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Archive | September, 2013

How can you make life easier for everyone?

Every toy with a battery requires a screwdriver to open the childproof battery compartment. Leapfrog replaced it with a screw you can open with a penny. Hassle gone + kid happy = parent buys more from you. What tiny little thing can you change to thrill your customers?

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Newsletter #955: The “Necessary Evils” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.] Your customers may be cool with your “no shoes, no shirt, no service” rule, but sometimes you have to enforce less […]

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You can make any company remarkable with great service

Headsets.com sells headsets. Not exactly exciting. But their customers love them — because of extraordinary, amazing service. When you call they spend as much time as necessary to make sure you get what you need. They know their product. They’re happy to send multiple models to try out. You get multiple follow-ups to make sure […]

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3-Minute WOM Lesson: 3 ways to stop negative word of mouth before it starts

This is a post from our WordofMouth.org project. Check it out for more great word of mouth marketing tips like this every day. While it’s impossible to completely defend yourself from negative word of mouth, there are some strategies to stop it before it gets too big. Three ways to do it: 1> Ask for […]

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What if you’re too small to get word of mouth?

Answer: Team up with friends! Your little business may not generate break-through buzz. But a crew of similar businesses with more to talk about can become a buzzworthy story. 12 local Chicago childrenswear designers joined together to create the Kooky Children’s Shop. They now have enough collective activity to support a group website and pop-up […]

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Help your new customers fall in love with you

Mimi’s Cafe in Orland Park, IL gives 4 free muffins to every new customer. It thrills them, it makes them feel special, and it brings them back for another visit. Most importantly: It gives every new customer a reason to spread word of mouth. They will all be saying “Hey, I tried this new restaurant […]

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The wrong way to handle a bad review

I wanted to return a Christmas present that I bought from a third-party seller on Amazon. It was the usual bad story: They wouldn’t respond to my emails, then it took weeks to get a return authorization, then they wanted me to pay $25 postage for the return and a $28 restocking fee. So I […]

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Two hippos are sitting in a bath …

One says to the other “why are you so fat”. And the other says “don’t be so hippo-critical.“ Someone told me this joke, and I wrote it down to tell my kids. And now it’s been sitting in my inbox, distracting me from work, for months. It’s important to have a place to stick thoughts, ideas, and […]

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Newsletter #954: The “Bad Jokes” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.] Under pressure to seem young and hip, create the next YouTube hit, or just keep up with the Seymour Butts of […]

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