business with my wife in March 2003 after many months negotiating and setting up the business in China. We have licensed some Internet technology from Australia to produce visual resumes. It works like an Internet website with video for job seekers searching for a position. Talk about a challenge - and in a new environment. It brings out the best and worst in me.

Explain your Community Name.
My virago was my first motorbike. A Yamaha Virago 250X. It was like a baby Harley V-Twin. I love the freedom of getting out on my bike, forgetting about the world for a while. Oh, and also I get to wear my leather!

Describe a KHE discussion you learned something from.
I particularly like the website marketing, SEO and email newsletter marketing questions. This information is what I am lacking from my product marketing background, so I need to improve my understanding of these important areas.

How did you get started in marketing?
How I started in marketing was not auspicious at all! In 1990, while studying for my Bachelor of business in accounting, I failed my second accounting course. I thought, hmmm, this is not a good sign. I did my first marketing class that semester. I thought: "That was interesting, I think I will change my major to this!" After completing my degree I moved to Sydney from my rural town and took a position as a marketing coordinator for a multinational paint company. And I haven't looked back.

What is your next career objective?
My current career objective is making the new business successful as well as understanding China.

Do you have a favorite quote you want to share?
I have been reading extensively about business in China. I was having a problem understanding the market in China and product testing/researching when I came across this interesting quote from a former managing director of Shell in China (an expat). It was like a slap in the face:

"The biggest problem I have is getting a handle on the marketplace. Matching our investment in China to the growth in the market is a tricky game. Normally, in a new market, we would import our products and test the market out first. If the circumstances and the financial projections looked right, we would then invest and build capacity. Here in China, that's not possible. You have to invest up front - and that's a killer."

It really made me think and want to know more about product testing vs. investment in China.

COMMUNITY STATS

Active Unique Participants (to date): 3,128
Closed Questions (to date): 3,522
Currently Open Questions: 111
Total Responses (to date): 26,572
Subscribers to this newsletter: 10,963

YOUR ACCOUNT SUMMARY

These numbers come directly from YOUR profile. Question Points tells you how many points you have available for asking questions in the forum. Expert Points indicates your standing in the community based on answers you have posted. Visit this FAQ, if you want to know more.

Question Points: %%PointsBalance%%
Expert Points: %%PointsCum%%

Click here to buy more Question Points

SUCCESS STORY

alain was looking for help for an eco-tourism resort in South Africa. Here's this member's story about using KHE as a sounding board and strategy-development tool.

"I would like to thank the marketing exchange and the members thereof for all the great input I have received. When I first posted some queries I was suprised by the speed and quality of the replies. I have subsequently used this resource in making strategic decisions for some of the projects I am involved in. As an example, based on the suggestions I recieved from members, I re-assessed my target market for an eco-tourism venture and have reformulated the entire product offering. The project has not reached inception as of yet, nonetheless my associates have taken an entirely new stance that I believe will help to differentiate the venture beyond anything that it could have been."

The Question: Eco Tourism

SPECIAL THANKS

Thank you, Peter (henna gaijin), virago and alain for providing content for this newsletter. And thanks to all the following community members who have emailed or posted suggestions, technical reports or questions in the last week. Your feedback and energy drives this community's development. We couldn't do it without you!

alexlauzon, alistair, Ricky, dbrooks, Dr. Ejila A. Oyibi, aniln, salman, kassertee, deepa, milena, lynard, cassie, atul, robinescott, joanne.wong, D4Demand, JBtron, Sweetasman01, Michele, Secured, Jett, ASVP/ChrisB, Jim Deveau/Catalyst, tjh, Deremiah, *CPE and SRyan ;].

Finally, thanks to my MP colleagues for making my job easy: Aaron, Sharon, Megan, Ann, Roy and Allen.

LAST LAUGH

This space is dedicated to something amusing I find posted in our forum. What could be more appropriate this week than a little election humor? Read this KHE discussion to see members' ideas for combining business cards, a cash giveaway and politics into a pithy slogan.

The Discussion: Tag Line Help - Money & Politics

Forum Feedback: The Know-How Exchange is still young. So we're constantly refining how things work. We have a gigantic list of action items, and your feedback helps us prioritize it. So please feel free to reply to this email with any suggestions. Thanks, in advance, for your time!

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