BizCoachDeb's BizBuzz -

Archive for April, 2008

There is a soft spot in my tummy that is hidden away just for things like pasta. Candy, cookies and other items of that nature are also allowed in there. That is a zone that is not too hard to find. Leave it to a pizza place to try.

Recently, a big chain Pizza joint that we occasionally enjoy delivery from has joined the, errr, pasta race. Pizza Hut has decided to begin offering pasta on their menu, right along the very common side dish, buffalo wings. That was a joke – what those two have in common, I just don’t know, but we’ve ordered them, too. It’s a great idea if you think about it – maybe someone wants an Italian meal, but not pizza. Now everyone’s happy.   The rest of the story...

For those that have read the “Law of Attraction” by Michael Losier and other books of a similar theme, this site I found will be a welcome surprise. People talk, write and text every day, but for the most part, few take time and care with their word selection, just simply grabbing at the first thing on the tip of their tongue. Mr. Losier believes this to be a mistake, one that you can correct easily just by taking a bit of a pause. This list might help, it’s called “Winspiration: List of Positive Words.”

I listen to many people talk over the course of a week, some directly and others indirectly. You can tell a lot about people and the words they choose to use – they either empower or they don’t, but one thing they all can do is impact attitudes of the people hearing them. See what happens when you pick some from that list for only a day. You might be surprised by the results.

When I first got this email from them, I thought, ” Here we go, they want us to do their marketing research for them.” After a moment, I realized the genius behind the new plan.

Starbucks (yes, I still love them) has put a new website up and into action called “My Starbucks Idea” and wow, if this isn’t the smartest way to get consumers to open up spill the beans, I don’t know what is! Let’s see, you get people to come on, share their deepest purchasing desires in your stores, they have a place to discuss things, vote and see the results, and…well holy cow, what’s next, a social network? Ohhhh. I get it, that’s sort of what it is. BRILLIANT.

I only have one request, wait, make that two: please bring back Amaretto before my husband climbs the walls and two, please tell me the secret recipe for the Pumpkin Spice…I won’t tell!

So what’s your idea? Are you asking clients what they want and then following up? If you’re not, you’re missing a great opportunity to serve your clients before your competition does.   The rest of the story...

I was fortunate enough to take in the Frozen Final Four this week, courtesy of a friend who had tickets to the game. No ordinary event, this game showcased two great college hockey teams. My daughter and I were thrilled to find ourselves 14 rows from the glass at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Anyone who knows this family know that hockey courses through our blood. We all play, we all officiate and I’ve been a coach for 7 years. You could say I’ve been waiting for this event for quite some time.

As much as I’d like to sit here and talk about hockey all day, what I wanted to do was talk about the things I saw in the arena – marketing! Yes, plenty of it. Some clever company made folding hats that resembled old timey hockey helmets. At first, my teenage daughter thought they looked silly, but at the end of the game, she was scrounging about trying to get herself one because she knew few friends would have one. Very clever. Memorabilia was everywhere and for every fan, no one was left out. Pulling for Michigan, who was knocked out days before? No problem. There were fan “experience” areas and the place was full of excitement, even though the event was a “dry” one because of NCAA rules. REAL excitement, right down to the fighting songs from the mini marching bands. It was exceptional experience and probably one of the best sporting events I’ve ever been to.   The rest of the story...

Those who know me know I like a little latte. I’m embarrassed to say I bought a used espresso machine off Craigslist just to satisfy my love of them and to spare some of the enormous expense of having them on the road. Don’t get me wrong, I can go a day or week without coffee, but I just really enjoy the flavor, the aroma and of course, the feeling of being spoiled a bit. One day this week, I experienced something different at my local Starbucks. Now before you start booing these guys, I actually admit I like their business model and the overall experience they offer consumers. I must not be alone, they had over $9 Billion in sales in 2007, so someone needs to come clean Any way, back to the story – I was at one of the kiosks in a local supermarket. As I waffled between flavors, the girl behind the counter was really vibrant (maybe infused with coffee herself) and chirps, “Want a triple?” Well, now that you mention it, that sounded like a great idea. What occurred to me is she just “up sold” me, but not in that typical “super size” way. She probably picked up on my “I hate shopping” attitude and knew a little espresso might perk me right up. I got the triple shot. It was delicious, thanks Starbucks girl. You made my day a bit brighter and made your company a little more money by being aware of the consumer.