5 Ways Turnover Hurts the Customer Experience
MARY ALWAYS HANDLED THAT!
An exceptional customer experience may look so simple on its face that it is taken for granted. When everything goes smoothly, from the marketing, packaging, accessibility, value for money, all the way through to the post-purchase customer care, the customer experience is a good one. But...
Chewy.com Uses Customer Service to Distinguish Its Brand
FEED THE KITTY!
We love to write about companies that are emulating what we call “The Barefoot Spirit.” These are the principles we convey in our Keynote addresses. These are the principles we used to found and build Barefoot, the world’s largest wine brand. Such a company is Chewy.com....
Customer Experience Creates the Brand Promise
KNOWING AND EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
At the heart of brand building is exceeding your customers’ expectations. But who is your customer and what do they expect? It may not be as simple as it sounds. If you have a business to business (B to B) model, the way your B to...
Flawed Heroes Are Still Heroes
The Imperfect Buddha is the Perfect Buddha
Why do we take such exception to authority figures who are less than perfect on the one hand, and find thought leaders who admit to their mistakes more credible on the other? It seems counter intuitive to expect perfection in all areas from those we consider...
Purple Sunrise A Brand That’s Coming to your Breakfast Table Soon
DON’T CALL IT MUSH!
Hot cereals have long been part of the healthy breakfast. Most doctors recommend them as essential for good health, and a tasty alternative to the American standard of bacon and eggs. There are a variety of hot grain cereals to choose, from iconic Quaker Oats and the...
Our 10 Biggest Mistakes – Don’t Let Them Be Yours
HINDSIGHT IS 20-20
As we travel and speak internationally on the subject of entrepreneurship, we are complemented not so much on the successes we achieved, but on the mistakes we share. In order to engage our audiences of start-ups looking to survive, small businesses looking to grow, or established...
Shedding Office Space: Businesses You Can Run Entirely From Your Smartphone
BUSINESS IN A POCKET
According to research from Insights West, 64 percent of British Columbia residents own a smartphone. The survey showed smartphones are a daily part of life for many Canadians. In fact, 62 percent of owners report that they checked their device at least once an hour and...
Successful Brand Building Requires Successful Entrepreneurship
THERE'S A "SHIP" IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
So much of successful entrepreneurship is brand building that when you finally go to monetize your business, it’s your brand equity that figures so prominently in the value of any acquisition or merger. This is why we focus on entrepreneurship. It is through entrepreneurship that many...
Connecting With Customers During the Holidays: Send More Than a Simple Card
IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS
The U.S. is home to almost 28 million small businesses, according to the Small Business Administration. As a small business owner yourself, you probably didn't need to read that statistic to know that competition abounds. To help retain customers, make a personal connection with them this...
Start Your Holiday Social Media Campaigns NOW!
TELL THEM TO HAVE FUN!
The National Retail Federation recently released their overall holiday retail sales forecast. The forecast expects an increase of almost 4 percent over last year to $602 billion. Shop.org expects online holiday sales to increase up to 15 percent for $82 billion. Retailers are rolling out their holiday...
The EBV Brand of Entrepreneurship
A VETERANS’ DAY SALUTE
The EBV (Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities) has emerged as the premier program to train disabled veterans to become successful business owners. This program is privately funded and includes five weeks of military-style intensive training followed by one year of online support and mentorship. The veterans...
When it Comes to Creativity, Let Sales Direct Marketing
RESPECT THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE MARKETPLACE
Creativity in the Real World We were recently asked by an MBA marketing grad, “How can I successfully use the creative skills I have learned in the real world?” We responded with the biggest lesson we learned while building the Barefoot wine brand. It’s the lesson...