Monthly Archives: June 2011
How do you respond to criticism about your business?
I was watching The Food Network the other night. It was one of those competitions between chefs. The judges were handing out criticism in large doses.
It was tough to watch. I witnessed the chefs give their best efforts in a timed performance as the clock wound down, until finally time was up. Ready or not, they were being judged by celebrity chefs and thousands of viewers across America.
Most of the competitors were trying to smile and put on a brave face while their food creations were ripped apart by the judges. One of the contestants had tried to create a towering dessert that consisted of several layers including cookies, cream, fruit and topped with a caramel sauce. It collapsed on the plate and although it probably tasted delicious, it looked a mess.
The chef with the dessert disaster listened to the judges criticism and then responded. “I don’t feel bad. Only Mediocrity Escapes Criticism“.
She was so right. If you are trying to be the best. You should expect criticism. You should even welcome it! In fact, you should even ask for it.
In business, your customers are the “Celebrity Judges”.
We recently started sending out surveys to our customers after each completed sale. The survey includes 5 questions and the answers are multiple choice: A- Excellent B- Above Average C-Average and D-Needs Improvement. We have been delighted with the results. Just about every question has been answered “Excellent”.
However, we noticed that one of the five questions was often answered “Above Average”. Good enough, some businesses might say. Although we are getting a high mark, “Above Average” in this one area, for some reason, we are not being graded “Excellent”. We’re analyzing our process and won’t be satisfied until we achieve a top mark for all 5 questions.
The journey to becoming the best can be a long and exhausting one. Criticism along the way can help keep you on the right path toward your destination. Remember, Only Mediocrity Escapes Criticism.
4 Factors That Affect Door Hanger Advertising Response Rates
You should never be satisfied with the response rate of your Door Hanger Advertising Campaigns. To be effective, Door Hanger Campaigns, and most forms of advertising, require tracking, evaluation and fine tuning in order to achieve the highest possible response rate.
When we evaluate the response of a Door Hanger Campaign, we use this 4 point check list:
- THE TARGET or DISTRIBUTION AREA
[ ] STRONG
[ ] AVERAGE
[ ] WEAK - THE MAGNET or SPECIAL OFFER
[ ] STRONG
[ ] AVERAGE
[ ] WEAK - THE DOOR HANGER DESIGN
[ ] STRONG
[ ] AVERAGE
[ ] WEAK - DISTRIBUTION PLAN (Repetitive Distribution Strategy i.e. Distribute to 3000 prospects 1 time or to 1000 prospects 3 times?)
[ ] STRONG
[ ] AVERAGE
[ ] WEAK
If possible, when fine tuning the door hanger, try not to change everything at once or you will be starting from scratch each time. Try the isolate which of the 4 factors is the weakest link. The distribution area and the design should be pretty solid before launching the first campaign. Usually it’s the magnet or special offer that affects the response rate the most.
When setting up a distribution strategy, remember, higher priced products and services may take a series of distributions to generate response unlike lower priced items that are bought on impulse.
The good news is that after a few campaigns, response rates should be very predictable. At that point, every distribution is an opportunity to increase sales.
If you would like us to help you evaluate the results of your last campaign – just give us a call 866-585-0965.