If you copy the BARRATTS philosophy, marketing
and they way they think about business, guess what;
you'll kill your business!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Good marketing cannot fix BAD, inaccurate thinking.
If you have friends or family connected to the shoe firm
If you have friends or family connected to the shoe firm
Barratts, they're suffering through no fault of their own.
If not friends or family, spare a thought for those poor Barratt
souls who are at the mercy of those who have been paid to
If not friends or family, spare a thought for those poor Barratt
souls who are at the mercy of those who have been paid to
run the company.
Barratts Shoes is in administration for the third time in
Barratts Shoes is in administration for the third time in
four years, with more than 1,000 jobs now at risk.
It's not the 'worker's' fault.
Those at the top of the company?
Their poor decisions, their poor marketing know how,
It's not the 'worker's' fault.
Those at the top of the company?
Their poor decisions, their poor marketing know how,
their lack of finding solutions; THAT'S where the EXACT
problem lies.
And look, it's easy to dish out the following line;
"Difficult trading conditions in the sector led the directors
And look, it's easy to dish out the following line;
"Difficult trading conditions in the sector led the directors
to explore potential refinancing options and additional
equity for the business."
Now here's a BIG question:
What would those nitwits at Barratts do with MORE money?
It seems as they've no real strategy to make the
Now here's a BIG question:
What would those nitwits at Barratts do with MORE money?
It seems as they've no real strategy to make the
business profitable, they'd be using that money to pay people
who aren't savvy or swift enough to find accurate, implementable
solutions.
It'd be a complete and utter waste; pumping more money into a
It'd be a complete and utter waste; pumping more money into a
business where there's no CLUE going on about how to serve
the most important people who could bail them out of the mess;
THEIR CUSTOMERS!
Here's the problem; customers aren't buying.
Reason why? There's no brand affinity, no spectacular buying experience
THEIR CUSTOMERS!
Here's the problem; customers aren't buying.
Reason why? There's no brand affinity, no spectacular buying experience
for the customer, no incredible offers made on a consistent basis,
no astonishing service, no difference or distinction made as to WHY
Barratts as compared to other shoe retailers.
Solution: -->Start breaking up their customer lists into various segments
Solution: -->Start breaking up their customer lists into various segments
and then, start creating specific versioned communications that
are just for them. (Men, women, children, seniors, specific type of
shoe purchased, amount of cumulative spend, etc)
--> Create sensational packaged bundles of products with higher value
shoe purchased, amount of cumulative spend, etc)
--> Create sensational packaged bundles of products with higher value
price tags, and sending elaborate thank you messages via personal
letters.
--> Re-iterate to the past and present customers WHAT Barratts stand for,
--> Re-iterate to the past and present customers WHAT Barratts stand for,
why we're different, why it's of great importance to continue to shop
with Barratts because of our astonishing levels of personalised
customer service.
--> Train, coach and motivate ALL staff to ensure customers
--> Train, coach and motivate ALL staff to ensure customers
are treated like VIPs. Get get rid of staff who are incompetent,
inefficient and who couldn't give a damn about what Barratts
stand for.
--> Create joint ventures with complimentary service and product
--> Create joint ventures with complimentary service and product
firms where further streams of income could be created.
--> Create a membership or continuity type programme where
--> Create a membership or continuity type programme where
subscribers will be eligible for a SHOE OF THE MONTH selection,
along with a compellingly written newsletter.
--> Turn all ads and marketing messages into direct response
--> Turn all ads and marketing messages into direct response
type communications and ruthlessly fire the current communications
or ad agency if they cannot create such marketing. Find one
who CAN.
----------------------------------
Those running the show at Barratts took NO responsibility
----------------------------------
Those running the show at Barratts took NO responsibility
to fix the problem. apart from the strategy of let's look for another
buyer or investor so we can saddle the whole sorry mess WE created,
onto THEM!
This incapacity for solution based, responsible action, this
This incapacity for solution based, responsible action, this
moral stupidity, this unwillingness to find a solution UNTIL...
it's this disease that's rampant through the minds of businesses
owners, executives and marketing people... of all kinds.
And it's not as if this scenario crept up on the Barratts
And it's not as if this scenario crept up on the Barratts
brigade one fine night whilst they were all sleeping. That didn't happen.
It was simply that THEY didn't happen.
They'd been hiding this exploding bomb for some time.
Though, chose to NOT find solutions to detonate it.
Especially the ones... that WORK.
They weren't committed to that.
And, when you take little to ZERO responsibility, you have
It was simply that THEY didn't happen.
They'd been hiding this exploding bomb for some time.
Though, chose to NOT find solutions to detonate it.
Especially the ones... that WORK.
They weren't committed to that.
And, when you take little to ZERO responsibility, you have
...little to ZERO control.
And so when that happens, there's a wonderful tendency to
And so when that happens, there's a wonderful tendency to
point fingers to everything and everyone OUTSIDE of their
comfort area.
It's easy to blame the economy, the competition, the
It's easy to blame the economy, the competition, the
red tape, the distribution, the manufacturers... that's
EASY to do.
But see, I don't think they were paid for that kind of thinking,
But see, I don't think they were paid for that kind of thinking,
that kind of strategy, that kind of solution.
The ASSET is the customer, though these Barratt nitwits
The ASSET is the customer, though these Barratt nitwits
didn't do a thing about treating it as the asset it is, and so...
...because of their inept decisions and their inept way of looking
...because of their inept decisions and their inept way of looking
at the the problem and their inept way of creating solutions...
...they've put the lives and security of many many people,
...they've put the lives and security of many many people,
into utter desperate panic.
If you yourself own, or have an interest in a business or venture.
A SUGGESTION:
Do NOT copy Barratts approach, attitude & excuse making
If you yourself own, or have an interest in a business or venture.
A SUGGESTION:
Do NOT copy Barratts approach, attitude & excuse making
when it comes to fixing and solving business and
marketing problems because, if you do, like them, you too will be
heading into turbulent waters with the Titanic and the
Titanic captain as your guidance and support system.
Raja
Titanic captain as your guidance and support system.
Raja
forward them this mail because I'm certain there's
a valuable lifeline in the solution section I've outlined above.
