Tag Archive for: red deer websites

The Right Way to Market

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I had an experience a week or so ago that I HAVE to share. Why? Because it’s IMPRESSIVE, and smart, and should be shared.

I saw a tweet from Dan Ouwehand…I can’t remember what it was now (sorry Dan!) but it had something about Laebon Homes in it. I didn’t hesitate to tweet that Laebon built my first home & the experience was great. I was a young single girl, no idea what the hell I was doing or what I wanted, just knew I wanted a home that looked good and wasn’t going to require maintenance that I couldn’t afford.

From the Sales Guy to my Project Manager, every one of them treated me with respect, like I was as equal as a family of 10 walking in the door. I think that’s huge, and over the past 11 years, I’ve shared that story a million times.

Point of my story…not even 10 minutes after I tweeted that? An email from Laebon’s marketing department, thanking me and asking me to come by and pick up an Earl’s GC they had for me in thanks for my ongoing support.

AWESOME.

There is nothing unawesome about that. THAT people is how it’s done. What review would you rather hear? Which review would you trust? One that was prompted or paid for, or a genuine unprompted one?

I know which one I’d choose. Lesson here? Reward those who promote you because they love your product. Those people are your billboards.

Thank you once again Laebon Homes for being awesome.

Builds Character or Puts Hair on your Chest or Something

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I worked at Willy’s Hamburgers out on Gasoline Alley for 2 years. I always felt somewhat demeaned by that. I was in my 20s and working in a fast food restaurant.

I busted my ass at that job. Seriously. It would be crazy busy there in the summer and you were literally ran off your feet for 8-10 hours a day. Ya it was a fast food joint, but I liked the “regulars” that came in for breakfast every morning, the really rammy miserable dude that treated me like crap until I stood up to him and he smiled like I FINALLY got it, and my co-workers… Except for that chick who used to make up totally off-the-wall bs stories about horses eating at the table and stuff. She was too odd, even for me.

I’m always super defensive when someone makes a rude remark about a fast food worker or disrespects them because you know what? My bet is that some of them bust their ass at their job 10 times more than you do at yours.

So be nice, your choice of work is no better than the next guy’s.

Listen. Acknowledge. Save the Crazytown

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I used to work for Fluor during the Joffre 2000 Projects. There I met a man who taught me more than any person I’ve ever met. I don’t think he knows that.

The job was in Labour Relations. He was the manager and he hired me as his assistant. He was SMART. And not annoying smart (you know the type) but socially smart. Always friendly, always REALLY listened – stopped what he was doing and focussed on what you were saying, and always genuine in his responses. Always. But not a pushover. If you were an ass, he’d make you aware of it. But not in a passive aggressive way, in a direct concise way. No bullshit, no beating around the bush.

We’d have a job steward come in, sit for an hour to get to see him, only to put in a complaint that there was no lemon pie in the Camp Kitchen. OMG. My first EMOTIONAL response was always “Are you frickin kidding me? Get your ass out there and get to work and be grateful you get pie at all you lazy ass”… or something like that 😉

Not my boss, he would listen. He would understand that these men were away from their families for considerable lengths of time. They missed their kids, they missed being cared for by their spouses. He acknowledged their complaints. Which is all they really wanted. Someone to listen and acknowledge them. He never was quick to the emotional off-the-top response…he always took time to consider where they were coming from. Amazing talent. Needless to say, I’m crazy jealous of that talent and whenever I find myself going crazytown over something that REALLY isn’t that big of a deal, I try to remind myself of his awesomeness.

Stay calm. Breath. Listen. React. And if someone’s an ass, tell them straight up 🙂

Thank you Mark McCullough for the impact you’ve had on my world.