A Startup Guy

Dyson image via Wikipedia

I love great products. I don’t mean products you want to tell people about, but products you HAVE to tell people about. I felt that way about the iPod Touch when I first tried one. I felt that way about my TiVo when I got one. You don’t find many products like that, but every once in a while one comes along.

My wife and I recently purchased a Dyson vacuum. It was expensive and, truth be told, I didn’t really want to spend the money on it. (Thankfully, we’d just received payback on our interest-free loan to the government. Read: tax return.) I’d read lots of great reviews online, but couldn’t imagine a vacuum being worth $500. Then I used it. Wow!

It cleans better than any vacuum I’ve ever used. It’s cleaned our house, removed tons of dust we thought we couldn’t get rid of – ever, and the house even smells better. Now, I can’t imagine how we did without it. It’s so great, I think it’s worth three times what I paid for it. (I couldn’t afford it at that price, but it’s worth it.) If you don’t own one, save y our money and buy one. You won’t be sorry!!

Here’s the challenge for the rest of us. What can you (I) do to make your (my) product a Wow! product? Talk to your customers, listen to the marketplace, really look at your product and think about what would make it zing. Don’t let good be good enough. A Wow! product is the best marketing you can invest in. Give people something to talk about… something they HAVE to talk about.

Dear GOP,

My deepest condolences on your recent loss. It was a monumental loss (president, house and senate) and I’m sorry you had to go through that.

In the next few days and weeks, there will be much hand-wringing and introspection. Probably even some sniping and finger-pointing. I pray that through it all you will be able to stop, work your way through the grief and finally face the truth. You lost and you deserved it.

Here is some quick advice to help you avoid some of the navel-gazing. If you think your loss was due to the economy, John McCain as candidate, talk radio, Sarah Palin, liberals, George W. Bush, the Iraq War, ACORN, Dick Cheney, Al Qaeda, MoveOn.org, the Talaban or high gas prices, you’re wrong. Those were parts of the puzzle, but none of them is why you lost. You lost because Barack Obama knew what Reagan knew and what Kennedy knew: You must offer people something to hope for and something to aspire to. Not something to vote against.

You’ve lost touch with your core values. You’ve disconnected from your roots. You’ve used Ronald Reagan as a magic incantation for winning rather than as a role model and lesson on how to win. You sold your soul for 30 pieces of silver and 10 years of power. And now you reap what you have sown.

Quit looking back. Look forward, return to your core values and find your voice again. Or don’t… and fade away.

If you wish to discuss further, have your people call my people and we’ll do lunch.

Best wishes,
A Startup Guy

P.S. John McCain, in your moment of defeat you were a class act and I applaud you.

Image by stephee via Flickr

I love when businesses get it right. They just supercharge me as a customer. There are a few stores in my town that do this and one I really love is Publix. I’ve heard bad things about this chain grocery store in other areas. I don’t know if it’s regional leadership or what, but the stores in my region are fantastic. Not just one store in my home town, but I’ve had the same excellent experience in at least 5 stores throughout Middle Tennessee.

I used to shop other chains, such as Kroger, but was frustrated with substandard fresh veggies and meats (at least at the one near my house). Not to mention just mediocre service. One thing I’ve noticed at Publix is that there are a few teenagers working there, but they are high quality workers. Kroger has LOTS of teens working there and it’s obvious that this is just a paycheck to them. And it’s obvious that kroger hires them because they’re cheap.

Here are a couple of recent examples:

One day I stopped in Kroger to pick up a few items. When leaving, I had my hands full with bags of groceries and trying to corral my 3-year-old son. I went out a door that wasn’t automated (you have to actually push it open, remember those?). Going out the same door, just a couple of steps in front, was a Kroger employee who looked back, saw I was struggling, and let the door shut in my face.

Contrast that to my experience at Publix one day recently. I ordered some sliced meats from the deli. The lady was finishing up with another customer and my order would be a few minutes. I asked her if it would be OK if I shopped a bit and came back to pick up my order and she said that was fine. A few minutes later, halfway across the store, she brought my deli order to me!

When I go into a local Kroger or Walmart, I generally don’t get much attention from the employees there. Frequently, I don’t get more than a “Will this be all?” from the cashier when checking out. On the other hand, when shopping Publix, nearly everyone I pass who works there greets me and asks if they can help me find anything. Their cashiers are always friendly.

Publix really has their act together and I love shopping there. Kroger or Walmart may be a bit cheaper on a few things, but Publix is chaper on some others. Quality products, fresh food, great service and good pricing keep me coming back. I’m happy they “get it.”