Pixie Dust & Profits

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode we're discussing our first experiences with Disney and how the magic kept us coming back.

Disney spends a hefty budget on marketing to their customers, but it pays off...big time. Listen to this episode to hear some practical ways you can delight your own customers!

Listen now and discover:

• The stories behind our Disney World obsessions and why our family vacations feel so magical
• Ways to hook your customer to keep them returning for more
• How Disney keeps their customers coming back and the surprise and delight techniques you can use in your own business
• The difference between a once-in-a-lifetime customer and a customer-for-life
• Why the goal really isn't to make a zillion dollars from your customers

Your small business takeaways:

• Treat your customers well and they will keep coming back
• Choose surprise and delight elements that make sense to your business and brand
• Learn from your favorite companies on the ways they create a great experience for their customers
• Consider the bigger, longer-term picture and not just the immediate sale in front of you

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode we're discussing how to be 'uniquely you' in your business without always trying to replicate what's right in front of you.

The creation of Shanghai Disneyland proves this model, as the park is filled with the magic of Disney, yet immersed in the Chinese culture. Listen now to hear how you can be uniquely you in your own small business!

Listen now and discover:

• How Disney learned from their mistakes building Disneyland Paris and approached creating a new park in Shanghai with more collaboration and intention
• 3 ways Shanghai Disneyland incorporates Chinese culture into the park experience
• Tips for using the tools around you and customizing them for your own business and success metrics
• How we incorporate this concept into the Profitable & Productive Party where we help small business owners create their own unique path

Your small business takeaways:

• Question everything you're taking in to see how it will impact your customer
• Learn the difference between replicating someone else's approach in your business because it "makes sense" vs. "it's easy"
• Embrace that step-by-step programs probably won't benefit your business if you follow them to a T
• Trust your own uniqueness and always apply it to your business: the world wants to hear your voice!

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're discussing Disney's public-facing strategies for re-opening during the pandemic.

As they adapt and try to balance profits with safety, Disney continues to keep customers and Cast Members at the forefront of their minds. Listen now for strategies that you can apply to your small business too!

Listen now and discover:

• How Disney is navigating re-opening during coronavirus
• The three key things that have changed at the Disney parks and the precautions they're putting in place to protect guests and employees
• Potential concerns going through customers' minds about the safety of themselves and their families
• How Pixie Dust & Profits LIVE is considering the needs of our customers and ways we are pivoting for everyone's safety
• The importance of transparency and honesty in your messaging to ensure your customer's expectations

Your small business takeaways:

• Lean on your contract or terms and conditions to see what it allows you to do while adjustments are being made in your industry
• Think about your customer's perspective - what would you feel satisfied with, and consider how you can use that as a guide while implementing necessary changes
• You can't make everyone happy, all you can do is be fair and offer your best

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're discussing the importance of experience for your customers with your business.

Thinking about customer experience, touch points (both physical AND digital), and personalizing every point on the path to sale will help you create repeat and loyal customers. We give a great Disney example with the newest ride attraction, "Rise of the Resistance" - be warned, spoilers ahead (but you can skip ahead to avoid them!)

Listen now and discover:

• The importance of immersion in your brand and products, using Disney's newest attraction "Rise of the Resistance" as an example (beware, there are spoilers!!!) - fast forward to the 9 minute and 13 second mark to miss them
• Ways to surprise and delight your customers, and how to pivot from an in person event to an online event
• An alternative software for community building for a course that isn't a Facebook group
• Why it's important to think about touch points you can have beyond an online platform with your attendees, customers, and audience
• How touch points can be both digital and physical, and the importance of them
• Why sharing behind the scenes or production photos is important in developing repeat customers

Your small business takeaways:

• If you're moving your event online, think about how you can still make tangible moments for your customers that feel intimate and personalized
• Take the extra step to have extra communication with your customers, such as sharing photos of the product, or DM updates on Instagram
• Don't underestimate the power of sharing the behind the scenes aspects of your business, even if you're a service based business

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're exploring strategies Disney uses to entice their customers to buy more.

Upselling is a powerful strategy for your small business too, whether you are a service- or product- based business.

Listen now and discover:

• Different promotional strategies Disney uses to entice upsells and cross sells
• How customer mentality and spending habits influence Disney's offers and options for each type of customer
• Why some customers opt for pre-paid packages, such as Disney's dining option, and why others choose to save money by opting out of these options
• The importance of testing your upsells for planning purposes

Your small business takeaways:

• A variety of ways you can encourage more sales, whether you're a product- or service-based business owner
• How a customer journey map can help you decide what to sell, when, and to whom
• Create a variety of similar products at various price points to encourage your customer to buy more to reach a promotion or free shipping
• Why you should plot how to cross sell to your customers based on where they are and what they need

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're exploring how you can meet your customer's objections and differentiate your product.

Remember the importance of being true to your brand — if you are consistent, strong, and different from everyone else in your industry, your followers will remain loyal to your individualistic qualities and love knowing exactly what they can expect to receive as a customer.

Listen now and discover:

• Disney's timeshare program and how it's unlike any other
• Why the Disney Vacation Club is so appealing to purchasers who would otherwise write off a timeshare investment
• How turning your customer's hesitations and objections into the key defining features of your program can pay off in big ways
• Why the lifetime value of the customer can be worth an initial big discount
• Insight into DVC's preparation and approach to a sales conversation with a potential new customer
• The importance of strategizing before you sign a contract — make sure you're getting the best fit for you and educate yourself beforehand
• Why it's important to see what your competition is doing content wise, and make sure to do it with your own spin, brand, and story (it's ok to amplify YOU)

Your small business takeaways:

• Customers or clients will enjoy a contract that works with them and their needs, especially if it's a long term contract like a timeshare.
• Be sure to offer flexible options within certain large and long-term contracts... your customer will appreciate the benefit of that value even more
• Protect yourself as a business owner when utilizing long term contracts by creating rules to protect the value of the asset you are offering
• Think about the objections people have to your industry and how you can flip it on its head to make your product different and stand out

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we are sharing how Disney handled hard business moments in the past, and some of our own personal strategies for managing adjusting to our new life under stay at home orders.

Life is very different for everyone right now - but there was a time before this, and there will be a time after this. We hope this little history lesson about Disney and our own strategies for pivoting in life and business will give you a glimmer of hope and bring a smile to your face.

Listen now and discover:

• A little about the history of Disney going through hard events
• Tips and strategies to help you find focus again in your business
• How Disney navigated low park attendance and lower box office revenue around 2004
• The CEO journey and transition from Michael Eisner to Bob Iger
• Our advice on defining a new normal that is still profitable for your business
• The difference between cash value and liquidity
• How Disney is handling their cash flow during the covid-19 pandemic
• How we are balancing and adjusting to quarantine life and making work, life, and being a mom and wife work for us
• The importance of having a support system

Your small business takeaways:

• Extend grace to yourself and your team - we are all dealing with huge adjustments to life and business
• Implementing structure (hear us out!) can help keep you, your family, and your business sane
• If you're not a scheduler or find structure hard to implement, try thinking about your day in buckets - plan by the major tasks you want to accomplish each day (even if it's just cleaning the house!)
• Revisit your goals - they may have to be adjusted, but think about just one thing you can still do to move that goal forward

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we are giving real life examples of how Disney is pivoting their business in a strategic, and compassionate, way to ensure cast member and customer loyalty.

We are also discussing how Disney continues to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, from their open-ended announcement that they'd remain closed "until further notice" to their on-going charitable support despite a significant loss of revenue.

"I just thought of one thing that's permanent. Love."

- Olaf, Frozen II

Listen now and discover:

• What actions Disney is taking to pivot their business and how you can consider them for your own business
• Disney's projected re-open date, and the complications that may arise due to the airlines not recovering by then
• The amount of money Disney is loosing per day based off their 2019 financial report
• Disney's planned short term loses for 2020 as they launched Disney+ in order to make long term gains, and how covid19 is affecting those strategic plans
• Disney park's and cruise's projected losses
• The steps Disney is taking to take care of their team members and community, and the number of people employed in just the Orlando area impacted by the park's closure
• The financial sacrifices the people in charge of Disney are making in order to support their entire team
• Options to change how you are doing your payment plans for clients and customers
• Ways Disney is donating their now unused resources, such as food, to ensure the safety of people everywhere

Your small business takeaways:

• Remember, we are in this together and we will see the other side
• Think about your team first if your own business has to make financial adjustments - do it with as much compassion and integrity as you can
• Meeting in the middle on contracts and pay isn't ideal, but the best thing we can do is agree to support each other through this pandemic in any way we can
• Strategies for how to push back contacts or projects if necessary for your business
• Ways to adjust your in person events, and deliver more than you originally planned, to maintain customer and brand loyalty
• Being flexible in the short term and working with your customers now will have lasting impacts on your business in the long term

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're sharing strategies and ways to pivot your small business during these unprecedented times.

Join us for tips, tricks, and creative ideas that we are implementing daily in our and our clients' businesses. Remember, we are in this together and supporting each other is how we will get through this!

Listen now and discover:

• How Disney has responded to this worldwide pandemic The impact Covid-19 is having on Disney movie releases and the creation of movies
• The effects of the majority of the resorts also being shut down
• The business decisions we personally have had to face for the safety of ourselves and family
• Six things you can think about in your business while everything is rapidly changing
• Look at your email and paid advertising campaigns and decide if they need to be revised
• How to adjust your messaging and content to speak to your audience's current pain points
• Creative ways to support your favorite small businesses while maintaining mandatory social distancing

Your small business takeaways:

• The importance of multiple revenue streams (Disney+ and product licensing is now a significant source of Disney's revenue!)
• Make sure to check in with your team and understand that there are a lot of adjustments
• Have grace with yourself, your team, and strategies you can use
• Adjust your expectations of your audience and sales - seasonal trends have basically been disbanded
• Check on your contract's terms and conditions and start creating contingency plans

Each week, we come to you with ideas from the Mouse on how you can grow your small business. In this episode, we're exploring how Disney makes waiting in line for a ride part of the overall experience to build excitement and engagement.

Listen now to learn how you can build a 'waiting room' experience into your business and how having a contingency plan can reduce your risks when launching new projects.

Listen now and discover:

• Our favorite examples of how Disney manages to make waiting an enjoyable experience for their guests
• The importance of building 'holding rooms' into your business processes
• The ways Disney has taught its customers to wait while also building excitement for the ride
• The importance of teasing out a product and ways you can keep potential customers engaged until their release or launch
• Why you still have to nurture the audience you've captured until they decide to purchase
• Why educating your audience and potential buyers is important - your warm leads are one of your best assets!
• How you can build some margin into your contingency plan without it being noticeable, especially if you are working with a larger team

Your small business takeaways:

• Simple ways you can build in time for you to pivot quickly in case a launch doesn't go as planned
• Why contingency planning is something you should ALWAYS build into your project plans
• Remember to stay in touch with your clients leading up to an event or one on one time, especially if it's not happening immediately
• Think about the ways you can makes aspects of your business feel exclusive, fun, and accessible while future clients are waiting to work with you or purchase a product from you
• Remember, you can always not utilize your contingency plans and release products or services early!