What American Idol Teaches Us About Business

Okay, I'll admit it right here. I'm an American Idol fan. I've got my favorites and I've blocked off the time in my schedule to watch each week. It's my one big TV indulgence. That being said, I've been noticing that there is a lot to learn about business by watching the Idol wanna-bes and tracking the results.

The most recent lesson: Good Marketing is Essential, But It's Not Enough.

Over the last few weeks we've seen 36 singers, 9 have made it to the next round, and you can still only probably name a handful of those folks by name. If you've been watching, there are a few that you will be sure to recognize though...

Both Tatiana Del Toro (Crazy Laughing Girl) and Nick Mitchell (a.k.a. Norman Gentle) have made themselves household names by making themselves stand out. This creates recognition, gets attention and causes interaction - which exactly matches up with the goal of a good marketing campaign. You want to use repetition to create recognition, craft a great offer to get attention and eventually cause the prospect to interact with your company by making a purchase.

But where did it get them? People recognize them, pay attention and watch to see what happens next... but when it came time for America to actually CHOOSE, a lack of quality in their singing (what the competition is actually about!) left them in a lurch. Neither one made it through to the next round.

In today's climate, you need to have a killer marketing plan - but at the same time people are going to be more conscious of their buying decisions. So in order to create repeat orders and word-of-mouth leads, you're going to have to ensure that you are putting out only the highest quality product or service.

Don't do everything right on your marketing just to become the memorable failures that Nick and Tatiana have become. Get the word out, get the quality up, and you'll thrive in any economic climate while others fall behind.

Love,
Joy

Featured Video Critique: It's All in the Offer

When people get your postcard, what will be on it to ensure they become your customer? Have you enticed them with a reason to pay more attention to you than the other guys?

An offer is a crucial part of your postcard design. It's the lure that grabs your attention and gets people to contact your business. Does this card succeed in doing that? I've critiqued this postcard and given my thoughts on it; take a look at the video and see if you agree!

Have a postcard that you would like critiqued? Send it to me and I'll take a look. With your permission, I may even post my assessment in the gallery.

UPDATE: This is No Time to Despair

Remember I asked for "good news" economic testimonies some weeks back? Well, they're still coming in! Here's another shot of positive info for you. Enjoy!

"Joy,

The mortgage business is alive and well in Houston, TX. I am looking to hire "special" loan officers in my branch.

My business development focus for the past 2-3 years has definitely included Postcardmania.com.  I have truly found the cards are a great way to keep in touch with my clients and prospective clients and let people know there is mortgage money in Houston.

Joe Stiles
www.joestiles.com"

"Hi Joy,

Great newsletter and good job on spreading a positive message. I think there’s a fair amount of good news if one looks for it. Check out this blog post by Joel Spolsky, who runs a software company in NY. It caught my eye a couple of weeks ago and is a good example. Check out the comments.

Cheers,
Mike McKinnis"

Great stuff guys, thanks! If you've found anything else to be optimistic about regarding the economy, I'd love to hear about it and share it with my staff and my database! There's quite enough bad news being reported - we need the good news!! Email it to me at joy.gendusa@postcardmania.com.

Love,
Joy

Joy Recommends...

Who Moved My Cheese?
by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

Don't let the silly title fool you: this book is a great and fast read (I finished it in about an hour!) that has become extremely relevant in today's economic climate! The story follows 4 characters searching a maze to find their "cheese", and what each one does when the cheese they've found suddenly disappears one day. It may sound like an odd metaphor, but this book has helped countless people in their business outlook and it's a fun little story besides!

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com.

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