Dumb Customer. Creepy Plumber.

A Knoxville, Tennessee newspaper reported that a plumber was arrested and charged with photographing without consent. 

Apparently the plumber was called for a leaking shower.  He told the customer she needed to take a shower so he could track down the leak.  She feel for it.  Presumably, he left the room while she proceeded to shower.

After she finished the shower, the woman noticed a lens in the plumber's tool kit.  It was a camera (presumably an operating video camera or there wouldn't be the need for the arrest). 

Clearly the customer's a low watt bulb, but that doesn't excuse the plumber's actions.  The story doesn't report the company name so there's no indication whether the plumber was the Principal or an employee.  However, more information is promised to be forthcoming, which could include the company name.

What if the creepy plumber was your employee?  Yikes!

How do you protect your company from creepy employees?  How do you respond if a creepy employee sabotages your company?

Think through your response in advance.  While you want to avoid hiring creepy employees in the first place, you want to think through how you would respond with calm and without pressure.  During the pressure of the moment, you might not select the best course of action.

Newspaper Source

12 Ways To Build Memorability

Nigel Temple on Small Business Marketing

Nigel Temple is a British marketing consultant. This short interview is not only filled with solid marketing advice for small business, but it's a good example of using the Internet and video to share expertice and stimulate interest. Because the advice is solid and the video was not an excuse to shill non-stop, I was compelled to learn more.

Stupid Marketing Tricks: Over Hyping Via New Media

For those unfamiliar with Twitter, it's a "microblogging" site that was designed to be compatible with the short messaging service (SMS) text messages of cell phones. As a result, Twitter messages are 140 characters or less.

One characteristic of Twitter is "hash tags." These are key words, preceded by the "#" symbol. People interested in following a particular subject, can sort through the myriad of Twitter posts by looking for the hash tag of interest.

Habitat, an upscale UK furniture store decided to jump into Twitter. Great! An overly aggressive marketer with Habitat or working on the company's behalf, noted the popularity of certain hash tags and inserted them into the store's promotional messages.

Let's just say this was a mistake.

Habitat used hash tags related to Apple Computer, its iPhone, the True Blood series, and other popular topics. Worse, the store used tags related to the Iranian election.

The Twitter "community," if community's the right word, responded immediately. Habitat got blasted. So Habitat backed off, deleting the Tweets, and pretended like nothing happened.

The blogger Tiphereth commented on Social Media Today that "The way the @HabitatUK page looks now, is typical of a traditional, push marketing, corporate PR approach. Admit nothing, apologise for nothing, do not engage in conversation, advertise, advertise, advertise. You have to wonder why they’re even bothering being on Twitter in the first place."

The uproar was picked up by a copy of major UK papers, ultimately prompting Habitat to issue an apology.

"The top ten trending topics were pasted into hashtags without checking with us and apparently without verifying what all of the tags referred to," apologized Claire from the head office in London. "This was absolutely not authorized by Habitat. We were shocked when we discovered what happened and are very sorry for the offence that was caused. This is totally against our communications strategy. We never sought to abuse Twitter, have removed the content and will ensure this does not happen again."

In other words, it's the ad agency's fault. Pardon me, but this seems like a non-apology.

Habitat should have followed Tiphereth's advice...

1. Individually @replied everyone who complained to them publicly, and apologized for the spammy behaviour

2. Apologized in public. They could have sent out generic tweets to say sorry for not knowing what they were doing when they hijacked the trending hashtags for their marketing tweets

3. Given Twitter followers a special offer discount voucher that could be redeemed via the web.

4. Asked Twitter followers what kind of information/offers HabitatUK could offer, that would give value and build interest.

5. Its ok to fail. Do it quickly and apologize publicly. People are a lot more forgiving when you admit to your mistakes rather than deny any wrongdoing.

Frankly, if Habitat had acted quickly, sincerely, and provided a special discount as Tiphereth advised, the company might have turned this into a net positive.

Ignoring the culture of a social media site will backfire. I know people who hype, hype, hype, all of the time. Predictably, their forays into social media have backfired. Their hype is labeled as spam.

Hype is for the yellow pages, newspaper, and broadcast. If you can't help but hype yourself, avoid new media. You're going to do your brand more damage than good.

With social media the key is to inform and engage and to be genuine and human. This isn't easy if you're a huckster or a corporate suits.

(c) 2009 Matt Michel

Great Example of Good Contractor PR

We know that George noticed a duck hanging out by a storm drain on Saturday and discovered a collection of ducklings behind the metal grate guarding the drain. George tried to lift the drain, but couldn't. So he called the fire department and the police. Either the firefighters or police officers freed the trapped ducklings while George watched.

This would have been the end of the story, except it was written up by the Associated Press. How did that happen?

We don't know how the story wound up on the wire services, but given the company connection, it wouldn't surprise me if George called the boss saying, "You'll never guess what happened."

The boss must have then called or emailed a reporter. Why do I suspect the boss? Because George was identified in the story as a plumber "on call for Mr. Rooter."

What does the company have to do with this? After all, George wasn't at work. He was on call. George didn't save the ducklings, the police or firefighters did. The company has nothing to do with this, other than employing plumbers who care about baby ducks.

Yet, by including George's company affiliation, Mr. Rooter gets lots of free exposure. Moreover, it gets its name associated with the warm and fuzzy feeling of saving little ducks.

On the other hand, it highlights that a plumber working for a company specializing in sewer and drain cleaning had to call the police and fire departments for help clearing ducklings out of a storm drain. While the storm drain isn't the same, it still sounds funny.

Even if the wire service picked the story up by chance, with no input from the company, it shows how public relations opportunities abound. What good deeds do your employees do for your customers? What do your employees do in their free time? What are their hobbies, volunteer activities, and accomplishments? Can you turn these into good PR for your company?

If a plumbing company can get positive PR when an employees is credited with saving ducklings he really failed to rescue, while on call, but not on the clock, anything is possible.

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The Difference Between Success And Failure

Originally Posted 2.23.09

Cartridge World is a hot new franchise. It’s got a great business format and the timing couldn’t be better. Cartridge World refills laser printer toner cartridges for half the cost of buying new ones.

We learned about the company from an article in a local, Lewisville, Texas paper. The closest Cartridge World was located in Denton, about 15 miles away. I’ll drive 15 miles to save a couple of hundred bucks.

On my first visit, I was impressed by a large business card carousel on the counter of the storefront. I asked an employee about it. She said that the owner built it and talked about it at the Chamber of Commerce. Since then, it seems that everyone from the Chamber has dropped by to drop off business cards. I bet all of them get their cartridges refilled at the store as well.

Unfortunately, the store didn’t have any Okidata cartridges in stock to swap, but they could refill the ones I had if I could leave them for a couple of hours. And they did.

I’ve been to the store several times. More than once, the owner was interviewing people. Apparently, he’s growing. I’m not surprised.

Cartridge World has a winning format, but the Denton store has more than the format going for it. It’s run by a creative, hard working entrepreneur who doesn’t wait for business to develop. He goes out and gets it.

I could see how he built awareness through public relations and the Chamber of Commerce. I’m sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Friday, I had more cartridges that needed refilling. I pulled up Google maps to find the phone number of the store to see how late it was open and saw that Cartridge World now has a store three miles from my house. Well, three miles is better than 15, so I called.

I couldn’t understand a thing the guy who answered the phone said, but guess that I had the right number and asked how late the store was open. Six o’clock.

At 5:50 p.m., I pulled into the store. There were no other customers. The owner walked out (I know he was the owner because his nametag said so), took a look at the four cartridges, and said, “We don’t have Okidata.”

“That’s okay,” I replied. “You can just fill them and I’ll pick them up on Monday.”

“We don’t fill Okidata.”

“Uh, I don’t mean to argue with you, but I’ve gotten these filled two or three times at another Cartridge World.” The cartridges were in Cartridge World’s distinctive yellow and blue boxes after all.

“Where’d you get ‘em filled?”

“Denton.”

“I’d advise you to take them there.”

Are you kidding me, I wanted to shout. Are you a moron? An idiot? Determined to go out of business as fast as possible?

Apparently so. I didn’t argue. I just shook my head and left.

These two businesses are franchised. They’re identical on the surface. Below the surface they’re as different as the two owners. One is aggressive, hard working, creative, and focused on building a business. The other is not. When he bought the franchise, he merely bought himself a job.

The Cartridge World format is good enough that the guy near my house may survive in spite of himself. Don’t be surprised if he fails. And if he does fails, he’ll probably blame the franchisor, not the guy in the mirror.

The difference between success and failure isn’t the business. It’s the business owner.

© 2009 Matt Michel

16 Things To Include In A Press Kit

I’ve been taking you through an explanation of how to get a public relations program up and running. Over time, this can be more powerful for you than conventional advertising. PR is gold. It’s more credible than advertising. It builds mindshare.

A key element in any public relations campaign is a press kit. It takes less effort to put one together than you might think. Plus, much of the content in a press kit can be repurposed. You can use the copy in your marketing.

Tell someone you’ve got a “press kit,” and it sounds impressive. But putting one together seems intimidating. It’s not.

A press kit is a simple a collection of background information about your company that you give to media people. It’s designed to make their jobs easier. It’s designed for a sound bite world. Remember, the media reads in bullets, so give the media information in bullet form.

Assemble the different pieces of your media kit loose leaf in a folder. Voila, you’ve got a press kit! Bind them and you’ve got a company brochure.

Here are the separate elements you should consider including in your press kit.


1. Areas Of Expertise For Stories

Could you be an expert for Channel 4 or the Daily News? Sure. You know more about your business and industry than anyone at the news station or paper. You know more about upcoming industry changes and how they might affect consumers. You know what’s going to make an impact even before the media does because the consumer media are generalists. Generalists depend on specialists. That’s you!

Headline a page with “Areas of Expertise.” List the different areas in bold with bullet points describing the area/issues and your unique ability.

A swimming pool contractor is an expert in pool maintenance, how to achieve a good chemical balance, and resurfacing. The contractor can cite certifications, the number of pools he resurfaces, and so on to build his credibility.

A plumbing contractor could address water purification. Or slab leaks. Or tankless water heaters.

Changing technology and regulations are opportune areas to show expertise. Air conditioning contractors should contact local media now about the upcoming change in refrigerant mandated by the government.

Every business owner is a de facto expert in selecting a quality company in their field. Every owner is an expert in new technologies and trends. The new technologies may not even be new, as long as they’re new to the media and most of the public.

Search Google News for your industry. What are people writing about? What’s hot?


2. Articles By You/Your Employees

If you or any of your employees write articles for a local newspaper, local trade association newsletters, or the national trade press, include the articles or cite them in bullet form. This further establishes your expertise.

If you haven’t written any articles, get started. Publications are looking for material. If you’re worried how well you write, ask someone to ghost write for you. I’ve ghost written for people. I know others have done it too.

Publications want to hear from you by virtue of your position. You are the expert practitioner. Once I hired a guy who wrote regularly for the national trade press. The position required one to write well. I’d read this guy’s work, so I knew he could write. Uh, wrong.

Simply stated, he couldn’t write. His editor could edit. He was the expert. He had the insight and knowledge, but he struggled to assemble it coherently. The trade magazine recognized the power of the message, delivered with credibility from someone who had done it, so the editor made it flow. If you’ve got good ideas (and I bet you do), an editor can make it work.

So try it. Write an article and send it in.


3. Appearances

If you or an employee has spoken publicly on subject, cite it in bullet form. This ranges from presentations at national conferences to your local Rotary Club meeting. Every speaking opportunity is an inherent opportunity to promote your company. Take them when the come. Seek them when they do not.

Don’t forget media appearances, such as radio or TV. Producers are much more apt to invite someone with media experience on a show than someone without any. They (correctly) figure you’re less apt to embarrass them if you’ve done it before.


4. Articles About You/Your Employees/Your Company

If anything’s been written about you, about your employees, or about your company, include the articles or cite them in bullet form. It’s a credibility builder.

If nothing’s been written, try writing your own article. Even if it’s never been published, you can still format it like it was published.


5. Company Background Page

In one page, tell the media about your company. Lead with your unique selling proposition, which is a one sentence description of your company’s uniqueness.

Outline the history of your company using bullet points. Who were the founders? How and why did it start? What was the legacy? What are the milestones in your company’s history?

When presenting milestones, do so creatively, in ways everyone can relate. For example, Time Magazine reported in 1973 that “if all the 12 billion McDonald's hamburgers sold to date were to be stacked into one pile, they would form a pyramid 783 times the size of the one erected by Snefru.”

I have little doubt that the magazine benefited from corporate PR statistics. Twelve billion is hard to grasp. A pyramid 783 times the size of the Great Pyramid is big! It offers a point of reference.

If you laid all of the pipe you’ve installed end to end, how far would it stretch or how high would it reach? How many football fields could be covered by all of the carpet you’ve cleaned? What is the cumulative value of the energy you’ve saved your customers through the years? Remember, if you save someone energy ten years ago, you continue to save that person energy ever year since.


6. Mission Statement

On a single sheet, state your company’s mission statement. If you lack a mission statement, consider writing one. It concisely defines what you will do and by exclusion, what you will not. It helps you stay focused.

The mission statement must be concise. It should be short. You and everyone in your company should be able to recite it. For example, the mission of the Service Roundtable is

To help contractors improve
their business and financial performance,
leading to a profitable exit strategy.


7. Your Company Philosophy/Core Values

Your company philosophy goes beyond your mission statement. It’s a philosophy. It speaks to how you conduct business. It’s a list of the core values of your company.

Here’s a test to determine if something really is a core value. Would you hold this value if…

There was no benefit?

It put you at a disadvantage in the marketplace?

You operated in a wholly different industry with all new people?

Your philosophy and values govern your believes and conduct related to your investors/owners, employees, customers, suppliers, and the public in general. They should define you. They should be timeless.

State your philosophy and/or list your core values.


8. Profiles Of Each Employee (Depending On Company Size)

Include a collection of employee profiles. Let the employee write the profile (with help, if necessary). The profile can include a photograph (and for key people, must include a photograph), education, work background, awards, accomplishments, and achievements, clubs, hobbies, and personal information.

The profiles should build up your company by building up your employees. They also provide multiple touch points or points of connection. Touch points increase the chance a media person will find something in common with your company.

If your company employs dozens, you might want to limit the profiles to key people. If your turnover is high, you might want to limit the profiles to key employees and those with a year or more of tenure.


9. Suggested Questions

For broadcast media especially, provide the questions to ask and state the time required to answer each so the interviewer knows whether he should even pose a question when approaching a hard break. In almost all instances, you will be asked the exact questions you pose.

If it seems you are doing the media’s job for them, you are. By doing it you accomplish three objectives. First, you will increase the odds you will be interviewed. Second, you will ensure you are asked the questions you want, where you’ve already thought out your answers. Third, you show that you are a professional, reducing the odds that you will embarrass the producer who schedules you.


10. Lists & Quizzes

The media loves lists. These can be posed as quizzes to build interest…

The 5 Most Unusual Ways To Stop Up a Toilet

7 Easy Ways To Cut Your Summer Air Conditioning Costs

10 Most Pesky Weeds And How To Kill Them


11. Description of Products & Services

Provide a bullet point list of the products and services you offer. Think it through. Err on the side of specificity. Pool contractors should not assume that people will think they resurface pools. Air conditioning contractors should not assume people think they will provide heating.


12. List Of Brands Carried

List all of the brands you sell. Depart from the bullet point list and simply include the logos with the brand names below them.


13. Customer Comments/Testimonials

Provide a list of customer testimonials, including the names and cities. Do not use initials, which look fabricated. Use the whole name.

For your press kit, keep the testimonials short (you can always expand them on your website). Prioritize based on the strength of the testimonial or the fame of the provider.


14. Media Testimonials

If you have testimonials from radio or television producers or hosts, include them. These reassure the producers of broadcast shows that you will not embarrass them, that you will be a quality guest.

You gain media testimonials like any testimonials, by asking. After a media appearance, send the producer and hosts thank you notes. These are so rare they’re notable. As part of the thank you note, ask the producer/host for feedback on you as a guest. If you receive positive feedback, ask if you can quote their response.


15. Awards You Have Won

If you or anyone in your company has won any awards related to your profession or your community, list them in bullet point format. Do not be modest. Remember, winning the slightest award makes your company “an award winning company.”


16. Contact Information

Last, but not least, include your full contact information. Let people know all of the ways to reach you and key people in your company.


© 2007 Matt Michel