Why people hate banks

People hate banks for lots of reasons. Too many to mention here. But here’s one: They pretend to care. 

Why shock, horror; I actually had a pleasurable banking experience.  

Upon opening a couple of business accounts at the Bank of Queensland in Yarraville and the staff actually did care. We even shared a joke or two. 

The clincher was with a simple statement: When asked how many monthly transactions I’d need at the branch and I replied with I’ll do it all on the net, they replied 

“That’s a shame, we’d like to see you come in. Remember we’re here if you ever need help or want to come in and discuss any issues.” 

It wasn’t corporate training speak either. The body language and tone told me it was real. We humans can sense these things. Funny how the things that cost nothing, add the most.

If any local business colleagues ask me about banking, guess where I’ll send them?

Hema – Wow!

HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926, in Amsterdam.

Now there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands. HEMA also has stores in Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany.

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Take a look at HEMA’s product page (switch sound on first).

You can’t order anything and it’s in Dutch but just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens.

  

Click here to see it.

Click on ‘nog een keer’ to replay, it’s worth a second look…

Startups – get Wow !

The experiment – Joseph Jaffe

JJ of Jaffe Juice is running an experiment to test the theory of his new book – Join the conversation. And it’s this:

Use new marketing to prove new marketing (or UNM2PNM for short)

The underlying thinking is that he use the approaches discussed in the book to promote it – hence providing a proof of concept.

So he’s given 150 books to bloggers and the like (me included) who’ll review it and ‘start the conversation’ – good bad or ugly. So when I get it, I’ll review it right here on start up blog.

  

It’ll be an interesting experiment to see how the book does in market.

How to – Consumer promotion

Occassionally a consumer promotion does what it’s intended to do.

This is one such promotion.

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Summary:

Surfers compete in a surfboard paddle race.  The first four to the Red Bull buoy in each race will be the only surfers winched from sea to sky by the Red Bull helicopter, and whisked away to spend a weekend surf trip in a top secret location hosted by Ross Clark Jones & current World Champion Surfer Mick Fanning at an awesome beach house retreat.  Winners will get to mingle with Mick, demo some awesome new boards and order their very own free custom surfboard!

  

Click the image above to check out the details.

 

Simple mechanics, enhances brand value, anyone can have a go, zero cost to enter, unobtainable prize which money can’t buy, worth talking about.

Sure, they’ve got the budget to do it, and I’m a self confused surf junky… but neither of these things are what makes it so impressive. It’s the idea, the execution and more so “The Experience” – even the losers will enjoy participating.

   

As life becomes more about experiences, rather than consumption smart startups will take notice.

  

What experience does your start up offer?

 

Kudos Redbull – again.

Just one customer

If we had just one customer how would we treat her?

If we had just one customer what would our business relationship be?

If we had just one customer at what lengths would we help her?

If we had just one customer we’d hope she told others good things about us.

If we had 1 million customers it would be different. We’d be too busy to do any of that stuff. We’d have projects and financials and meetings and someone answering our phone and daily issues to resolve….right?

As far as she is concerned, we only have one customer.

So it must be true, we only have one customer. We ought treat her that way.