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What United Forgot: Customers Matter

~ Carmen Duarte ~ 1 Comment

Last week’s United Airlines debacle caught international attention for a simple reason. The airline forgot that they were dealing with a paying customer—and it could easily have been any of us. Yes, perhaps the customer was being overly stubborn about his circumstances, but something happens when we enter the air travel zone. Perhaps it’s how we’re welcomed at the airport—long lines, security check-ins and the TSA presence. Or maybe it’s that we’re all intent on reaching our destination on our timeline, so any unplanned delay becomes a crisis. And of course, airports are teeming with crowds and we all know that crowds contribute to stress in any circumstance. Together, these variables foster an undercurrent of irrational tension.

I couldn’t help but think of this when I checked into my Sheraton Hotel in Minnesota last night and noticed a small red carpet in the entryway. Having just been at the same property a few weeks ago, I questioned the look but thought they were maybe just getting creative for spring. But then placed by the television I noticed a tray of snacks—which I had not ordered—and a printed card stating that I was their VIP customer of the day. This was clearly a random welcome experience that probably cost the hotel less than $5, but boy, did it make me feel great about my stay. Through this very simple gesture, they reinforced that they understood that the customer comes first. Winning my loyalty by providing a memorable experience matters to them—and that is a powerful message.

I called the front desk to thank them for the surprise welcome, and they were happy to reinforce the card’s message. We care about your business and are glad that you’re here. Hmm….seems pretty simple. United – are you listening?

Sheraton-Welcome

Try These in Your Next Blog Headline: “How”, “What”, “Why” and “Best”

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~ Carmen Duarte ~ Leave a comment

The perpetual bloggers’ dilemma is how to earn loyal followers when there are so many talented, informative voices out there. Finding a niche topic is a wise choice, along with offering a clever view. But what if your specialty or passion is a subject that may be a little crowded?

I’m a big fan of quick tips – and today appreciated learning about the 80/20 rule in blogging. “Compounding posts “– or posts that build readership over time – outperform “decaying posts” – or messages that spike in popularity right away, with little residual interest. Compounding posts have several characteristics in common, as described by HubSpot’s Mimi An in her well-researched report “Compounding Blog Posts; What They Are & Why They Matter.” In a study of 15,000 companies’ blogs, she learned that one in ten posts can be classified as compounding, but those earn nearly 40% of the blog’s traffic. Those are pretty impressive patterns!

So how do we personal bloggers reap those benefits? Consider the following:

  1. Headlines: use the terms “how”, “what”, “why” and “best” and include between 6 – 13 words.
  2. Content: keep your topic and audience broad.
  3. Topics: select evergreen themes that will remain relevant for extended periods.
  4. Purpose: answer questions or provide advice.

While these may seem like rather obvious tips, I’m confident it takes practice to consistently demonstrate these tactics throughout your blog. The message here isn’t to limit your style to compounding posts, but to be mindful of offering these anchor messages amidst your more trendy shares. I’ll check back in on this topic in a few months to see if I can see a difference in my posts and readership!

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