The article doesn’t say a word about advertising.  It does, however, address how Ritz-Carlton maintains a freakishly high level of word-of-mouth reputation.

It’s not complicated, and it’s not a secret.

Anyone could do it.

But most don’t.

There are three basic elements to the Ritz-Carlton philosophy:

1)  Every employee lives and breathes VALUES and SERVICE. Walk up to a Ritz-Carlton employee and ask about the 12 Service Values, and they’ll likely whip out a small pocket accordion file that features each value, three points of service, and the company’s credo.

Value Number One is:  “I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life.”  Whoa. Even if the other eleven Values are blank, that one alone should blow your hair back.

2)  Every employee has AUTHORITY and RESPONSBILITY. Every employee of Ritz-Carlton has automatic authority to spend up to $2,000 to help a guest resolve an issue.  That’s right – $2,000 per guest, without having to obtain permission.  There’s a built-in level of trust, but with that comes a great deal of responsibility.  Once an employee gets a complaint, they own that complaint. No passing it off to someone else – they can get help, but they have to see the resolution of the problem through to the end.

You may not be able to afford $2,000 per customer, but what if you gave your employees authority of even $25 per customer to resolve problems?  And what if you made your employees see the resolution of a problem through to the end?  Imagine what kind of trust and pride that would build.

3)  Values, Service, and Pride are re-visited each and every day. This is the kicker, and the one reason why Ritz-Carlton is a cult brand and you’re not.  They didn’t just make up the values and customer policies then let it ride.  The staffs of each hotel meet at 8 a.m. every single morning to review their mission, discuss issues, and often times hail an employee for a specific success.  Pride and teamwork are reinforced each and every day in order to maintain consistency and to grow the brand.

Are you committed enough to customer experience to meet with your staff every day for a review of the company’s values, highlight customer resolutions, ask for help resolving problems, and feature success stories?  Do you have the fortitude that it takes to do it every single morning?  Because that’s what it’s going to take if you want to take your business to the next level.

Brian Bennett, a regional director for Ritz-Carlton knows that marketing and advertising have limited effect.  “It’s the positive experience that will make a guest who visits us five times a year visit us six or seven times.  The experience is what triggers change in human behavior and that change is pure profit.”

The recovery of the economy is still further off than we’d like to acknowledge.  Businesses that survive, and then rise to the top when times get better, will be those that take the Ritz-Carlton methodology and apply it to their own situation.  It’s not easy, and probably means a complete “lifestyle change” for your entire business.  But trust me – you need to do it.

The question is:  Will you?

The company realizes that social media is not the end-all and be-all of marketing strategy.  (As I said on a panel discussion last week, if that’s the way you think, then you need to have your head examined.)  They are using outlets like Facebook to do two things:

1)  Research. Surveys and questions posed to fans of the page (yes, I still call them fans) in order to learn more about what kinds of clothing styles are hot now and where trends are going. (click on image to enlarge)

2)  Conversation. Ann Taylor is working hard to answer comments left by fans, to let them know that the company cares, and to nip potential bad feelings in the bud.

Customers recently spoke up, saying that there was too much airbrushing of swimsuit models.  Check out the company’s reply:

When customers questioned whether LOFT’s clothes might look as great on “real women” as they do on stick-thin models, LOFT began photographing employees of varying size wearing LOFT outfits.

This is how you use social media.

It’s not about the latest viral video, trying to drum up something wild to get attention.

And it’s not about direct selling.

It’s about conversation.

Conversation that will provide consumer research data you never could have otherwise gathered.

Conversation that requires you to be open, honest, and flexible.

Conversation that could make current and former customers fall in love with you all over again.

How are you using your company’s Facebook page?  Is there a disconnect between what you want and what the customer wants?  Maybe it’s time to review your strategy.

Instead of holding yet another giveaway contest or asking mommies to write in how they “feel” about being, well, … mommies, the company is acknowledging the other dimensions of mothers’ lives and requesting business proposals for funding consideration.

Grants of $15,000 each will be awarded to “mompreneurs” who have viable business ideas and can demonstrate not only need, but also a solid plan for how they will use the grant.

According to a 2008 report from the National Association of Women Business Owners, moms start new businesses at twice the rate of business as a whole.  Yet only 3% of all venture capital funding goes to women.

This is a smart marketing strategy for the Huggies brand.  The program gives a shout-out to customers, acknowledging that being a woman with children doesn’t define who you are.

For about a quarter of the cost of one produced television ad, the program has impact and, if managed correctly, could grow into one of the most innovative, important online marketing strategies to date.

What do you think?  How can Kimberly-Clark enhance the marketing impact and grow the program to be as powerful as Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign?

But how many are willing to take a risk and follow it through to its inevitable end?

How many, as my partner Roy would say, are willing to “pull the trigger and ride the bullet?”

Not many, from what I’ve experienced.

I’ve worked with small business owners who won’t trust their own instinct.  The easy way out is to ask for advice from anyone who will listen (usually numbering in the dozens), then plead confusion.  The result?  Inaction at worst; mediocrity at best.

I’ve encountered small business owners (with marketing budgets that could afford to take a risk or two) who agree pull the trigger, and then freak out with doubts.  They either try to do an about-face, or start brainstorming ideas in order to dilute the risk.

“Maybe we should only take on part of this project.”

“Let’s start slow.”

Have this happen a few times, and you end up with a company full of employees with tragically low morale and extremely high turnover.  More often than not, the company itself does not survive in the long run.

At some point in your career – and in your life – you’re going to need to pull the trigger.

But before you do, remember this:  you can’t pull the trigger halfway.  Once that sucker leaves the barrel, it’s going somewhere.  Momentum can be your friend or your foe.

When thinking about risk, always ask yourself the Two Most Important Questions every business owner needs to know.

Then, decide: can you not only pull the trigger, but ride it for all its worth?  Because that’s what it’s going to take to survive this next era of small business ownership and have the firepower to pull away from the pack.

Recently, I heard that she’d had to change the name of her business because of trademark issues.  I contacted her to see if she’d like to share her story, as a cautionary tale for anyone who is thinking of starting their own business.  Kelly was game, and so we talked!

MM:  The original name of your company was Womenwise Marketing, correct? How did you come up with that name, and what year did you start the company? What does your company do?

Yes. I’m a freelance copywriter, and I named my first business “Wordwise Marketing.” But over time I realized that my true passion was helping other women in business, so “Womenwise Marketing” seemed like a natural transition. I started using that name in the summer of 2008, and started the Womenwise Marketing blog later that fall.

MM:  Then you ran into some trademark issues. Can you tell us a little about that, and how it transpired?

Almost three years after I started using the name “Womenwise Marketing,” I received a letter from a lawyer saying that someone else owned the trademark, and they were giving me a week to re-brand. I have an acquaintance who’s a trademark lawyer, so I had him look into it. He told me that the other company owned the trademark, and had started using it before me. So unfortunately, I had little choice but to comply.

MM:  And how did things turn out?

I was devastated at first, because I had put so much work into the brand. But eventually I thought of a new name: “One Woman Marketing.” It not only described me perfectly, but described the situation of many women I work with: like me, they own their own businesses and serve as a one-woman marketing department. I began to see the situation as a God-send, because I never would have changed my name had it not happened.

MM:  So, you had to change the name – not only for your business, but your blog, etc.

Yes.  First I was angry. When I learned I had no case, I felt incredibly stupid and guilty. I kept saying, “I should have known – but how could I have known?” I also spent a few days feeling sad and resigned and sorry for myself. Rebranding eventually distracted me. And people have been amazingly supportive, which helped.

It’s important to let people know that the other company isn’t the villain. One of the things I learned is that when you file a trademark, you become responsible for pursuing anyone who encroaches on that name. Otherwise you could lose rights to it. So the other company wasn’t being a bully — they were just protecting their business.

MM:  You’re pretty resilient, and I admire you for that. If you were to meet someone who was also going through the same situation, what advice would you give them?

Thanks! I’d recommend finding a trademark attorney you trust. People kept encouraging me to fight the lawsuit, which would have been a losing battle and could have cost tens of thousands of dollars. But having a trademark attorney explain things helped me to avoid a lot of problems.

Also keep in mind that this happens more than people might think. During the re-branding process, several clients of mine revealed that they’d experienced similar situations — some more than once! It made me realize that I’m not alone.

MM:  In order for business owners to avoid such a conflict in the future, what would you recommend?

Don’t just rely on a cursory Google search to see if someone owns a trademark. Search the trademark registry at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp. And if your name is something you can’t afford to lose, talk with a trademark attorney and make sure it’s protected. Trademarking your name requires a small upfront investment, but it can protect you from trouble in the future.

MM:  It looks like you’ve come through this with flying colors. I see that One Woman Marketing has already reached the #1 position on Google (even for the “Womenwise Marketing” search!). What are your plans for the near future?

The name change helped me clarify where I want my business to go. I was never really comfortable as a marketing “guru,” but I’ve always been happy to share what I’ve learned. So I’ve allowed myself to become more personal on my blog and in everything else I do.

I’m currently developing a coaching program to help women overcome insecurities and create a workable marketing plan for their business. I also have a marketing book proposal I finished last year that I’d like to get published eventually. And as always, I’m doing web copywriting, speaking gigs and trying to build my blog readership.

MM:  Thanks so much for sharing your story, Kelly, and for offering such great advice to all business owners out there.  To read more from Kelly Watson, be sure to check out her blog at One Woman Marketing.

But there’s one news item that got my attention, and I wanted to share it with you.

Target has launched Target Mobile, with new cell- and smart-phone tools that raise the bar on the mobile shopping experience.

With Target Mobile, shoppers sign-up and/or download free apps, and are immediately privy to:

• Checking out with a mobile phone, using Target gift card information
• Locating and updating gift registries
• Coupons sent to a mobile phone, complete with bar code – no more paper coupons

Even if you own a small business and think you can’t afford such programs, sit tight and watch for now.  Immerse yourself in what companies like Target are doing, because it is the future.  It is YOUR future.  The time will come when the software to create such mobile shopping programs is cheap and easy to use, and you’ll need to be ready.

Sign up for Target Mobile today – it could very well be some of the best consumer research you’ll do this year.

While on a family trip to Anderson, Indiana, Holly visited the Gruenewald Historic House and met Jean Whitsell-Sherman. Holly wrote, “Talk about a decimated town- almost everyone worked for GM and they closed all 4 of their factories in the area. The two women who run [Gruenewald] have little or no promotional budget.

After talking with Jean, Holly sent her a copy of The Soccer Mom Myth when she returned home.  Jean wrote to Holly afterward, to share how she used what she learned from the book.  And she blew us both away.

Here, in Jean’s words, is her story:

I waited until now to properly thank you for the book, because I used your ideas on a project and wanted to report back to you!

I have always wanted a used jewelry sale.  I had heard about them and felt it could be a good money-maker. The board seemed interested, only if they didn’t have to actually DO much. I took this as a cue that it would be MY baby and I could take control and do things my way.

SO while reading your book, I tried to fashion the sale with today’s woman in mind. Jewelry is expensive and you only buy it if it’s a bargain.  Its frivolous, but loads of fun.

• We needed jewelry
• We needed a compelling reason to draw them  to the house other than jewels
• We needed them to stay and browse
• We needed them to get involved in the Gruenewald Experience

IDEA: I came up with a form that was designed as a tax letter where ladies could list their donated jewelry and price the donation themselves. Two forms were enclosed in Ziplock with instructions to return the forms to me.  I would sign one and mail it back to the donor with a complimentary ticket to the sale.  They could put the donated jewelry in the Ziplock and place it in our mail slot anytime.  I would of course come to their homes if necessary and get their donations. Convenience!!!!

RESULT: I got tons of jewelry. Women don’t know what to do with old stuff they are tired of. They know its too good to toss out-so here is a good opportunity to tax deduct it. We got Coldwater Creek watches that had never been worn, Chico, 14kt bracelets, crystal beaded necklaces and bracelets, Brighton still with tags, etc!

IDEA: I got the owner of a local jewelry store downtown to agree to come and be on hand for an ”antiques road show” style opportunity. He could always use the publicity and boy did he get it! (See Anderson Herald Bulletin February 4th).

RESULT: People were waiting in line to see the jeweler.  At the close of the project, we said he asked if he could come back next year with an antiques expert (he was just a jeweler).

IDEA: We served an open house style tea luncheon. People are busy and don’t want to be locked in to a Saturday schedule.  We offered samples of sandwiches, scones, Devonshire cream, cookies, and teas that we serve . We charged $5 each (reasonable!). We served ready-made glass snack plates and they could meander about the downstairs, eat, look at the used jewelry, and talk to the jewelry expert.

RESULT: They loved the food, we got one reservation that day for a tea. Our scones were the big hit– we ran out of business cards for the supplier of our scones.  Note-the scone lady has promised to come next year to the event.

IDEA: The chapter in the book that explained the man’s brain and how it operates was also helpful. When selling tickets prior to the event, I approached a friend who is third in command at Ricker’s, a quite successful locally owned convenience chain here in Indiana. Asked him if he wanted to buy two for his wife and daughter.  He rebuffed me.  So I immediately thought ” gee, Jean you’re talking to a businessman-tap into that side of his brain!”   So I told him he would be extremely popular with the female employees if he gave them out as Valentine’s gifts to the “girls” (ugh) at  the office.

RESULT: He bought 10 and gave the out at corporate headquarters.

We were open for two hours and served over 55-60 people.  We cleared over $500.00, which pays for a month and a half of winter heat bills.  We were a success!

So, thanks for the book, it is a treasure and very helpful.

I am passing it on to our Wine Gala and Auction chair to read before that event in May.

Sincerely,

Jean Whitsell-Sherman

Think you’re too small to try ideas from The Soccer Mom Myth? Think again.  You, too, can have the success of Jean Whitsell-Sherman, if you have the inclination.

Bravo, Jean!

I had an opportunity to interview Rob Harles, VP Social Media and Community at Sears Holdings, and ask him about this social media phenomenon that is not only winning awards but building tremendous customer loyalty.

MM:  Thanks for joining us, Rob.  When did you launch MySears?

RH: The MySears community had a soft launch in June 2008 under the Web site sk-YOU.com, which quickly attracted a large and growing membership of more than 200,000.

In May 2009, Sears Holdings officially announced the launch of the MySears community, allowing customers to share their insights, experiences and product reviews by creating a two-way dialogue between the retailers and their customers through discussion forums, blog entries, ratings, reviews, polls and surveys, and an exciting new idea suggestion area and platform to leave comments.

MM: What was your original mission for the website? Has it changed?

RH: Whether it’s improving how customers shop online, in-store, through mobile applications, or finding ways to enhance Sears’ offerings and learn more from customers, our mission has always been to empower customers to shop how they want, when they want and where they want, and helping them better manage their lives.

The MySears community launch supports Sears’ belief in the power of community and in creating new and better ways to engage its customers, associates and vendors who are invited to register, create a profile, upload photos, share their personal experiences and ideas, and connect with each other.

This ability to engage and interact with our customers via the MySears community is an important part of our goal to improve the shopping experience for everyone.

MM: What are a couple of the most important things you’ve learned about your customers through MySears?

RH: Since the launch of the MySears community, we’ve learned more about our customers and what they like from us. One of the key learnings is that our customers really want us to succeed. Our most engaged customers want to share their ideas and thoughts about how we can accomplish that, and we’re open to input and ways to make our customers’ lives better.

One of the other big lessons learned is that we need to do more than just listen, so Sears absorbed the information and worked to make customers’ suggestions come to fruition.

MM: Do you know what percentage of MySears members are women?

RH: A little more than half of the membership is women, and that has shifted over time as we have broadened our outreach and appeal.

MM: Do you find that women use the site differently from men?

RH: From interacting and engaging with customers frequently, Sears learned that women in the MySears community do tend to be very vocal and offer more suggestions compared to male members.

In addition, we asked our members how they use the site and if they were heavily engaged in social networking during the initial launch. The response was interesting as many were not comfortable with Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, but they were comfortable on MySears rating and reviewing products, sharing experiences and meeting people who were more like themselves.

We capitalized on that initially by not pushing the social elements of the experience until people got comfortable. That too, has begun to shift as the mix of members has changed balancing the sexes and pulling in younger age groups.

MM: Any future plans for MySears?

RH: The MySears community will continue to evolve with the help of our customers. We have said that the community essentially belongs to its members, so we will continuously engage with them to make it a place that aligns with their needs. The future of social media is constantly changing, and Sears will do its best to learn and incorporate features and tools to benefit the lives of our customers over the next few years. As long as our customers keep talking to us, we will have a community.

Thanks again, Rob.  It will be exciting to see where MySears goes from here.

If you are interested in building a community like MySears for your business, I suggest you sign up for a free membership on MySears.com.  There are dozens of lessons to be learned from what the site is doing, and by pulling just one or two ideas from their strategy, you can build a powerful online community no matter what the size of your company.

I’ve long been fan of Wen’s incredible portrait photography.  Hers is a family enterprise, with husband Sean sharing business duties.  They have a unique sense of marketing on a shoestring, and a knack for taking advantage of all opportunities.

Case in point:  Blizzard 2010.

On Friday, February 5^th, Wen looked at the snow falling outside her window and knew that she wouldn’t be the only one snowed in.  So she went on to the Facebook fan page for Wen McNally Photography and created “The Blizzard of 2010 Snowed-In Contest.”

Fans can vote on the senior portrait of their choice, and may cast up to 5 votes. The first place winner wins a $100 gift card to the store of their choice and a “poster session” with their friends.  Second and third place winners win a mini-studio “Facebook Friend” session.

Of course, in order to have the ability to vote, you have to become a fan of Wen’s page.

The contest started three days ago; it ends at midnight tonight.

As of this writing, Wen has added more than 650 new fans to the page and gathered more than 2,000 comments.

650 new fans, all friends of the seniors featured in the contest.

650 new potential customers, who can now view Wen’s amazing work.

All it took was a little time, a $100 gift card, and an attitude that seeks out small opportunities rather than large obstacles.

Most times, I’m pleasantly surprised.  Sometimes, my experience is so great I feel that I should be paying them for the privilege.

Such was the case this week with Wine Entre Femme, an organization of professional women in the wine industry.

Holly Buchanan and I traveled to Napa Valley to discuss marketing with this group of women, who had traveled from all over the globe – France, South Africa, Japan, Turkey – to learn, share, and explore.

This is the cream of the crop – vice-presidents of marketing, chief financial officers, vintners, owners.  Both Holly and I were immediately struck by an extremely rare balance of professionalism and personal friendship.

After rocking the house with our presentation and three 30-minute roundtable discussions, I came away with this:

These women know their sh**.

Whether a third-generation grower or second-career vintner, each of these women has immersed herself in the creation of wine.  She sees the big picture of all that’s required to make a successful business, from research to finance to marketing.  She isn’t afraid of hard work, and often laughs at the “romantic” perception people have of owning a winery.  As one woman told me, “Our way of life is hard work – it’s agriculture.”

These women see the big picture.

They do their homework, think big, but try to make business decisions based on reality.  Should we create an off-shoot label with a cute name to attract women?  How do we protect the integrity of our original brand?  Do we even have the financial and operational collateral necessary to give it a try? They realize that sometimes, the answer is no.  Holly and I spent a great deal of time talking to this group about “owning” whatever segment of the market they focus on, not just to follow a fad in marketing.

These women are family first, competitors second.

With literally thousands of wines flooding the market, these women are competing with each other for distribution and shelf space.  But they recognize the power of relationships.  The Wine Entre Femme members not only come together to learn; they share their secrets with each other and bond in ways that empower them all.

Holly and I broke bread (and drank plenty of wine) with these women at their Farewell Dinner on Monday evening, and laughed till we cried at the love these women have for each other and each others’ wines.

Women running up and down the Barrel Room of Trinchero Family Estates, grabbing the wines of their friends and telling others to try some.

Women telling stories of battling Mother Nature and bankers in suits.

Women who realize that in coming together and growing as a force to be reckoned with, they will break down the barriers of a male-dominated industry.

Every industry could learn from what this group does and believes in.  I know I have. I miss them already.