Just read this great post by Tim J. M. Rohrer, a blogger at Sales Loudmouth and thought you might enjoy it (click here to check out the Sales Loudmouth site and subscribe to the blog):
When a media seller accepts money for an advertising campaign, they accept responsibility for the success of the campaign. But, they ultimately have very little to do with the success of the client's business and the confusion between these two very disparate objectives causes much heartbreak for both media sellers and high-level business decision makers.
To see what I mean, let's take a look at two examples.
I am on an Airtran flight from Atlanta to Houston and shortly after take-off, the flight attendant appears with a basket full of snacks. Having flown Airtran many times, I am familiar with the snack selection and look for my favorite - granola. When I don't see it, I ask the flight attendant about the missing granola.
"Uh, do you have any granola?" I ask dumbly.
"Oh. No. Have you heard that they are phasing it out?" she replies sweetly.
"Phasing it out? No, I haven't heard that. Why on earth would they phase it out? It's the only snack worth eating. They can't phase it out. Phase it out. Are you serious?"
Now, I agree that this reaction was slightly over the top. Most people would have said, "Okay. Let's see, I'll have the cookies." But, while I wasn't exactly panicky, my reaction made it pretty clear that I was a tad disappointed with this decision.
"Would you like another snack?" she asks sweetly.
"Do you have any pretzels?" I wonder dejectedly.
She went back to the galley and brought out a bag of pretzels. I found it interesting that they don't put the pretzels in the basket with the other snacks and I later learned that pretzels didn't make the list of snacks being presented in first class. I'm not sure why but that is another story for another day.
The flight proceeds smoothly enough and I'm eating pretzels and drinking Jack Daniels (with Diet Coke) and feeling pretty good. The pilot announces that we'll be landing shortly and it is necessary to put seat backs and tray tables in their full upright and locked position. I'm doing that when the flight attendant reaches over the person next to me and drops three bags of granola in my lap.
I look up in wonder and she says,
"I found some in the back for you. Hang onto them for your next flight."
She smiles and goes off to do a cross check or some other flight attending type thing.
I yell out, "Thank you very much!" and sit there grinning like an idiot.
Flash forward to yesterday. I am visiting the local movie theater where I am tendering a Groupon on the last day of its validity.
"May I help you," the ticket attendant says sweetly.
"Yes, I would like to tender these Groupons for tickets to the October 8th showing of Moneyball at 7:20 pm, please."
"I'm afraid I can't sell you a ticket for that day because the movies for that date are not yet posted in the system. However, we are extending the date for which you can use the Groupon so you aren't going to miss out. One final thing, though. The Groupon is good for a movie ticket and a soda but if you use the Groupon past its original expiration date we won't be able to offer you the
free soda."
"Okay. I'm a little confused. Moneyball is playing at this theater."
"Yes. It is playing right now but I don't have it in my system for October 8 so the system won't allow me to sell you a ticket."
"Couldn't you just give me a voucher good for that day and I can get my ticket when I show up?"
"Would you like to speak to a manager?"
"Sure."
Thirty seconds later, a sharply dressed, good looking fellow appears from a side door and smiles at me and inquires how he might be able to help.
I say, "I would like to redeem these Groupons for tickets to Moneyball on October 8th but am being told that the system won't allow the attendant to sell me a ticket and I'm hoping you
can' help with that."
"Sure. Well, the problem isn't that the system won't allow us to sell a ticket that far in advance. The problem is that we haven't yet announced whether Moneyball will still be in this theater on that date. We may have to replace it with another movie as the studio directs. But, we are honoring the Groupon past today. So, if Moneyball is playing a week from Saturday you can come in with your Groupon and get a ticket. Unfortunately, we won't be able to give you the soda that originally came with the Groupon" he replies professionally.
"Okay. I appreciate being able to use my Groupon past the expiration date - although technically I am here right now and ready to use it to buy a ticket for October 8th. That's all good. Let me ask you something aside from all that."
"Sure."
"What's the point of taking away the soda? Is this some sort of punishment for not using the Groupon sooner? Are you trying to convince people not to buy the Groupons in the future?"
"Our feeling is that folks had eight weeks to use the Groupon and if we are going to extend the date then it is reasonable to reduce the offer."
"Well, it might be reasonable but don't you think it comes across as kind of cheap? I mean, the soda costs you practically nothing but it's going to significantly reduce the value of the Groupon because it will cost me $4."
"I see what you're saying but that's just what corporate decided."
"Okay, thanks for explaining it to me."
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In both of these examples, the advertising worked. Airtran told me on radio, TV and billboards that I should fly with them and I did. The movie theater told me through Groupon that I should do business with them and I did.
But, which of these two businesses is more likely to grow their business?
Airtran.
You see, both "corporates" made a decision. Airtran's corporate decided to phase out the granola. I'm sure they had their reasons and it was left to the front line people to explain it to the customer. The movie theater's corporate decided to take away the soda for all Groupons used past the expiration date and left it up to the front line people to tell the customer.
In the Airtran case, the flight attendant found a way to delight me after she delivered the message from corporate. If she couldn't find any granola, I have no doubt she would have found another way to delight me. Delighting the customer is part of the culture and she's been empowered to find ways to do it. As a result, I am a repeat customer. But, that is not all. I've told this story two or three times to other people who have a choice of airlines. Now, I'm telling all of you.
The granola cost less than a dollar but look at its power!
In the movie theater's case, I am a one time customer. But, that's not the only consequence. I am telling this story to at least ten people who live in my neighborhood. People who have a choice whether or not to go to this theater. (And, people who have a choice whether or not to buy a Groupon.)
The soda costs the theater less than a dollar but look at its power! (The power to destroy the advertising campaign and, potentially, the entire business.)
Advertising is a small part of the success of a business but a media seller takes the responsibility for the success of the entire business every time she accepts money for a single advertising campaign.
While a media seller is not likely to get invited into the corporate structure of an airline like Airtran, there is no reason why we shouldn't be involved in all aspects of a local business like a movie theater.
Before you accept money for the next campaign, be sure to brainstorm ways the local business can delight the customers that you are responsible for finding.
