Long -term, high-powered gurus rarely help. They do really well after you’ve got traction in your business and you’re well on your way. They’ll recommend things like giving away CDs, following certain steps for your launch, jazzing up your copy, holding a new teleseminar or sending out emails more often. Those are all good …but only if you’ve got something going already. That’s like saying, “Let’s fix the relationship” when you’ve never got out with the same guy three times.

These reasons can be painful to experience. So make sure you’re reading in a quiet, safe space. Grab the cat and take a drink of something. Then start reading.

Reason #1: People don’t care about what you have. Your topic just isn’t hot. As in, “Frankly, my dar, I don’t give a damn.”

Not fatal if you have a lot of ideas and keep testing. If you don’t have a good feel for a market place, choose a business model where you rely on data. A good example is Reach Desperate Buyers.

If you’re a techie, or willing to be a techie, you have a choice of gold mines. For instance, the WordPress theme Thesis is updating to a new version, Thesis 2.0 It’s a mystery and source of frustration to many people. If you like the theme and want to decode the mysteries of the new version, you’ve got a great business out there, and you don’t have to be very good at marketing: just know your stuff and collect testimonials. You’ll have plenty of money to hire a good copywriter.

Reason #2: You’ve got a hot topic, but nobody believes you can deliver solutions.

A fifty-something widow asked me to write copy for her new dating service, targeted to 20-somethings of a particular religion. I told her to test the waters. Did they want a gramdmother-type person organizing and hosting these events? She found that they did not. .

Alternatively, you may have created a fuzzy or inconsistent image so prospects don’t associate you with anything except confusion. I’ve been there. The solution is to take a break or wait till you get a powerful idea for a re-brand; wait till you’re sure before diving in feet first.

Or let’s say I wanted to promote myself as a fashion consultant. Stop laughing and move on to …

Reason #3: You’re not differentiated from the more established competition.

Ask your clients and prospects how you’re perceived, i.e., what makes you great. (I have some clever ways to do this when I work with my own clients.) If they say, “You’re like Guru X but smaller,” you’ve got a branding issue. If they’re puzzled by the question, you’ve got a branding and message issue.

If you’re on track with Reasons #1 and #2, it’s time to go on a treasure hunt. Book a single session with someone who resonates with you and focus exclusively on figuring out how you’re unique. Create a big, bold statement – something you feel genuinely comfortable promoting that fits “you” and also promises a client benefit.
After your first one-on-one call, try writing some copy with what you’ve learned. Ideally, you’ll get started on some copy during the consultation or shortly afterward. Sometimes your mentor’s brilliant insight will fade away as you try to capture it in copy, like a ghost that disappears when you try to capture an image. Sometimes you need more help translating the message.

I once interviewed a consultant I’ll call Georgina. I was fascinated by something I’d read in her blog and for the interview, I drew her out on the topic. My audience was riveted. Afterward, several people wrote to say, “I had heard of Georgina and been to her site. I even get her ezine. But I didn’t know that ‘s what she could do.”

Alas, I really try to avoid making a sales pitch after an interview, but I really wanted to! I did tell Georgina about the feedback, but she didn’t take the bait.

And sometimes you have to realize you got a bum steer. For instance, one branding consultant told me to push the idea of coffee and energy. It sounded good till I tried to write copy. Since I can usually write copy about anything, I had to stop and figure out what was going on.

If you haven’t guessed, there’s no client benefit. People don’t want high energy or coffee with their content. They want results. I’ve since changed the names of some of my caffeinated offers, despite the comments from so-called marketing coaches.

Reason #4: Your solution scares people away.

An internet marketing trainer insisted that his clients learn some HTML. He was skeptical of WordPress because it just didn’t have the best features from a technical perspective. People were scared: who wanted to learn HTML?

A marketing coach based her pitch on teaching clients to love cold calling. As in, “You must be kidding.”

Frankly, I am in total sympathy with these marketers. They’re right. All too often we have to give people what they want in order to get them to buy at all. Even doctors have to do this; just try explaining that a popular diagnostic test is so flawed it’s almost useless, and anyway there’s not much you can do if you get a positive result. End of discussion and patient goes doc-shopping.

Reason #5: You’re not one of the Beautiful People.

OK, about 90% of the time this complaint is sour grapes, but sometimes it’s true. It helps to be beautiful, especially if you’re female. It helps if you have a nice smile with straight teeth and a wrinkle-free face (or a good artist who can photoshop them for you). It helps if your voice is strong, confdient and pleasing.

But you’re not off the hook. You can find a business model that leaes you out of the picture, literally and figuratively. Once again, think of Alexis Dawes, author of Reach Desperate Buyers. She never shows a photo or speaks to prospective buyers via audio ro video. Apparently she’s an attractive woman with a great voice, but she doesn’t use them. You don’t have to either.
Reason #6. You’re clueless.

You’re sending out emails asking people if you can guest blog (or even trade links).

“Olga” invited me to be a guest on her teleseminar series. I said yes. Her next step should have been a phone meeting or a list of specifics, e.g., setting up a date and time, guidance on the topic, what she’d need when, and any special instructions.

Instead, Olga told me to go to her Time Trade account, find a time slot and book myself in. The time slots were confusing and I just gave up and never got back to Olga. She never followed up with me either. Her programs never took off and I could see why. She was clueless about the basics.

Mentors actually can help if you’ve identified “cluelessness” as your major (or only) stumbling block. You’ll learn the code, etiquette and secret handshake. But if you’re one of those social misfits (think of Elaine May’s character in A New Leaf), you might refer to the Reach Desperate Buyers model and stay out of trouble.

Reason #7: You hate what you’re doing but you’re determined to keep going. And it shows.

Forget mentors. Find a good life coach or therapist. This is about YOU, not your business.

 A perspective….

Engineer: I don’t think of myself as a salesperson, probably because my title says Engineer.  I don’t meet with a prospective account with the mindset that I’m supposed to sell something; I meet because I’m there to solve a problem and I’m interested in that.

Salesperson: I think of myself as a salesperson, after all, my business card says sales representative! I am also constantly reminded by my employer to ‘get out there and sell’ so I am clear what my responsibilities are – go get a deal!

Engineer: I listen to solve, as a matter of fact I like to listen, I enjoy it immensely.  Because I like to listen, I’m entirely focused on what the customer is saying and as a result, I find myself completely engaged with uncovering what the problem may be that this particular client is being challenged by.  My satisfaction comes from providing the appropriate solution and I can’t do that without considerable comprehension of what the client is struggling with. I want to solve.

Salesperson: I like to listen also, because it’s important for me to pay attention to what is being said so I can discover how I can make a sale.  I don’t have to be hit over the head with a long investigative conversation, I simply need to listen for what the problem is and then insert our company products as a solution and move to the close.  I want to sell.

The dialogue comparison above is not to say the scenario applies to all salespeople, there are many exceptional salespeople who are amazing trusted advisors that have earned the respect of their clients because they are great listeners.  So we’re talking more to those salespeople who haven’t made the step toward ‘engineer selling’ so to speak.

A true story:  Years ago, I was asked by a prospect to meet at his office because he was interested in the possibility of bringing the Soar program into his organization.  I wanted to close the opportunity so I did what most salespeople do, I prepared heavily by getting all our companies materials together so as to impress the prospect.  I had everything packaged in excellence and like a student who knew all the answers and I was excited to present our opportunities.  Upon arriving at the clients company, I was directed to a small office to await the prospect.  As I said, I was anxious to present what I had prepared because I knew that once the prospect understood how amazing Soar was he would immediately want a program for his sales team.  When he arrived, he shook my hand and said; “ok, how do I sign up for Soar?”  I said, well, I can provide you with details about how Soar works, etc.  He said; “not necessary, I reviewed your website and have talked to your referrals so I am ready to go.”  He then said; “do you have something for me to sign… and I assume you will want a deposit check.”  I gave him the agreement to sign and he ordered a check to be brought to me that very moment.  He signed the check, shook my hand, introduced me to his key contact and said he was excited to bring Soar into his organization.  He then left and handed me off to his assistant.  THAT WAS IT!  I wasn’t with this guy for more than 10 minutes!  Although I walked out with the fastest sale I ever made, I left somewhat disappointed!  Once I made my way back to my car I called my partner and explained what happened and she said; “that’s great!”, I said; “I know its great, but he didn’t look at any of the material I had put together.”

You get the point don’t you?  I was just like the salesperson in the scenario above, I was simply thinking of MY presentation and how I wanted to reveal all my well prepared materials!  I certainly wasn’t operating like an engineer, but instead like a rookie sales guy concerned only about what I wanted to say! 

I learned a great deal about myself that day and because of that experience I now think more like an engineer when I engage with a prospect!  I really do want to do my best for our clients and provide answers only after I discover what’s important to them.  I have now become more investigative in my selling career and its paying off in more sales and long term relationships. Achieving this new ‘engineer selling’ approach to client interaction has required a complete shift in my thinking.  Here are 7 thoughts that may support your selling outcomes and lead you to engage more like the engineer.

1.     Place your client’s best interests in front of your own. I know you must have heard this before, but maybe it’s time to reconnect to the suggestion.  Realize that when your prospect win’s you win.  That’s really the way to make a sale for life. Prospect first, firm second and you third!

2.     Increase your detail listening.  By paying meticulous attention to every word your prospects say you change the game dramatically.  Seek to discover what your prospect wants and is challenged by and even though you may hear openings for an insert of your product, stay focused and bundle your Intel.  Once you feel you have a clear understanding of what the prospect wants to solve, repeat what you’ve heard so as to be certain you “get” the client.

3.     Understand that your prospects can tell the difference.  They have excellent radar and that radar detects a salesperson that is all about getting a deal vs. those with the best interests of the prospect.  It shows in your speed of delivery, your questions, your quick solutions, your body language and more – you become very transparent.

4.     Increase your product knowledge.  You can’t offer solutions if you have limited product knowledge.  Gaining a high level of product knowledge will be primarily up to you not just your organizations training department.  Your firm will provide product knowledge at the start, but to acquire the deeper knowledge necessary to be considered a trusted advisor will require you to become maniacal about learning

5.     Ground yourself.  Before you make that Soar telephone call or that personal f/f contact, remind yourself to listen and be patient like the engineer.  The more you uncover during your interaction with the prospect the better prepared you will be to offer an acceptable solution. 6.     Shift your questioning techniques.  Now that you understand the importance of ‘engineer listening’ you need to become aware of how to ask questions.  No one wants to be questioned like their on trial.  You’ll create a negative connection between you and your prospect if you ask repeated questions one after the other without a few segue-way words.  Here are a few phrases you can use to keep the conversation flowing positively:

a.     “Would you mind sharing….”
b.     “Can you tell me more about….”
c.     “May I ask how that has impacted you’re…..”
d.     “if you don’t mind, can you explain more about…..”

You don’t have to use these segue statements each time you ask a question, but you can intersperse them between standard questions.

7.     Reward your prospects when they ask you a question.  I have worked with two particular clients of Dialexis that have used the same technique or natural style when I have asked questions.  This is what they do and I really found it powerful.  Each time I would ask them a question they would say something like….”That’s a great question” or “Good question” or “Excellent point.”   I found this fascinating and I don’t think it was planned or used as a technique.  Both of these individuals are generous listeners and 100% focused on the client.  They simply reward a person when they ask a question!  I found that experience encouraging because it generated more interest on my part to ask questions.  I subliminally knew that when I asked a question, no matter how rudiment, I was going to be rewarded!

Action Step: Think like an engineer on your next call and when you experience a shift in your prospects connection with you please let me know. 

However, between work, family, and getting to the gym every now and then, it’s hard to find the time to shop for anything more than groceries most weeks. So, whether I’m shopping in the mall or online, I need to find exactly what I’m looking for quickly and easily – and for the best price.

The three keys to retail success

To help retailers meet the needs of busy consumers, like me, SAP explores three emerging principles of retailing success in a recently published e-book – Real-Time Retail. According to the company, retailers can achieve a competitive edge by becoming:

• Authentic to the brand value of your company
• Consistent in your interactions with customers
• Trusted by customers and partners

All of this can be achieved, SAP explains, by running your business in real time with accurate and up-to-the-minute data about every aspect of your business – from merchandising, marketing, and sales, to inventory, deliveries, and recalls.

Becoming a real-time retailer

Breakthrough technologies and a real-time retail platform can help you become a real-time retailer and, as a result, become more authentic, consistent, and trusted. With the latest technology innovations, you can:

Be authentic:

• Spot trends and opportunities by instantly analyzing social media activity
• Create products and services built around genuine customer needs
• Choose and collaborate with suppliers more effectively
• Make better and faster business decisions by rapidly running “what-if” exercises via predictive and trend analyses

Be consistent:

• Streamline and accelerate retail processes with integrated core business applications
• Maximize visibility across all channels to gain a single view of inventory and better understand customer needs
• Deliver on customers’ expectations to buy from any channel, anywhere, and at any time
• Build customer and brand loyalty on a personal, one-to-one basis

Be trusted:

• Reduce risks for your products and people
• Improve transparency to customers and stakeholders
• Gain true traceability across the entire supply chain
• Secure customers’ data with robust data governance

Are you ready to transform your retail operations?

For an in-depth look at the three principles of retailing success – and the technology you need to support them – read the SAP e-book “Real-Time Retail.”

Your first step

Laying the groundwork is extremely important for your business. Of course, your business branding is of the utmost importance. The more prepared you are and the stronger your branding is, the more effectively you will be viewed by your clients and prospective clients. When you first start to build relationships and a reputation, you credibility doesn’t yet exist in the eyes of other people. Both credibility and trust are two qualities that must be earned. It is very important to understand that trust and credibility have nothing at all to do with selling directly. In fact, you will need to build trust and credibility before you can sell anything to anyone.

Content creation

Once you have been able to successfully build meaningful relationships with people, your next step is “putting your money where your mouth is.” In other words, you will need to create content to back up what you have claimed about yourself and your business. The whole point of establishing your reputation as an expert is to be able to solve other people’s problems. You should go by the marketing principle “WIIFM” (What’s In It For Me). If you can prove to your online connections that you have enough knowledge and expertise to solve their problems and to teach them new things that they didn’t even know existed, you will succeed at getting them to regard you as an expert. If they regard you as an expert, they will want to build that relationship with you and will become loyal to you as well. When it comes to the response that you will get from your online connections if the quality is top notch, you will see that your connections are more than happy to share your content with other people whom they know and trust. With the sophistication of technology today, it is very easy for content marketers to publish content that will leave no doubt about your level of credibility and expertise.

There are many different places that you can publish and share your content so that it falls into the correct hands:

• Blogs: A blog is an excellent place to share your content marketing materials. One of the wonderful features of a blog is the comments feature. People can read your blog and can make comments or pose questions so that an animated discussion comes out of it. This will give you a great deal of mileage and you may get additional topics on which to write and to continue to solidify your credibility.
• Whitepaper: A whitepaper is a great place to publish your content. You can really establish your credibility and continue to strengthen your reputation as an expert in your niche or industry.
• Video: A video is another excellent expression of content marketing materials. Many people are visual and your ideas will come across to those people much more effectively through a video than with words on a page.

Making sure that people can find your content

It is critical that you make your content easy to be found. At the same time, it is equally important that your content contains clear messages and communicates exactly what you can do for other people and what you can teach them. Most people love to learn new things as much as possible. However, it is also important for you to give your online connections a sensible amount of content and not too much. Too much content will cause them to absorb none of it.

Conclusion

Building credibility and trust with your online connections is not difficult as long as you are patient, persistent, and you continue to put their needs above your own needs. Of course, it goes without saying that you also need to know what you are talking about. It is important to always consider what your online connections want first. Express to them that you will give them the benefit of all that you know and that they will be better for having learned from your experience. If you are able to do that, you will build credibility and they will be loyal to you and your business for a very long time.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

Here’s part of a quote, which should resonate with every marketer. “Nowadays people know the price of everything.” Hard to argue with that one, what with the Internet and consumer mobile access. Not to mention price-checking apps, but, of course, today you can’t avoid mentioning them. The rest of the quote goes”. . . and the value of nothing.” Oscar Wilde. 123 years ago. Yikes! Talk about being prescient.

The quote came to mind at the announcement that General Motors will offer two years of free oil changes, tire rotations, and vehicle inspections on most new vehicle sales to create – wait for it – consumer loyalty. No really, “loyalty.” Oh, and “buzz,” because “tire rotation” is one of the hottest Twitter topics going! Nah, just kidding about Twitter. But not GM’s anticipated increased levels of buzz. The last-century equation for value was Value = Quality/Costs, but given the ubiquity of primacy-of-product and the outcomes of process re-engineering, that was adjusted to an updated late-century version: Value = Benefits/Costs. In this century, where brand can serve as a surrogate for added-value, it might reasonably look like this: Value = Benefits + Brand/Costs.

The GM promotion is for two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, and is for “scheduled maintenance,” so the GM timing may differ somewhat from our calculations below. And as GM brand perceptions vary significantly depending upon the consumer segment you’re talking to, we’ve only looked at the what the package might be worth, the practical “value” of car care assumed. Prices will vary dependent upon your location and your driving habits, but this is a pretty good rough estimate. Service costs have been rounded up to give GM the benefit of the effort, so here goes: Vehicle Safety and Emissions inspection: $40 X 2 years = $80.00. Tire Balance and Rotation: $15 X 4 (we split the difference between what has been conventional wisdom [every 3M miles] and the fact that you’ve bought a new car [every 7M miles]) = $60.00. Oil, Lube, and Filter Changes: $40 X 3 (again, last century recommendation: every 5M miles, but with new engine designs, automotive improvements, etc., manufacturers recommend every 7-10M miles, so OK, a little compulsive calculating 3, but again, giving the frequency-benefit to GM) = $120.00.

So about $260.00 or 0.006% of the cost of a 2014 Buick Enclave, as posted on the Motor Trend site. That’s what GM thinks will buy your loyalty. You think that’s enough? Or enough to swing on-the-fence car buyers to GM? We think that this is pretty much just an “added value” package and not a loyalty generator. Our experience is that most automakers are really good at promotions, but have never been very good at understanding real loyalty.

GM CEO, Dan Akerson was quoted that the program is intended “to forge even stronger relationships” between dealerships and customers, based on the presumption that drivers who have their cars serviced at the dealership are more likely to go there for their next car purchase. That’s probably taken from some five-point scale rating they did, where 5 is “Extremely Likely” and readers of these insights know how we feel about those kinds of measures in re predicting actual consumer behavior, but there it is.

Truth be told, beyond driving customers back to the dealership, these kinds of programs probably seek to close the perceived brand gaps between what consumers expect and what foreign competitors, like Toyota and Volkswagen, offer. But, alas, these programs ultimately become table stakes. Next time “3 years”? And for brands which can truly act as a surrogate for added-value, companies don’t have to make these kinds of offers. Consumers can do math too and “brand” – and what it means – factors in very heavily in creating loyalty in most categories, certainly automotive.

OK, that was cars. Different buying cycle and certainly different category loyalty drivers than, say, food. What about food? What’s the worth of food? Fuel, energy, nutriments, life, sure. Enjoyment too. But what’s it worth to you? That question is asked in light of Panera’s “innovative” opening of their pay-what-you-can cafes. There are no set prices, just recommended donations for – currently – one item: turkey chili in a bread bowl. The concept isn’t new, although the twist of “what-you-can” is a nod to markets struggling economically.

A study was conducted back in the late-1960s at a diner near Stony Brook University, and was more along the lines of “pay-what-you-feel,” but close enough to the current Panera program to comment upon. And to note that when it comes to perceptions of “worth” (at least in the food category) it would seem that consumers haven’t changed all that much in nearly 50 years.

Back then customers could order anything on the menu, so not limited to one choice. When the study was completed we found that 26% of the diners paid more than what the menu prices would have been. Fifty-two percent (52%) paid the price on the menu, and the remaining 22% paid less. In the interest of transparency, among those there were some – not many though – who paid significantly less, with the occasional penny left on the counter. Ah, those wacky consumers! Panera reports that 20% of customers leave more than the suggested donation, 60% leave the suggested donation, and 20% leave less – often significantly less.

So what does that say about consumers’ perceptions of “worth?” Different times, different food-choices, but very similar figures and findings. We’ll leave that to you to contemplate – for any category in which you are personally or professionally involved. But ultimately, as marketing efforts are not generally social-psych marketing experiments, it’s the behavior garnered in the marketplace that determines the success or failure of such efforts. As Evelyn Waugh noted, “your actions, and your actions alone, determine your worth.”

And those of your brand efforts, too.

The flip side of all this information being churned out onto into the ether is what to do with it. Terms like “metadata” have been created to signify the enormity of data out there and creating the software and hardware capable of managing it is a booming business. (If Big Brother didn’t exist before, we’ve now forced him into existence.) Are we spending too much time in the process of gathering information?

We now have legions of information junkies, who seemingly can’t be satisfied despite the ever-growing supply of customizable 24/7 news and information sources. Many apps and social media are all about information and packaging it into formats that make it easy and compelling to engage with. On a personal level, how does one deal with this information overload? It would appear we simply gather more. In fact, some people are becoming inundated and unproductive due to their attempts to stay current. Where do you draw the line? They say information is power, but I feel that is not the whole truth. Strategic use of information is the source of power. So gathering information is a worthy pursuit, assuming you are able to use it to your (or your client’s) advantage.

I’m a marketer, and I certainly appreciate the need for information and using it to better understand the marketplace. However, I wonder if the pendulum has swung too far and we now spend an inefficient amount of time and money researching, compiling, analyzing and categorizing. Humans have a need to quantify, but is our current drive for more and more information serving a valid purpose, or are we simply placating ourselves with reams of data.

How much time each day do you spend following other people’s tweets, reading industry updates and surfing your LinkedIn groups? Do you feel there is point at which it becomes counter-productive?

That’s why when planning to organize a fundraiser for a charity, creativity and engagement are the key elements of penetrating the thick walls of resistance and hesitation built up over the years. K keeping your fundraiser FUN and simple and a message that is easy to understand is usually all it takes to ensure having a successful concept.

It all starts with the concept

Having an interesting concept makes it easier to find donations and sponsoring. Be sure to contact companies that share the same target groups, values and have a similar story. For instance, if you were hosting an event to raise money for an educational platform for children in Africa, it wouldn’t be fitting to ask an alcoholic brand for sponsoring. Better suited would probably be children stores in the neighbourhood or African restaurants may even be interested in sponsoring. Keep in mind that the companies will want to know how their money will be spent, what the immediate positive impact may be, what the set goal is and if your organization has a good track record.

What’s in it for me?

Donations and sponsoring are the most important income for a nonprofit organization. That’s why it is crucial that you know how to sell your concept. Make a document stating who your organization is and that all the necessary information is present.

Next, make a list of sponsoring options, with the most expensive choice being more exclusive with better visibility than cheaper options. Offer advertising space, options to have a stand at the event, freebies and flyers for in the goody bag, sampling,… This list is where you can get creative with your sponsoring package. Instead of naming the options after the classic sponsoring module of gold, silver, bronze; personalise the names to match your concept. If you are hosting a Halloween fest, names like dragon, witch and troll would fit well to represent the different sponsoring packages. In the end it makes it more FUN and memorable.

Event Management

Take the time to write down the goal, set timeframe, resources, etc. using nonprofit management software. This will pay off almost immediately in time and effort. These nonprofit management tools can generate checklists and give you clarity in the chaos of organising an event so you can maintain focus on the tasks ahead. Using donor management software can help you keep track of donations, sponsoring and the general money flow, giving you more time to be creative.

People Management

Last but not least, find yourself a group of people who are reliable and motivated for the cause and delegate the work that still needs to be done. Have someone be responsible for such things as suppliers’ contact, logistics, budget, marketing, sponsoring. Doing so will make the workload lighter. Trying to do too much on your own is a rookie mistake. Now you are ready to plan your own charity. Oh and don’t forget to measure your success and take pictures!

But it is simply not enough to pay your staff well, or even to offer standard benefits, in order to have a great company culture.  You need to have an atmosphere in which your employees thrive, in which people are free to be themselves and work towards a common goal.

But how do you establish a great company culture? In an interview with executive coach Meredith Haberfeld of MeredithHaberfeld.com, she suggested focusing on three things to help your corporate culture:

• Zero tolerance for gossip
• Blame-free environment
• Strong communication skills

Here is how these attributes can translate into your company:

Zero tolerance for gossip

One of the quickest ways for a company to fall apart is to indulge in gossip. Talking trash about fellow employees, bosses and/or subordinates and their personal lives can be very demoralizing, in not just fostering a negative environment, but one filled with mistrust. And complaining about work issues to people who cannot solve the issues is arguably just as bad. It makes people think that the workplace is filled with incompetent people, and one in which problems are never resolved.

Instead, Haberfeld suggests fostering a work environment “where people are trained to talk to people who can do something about it.” When employees have a problem, they should be directed to bring their complaints to their manager or somebody in the office who should actually fix it, as opposed to just griping to fellow employees who cannot do anything about it. This way, managers can resolve the issue, instead of allowing negativity to fester.

Blame-free environment

In a work-place with a blame-free environment, there is accountability. But “if something goes wrong,” Haberfeld says, “nobody’s pointing figures.” Instead, people “figure out what went wrong so it doesn’t happen again.” In such a place, issues are addressed instead of being swept under the rug, and employees feel empowered to act instead of worrying about getting blamed.

Next time something falls apart in your workplace, forget the finger-pointing, and focus on how to fix the issue.

Strong communication skills

A great manager understands what motivates each employee, and what lever to focus on, Haberfeld says. The manager is also trained to listen to problems, and to understand different communication styles. And that emphasis on communication does not stop with management. Employees understand how to communicate with their fellow staff, and with the public. An executive coach or a class on the subject can help with improving everyone’s communication skills, so the staff really understands each other.

So why not start focusing on these items in your workplace to help improve your company culture? Good luck.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, NOT THINGS.

As part of a discussion taking place in a private Facebook group I’m in for members of a course taught by Carrie Wilkerson and Paul Evans, a co-member expressed her appreciation to Paul and Carrie for the reminder they gave in their materials that what everyone should be focusing on is building relationships not things.

Paul and Carrie are right. While I acknowledge that you still have to build the “things,” which are the products or services you sell, I also know that if you don’t have anyone to sell them to, you’ve wasted your time. Your services will get very lonely if there isn’t anyone out there who knows, likes and trusts you enough to let you and what you have to offer in their front door, so to speak.

IT’S VERY INTIMIDATING TO ME.

One group member expressed a bit of angst because she is a bit of an introvert. I admire her for sharing how she felt about all of this.

She expressed:

“I manage to be a pretty shy, people person, if that’s even possible. Making audio or video is very intimidating to me.”

I shared that sometimes it helps to remember that people like being asked about themselves, or what they are doing. Often times it’s easier when there’s only a keyboard and monitor in front of you, and not actually a face-to-face interaction. It takes work when it’s uncomfortable to start with for you, but being deliberate about looking for ways to always ask a follow-up question is is a great way to build relationships.

Examples:

• After someone posts “I was so nervous when I finally decided to quit my 9-to-5 corporate job to do this,” you show you care when you say “Oh, interesting, when did you leave corporate America?”

• Or a simple follow-up of “How did your class reunion go?” after someone posted on Friday they were off to their 25th high school reunion.

• Even easier than both of those is the always-kind RT, or ReTweet, on Twitter, or Share on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Google+, just to name a few. Trust me, we content producers LOOOOVE seeing our content shared! That’s a gesture that goes a long way with some toward developing a relationship.

IT TAKES PRACTICE.

After prolonged use of this practice, it gets much easier. I’ts like a muscle…the more you flex it, the stronger it becomes. It truly does become second nature after you do it a lot. Just slow down a bit, and take time to connect.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Focus on building relationships, not things. (Thanks Paul and Carrie)
2. Practice
3. Follow-up on comments by asking questions.
4. Practice
5. Share other peoples’ content often.
6. Practice
7. Stay genuinely curious. This not only helps you learn, but it also helps you remember to ask questions.
8. Practice
9. Remember that you’re not alone. There are A LOT of people out there that aren’t that comfortable building relationships.
10. Practice
11. Slow down and take time to connect.

Oh, and did I mention practice?

Building Blocks Photo credit: Holger Zscheyge on Flickr, Creative Commons License

But after a few minutes of self analysis and navel gazing I jumped back on the horse ready to set off on another rip-roaring adventure.

Why? Because nothing, ultimately, really matters. Nothing but happiness and a rebootable yearning for unflappable faith in yourself.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t see the logic in everything. I can have a cup half empty moment as often as the next guy or gal.

I’m aching to be the guy who is impervious to wobble. I’m as far from that as Nelson Mandela a foetus. But I have this chance and it only lasts a lifetime so I’ve mastered the art of the shrug. It’s much easier to let things go than to let it hang around your neck.

Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks via Compfight cc.

Back to the day in hand. A great session at work, making some monumental progress towards the greater good. Website is looking dang fine, social engagement is through the roof, and more importantly than all that stuff, people are starting to notice a difference. Actual human staff.

And that to me – the respect of my peers – is everything.

Day done, off to Manchester. The city. My nemesis. I’m the guy who would give everything away for a pokey little beach hut or a crumbling shed in the country. But I’m going to try.

And try is what I attempted at tonight’s recording of Yakker, the show determined to demystify digital and talk tech specifically for the workers of Manchester, generally for anyone with an ear for the geeky, progressive and modern business-focused.

After my wonderful other half had dropped off the audio rig at Studio North I was in a good state. Everything was in place.

Curveball #1: We had five people on the show. Three regulars, some guy who really knew his onions about social media, and Nick Wright, the co-founder of Studio North.

In the world of podcast, three definitely is a crowd. Four is unlikely, five is unprecedented. This was no man’s land. Know why? My board – the mixer where all the mics go – is configured for four.

This required some hasty decisions to be made with the limited number of leads in my magical podcasting sack.

Serendipitously I’d brought my trusty Zoom H4n to mediate on proceedings as chief recording device. It records four channels.

My mind went into overdrive figuring out the various ways I could and could not record five voices. I settled on bringing the left channel output from the mixer into the external mic input of the Zoom H4n and, after a while, further consolidated two of the five mics to the XLR inputs on the base of the recorder.

The problem that later transpired was having one of my co-hosts – one incredibly talented and super svelte Chris Marsh from Melbourne Server Hosting (and he of @marsh80) – on the right channel.

For the first 20 minutes I was confused why he was only coming through on another mic. His was working as a solo track before recording. Why not now? The right channel on a left-only recording settled that score.

But I wasn’t entirely satisfied with Nick Wright, that Studio North co-founder, either. His feed wasn’t making me smile.

Maybe it was because his mic was coming directly into the recorder, and it needed phantom power (or maybe it didn’t, and phantom power was switched on).

Regardless, not a great sound there, either. The levels in the Zoom H4n reflected my weakness as a preditor (producer/editor; love that) but mindful of the shortness in time we had to get the show down, it did go on.

Curveball #2: The script. I like to have a semblance of a show framework upon which to riff. Tonight the table was awash with paper. I was sure I had my own manuscript, but as I started the preamble it was clearly not. “Circling the runway” was how Goog Al Mackin delicately put it.

So I had to cut and start over. Not the work of a professional podcaster and veteran ambassador of the European Podcast Award.

By this point I was perspiring profusely. I was exhibiting the kind of nerves reserved for Felix Baumgarten or that guy on the motorbike in Las Vegas about to descend 10 storeys on an invisible ramp.

I bumbled. I erred, I lost the plot. I was in many ways the very epitome of a drug-addled teenager trying to make his first benefits claim. It wasn’t pretty.

Sat on the bus home right now I’m looking back at that sorry episode wondering how I could have made things work.

I have the answers. More planning. More practice. More careful consideration, due diligence.

Like the mischievous inflatable boy with a pin in the inflatable school, I let everyone down. It’s not something you want to do on a regular basis but it is character building.

But like a butterball, I’ll be bouncing back for more. I’ve learned my lesson. Do more, before. Spend way more time in preparation mode.

Thinking about this specific example:

1. Establish the parameters as accurately as possible. Recognising in advance there were five players in this game would have made the recording situation a darn sight easier on the day. In any situation recognising what you have to work with, what the objectives are, and giving yourself plenty of buffer time to get the job done, is sometimes – frequently – more important than the physical act of completing the task itself.
2. Rehearse. Whenever you’ve got something important to do it rarely harms the situation to play it through. Think theatre. When does the actor venture on to the stage to paying public without having spent many weeks or months mastering the script? Anything less would render their performance sub-standard. It’s how life works. Rehearsal can simply be mastering a skill. It’s finding your voice. Talking to the right people to get the background information you need to deliver that presentation. It’s filling in the gaps to give of yourself wholly and without reservation. Rehearsal in its many forms breeds the kind of bulletproof and unwaivering confidence that puts the extra in ordinary.
3. Master your surroundings. Whenever you’re doing anything public, or involving people other than yourself, it really makes a difference to get the lay of the land. This is particularly useful if you have an important meeting upcoming (and if it’s not important, it’s not in my calendar). Feeling at home is halfway to being in control of any situation. It fosters confidence and when paired with being prepared through rehearsal, it’s everything you need to be that superstar you are.

Though the fourth episode of Yakker is borderline disastrous in my eyes, purely on account of my momentary incompetence, it teaches me everything I’ve ever needed to know.

To be fully rehearsed. To never be rushed in the context of a very important occasion. And to always know your place.

Yakker is purely awfully good, rather than just awful. By my own admission I was the weakest link in the latest incarnation but it’s definitely growing up to be a respected member of the digital community in Manchester and beyond.

Here’s how to listen to it. Enjoy!

Enjoyed this lesson for content strategy success? Get in touch on Twitter @davethackeray and let me know your thoughts.

What is Perfection?

Perfection isn’t an extensive feature set, it isn’t having all the trimmings and options. You can do this and easily head in the opposite way of perfection. It isn’t filling up empty space with things, nor is it just any implementation of minimalism. What perfection is, is reducing the number of clicks and taps to achieve goal X without hindering your power-users, it’s uncluttered designing using a grid system – golden rectangles, the rule of thirds, and the unification of icons.

Perfection is about understanding your user and curating the user experience to simplify the interactions, without hindering performance, and without complicating the interface.

My favorite of this is Rdio and Spotify. Rdio came on to the cloud music space four years after Spotify. They might be a bit shy on the song count from Spotify, but their product experience is miles ahead.

Just the playing interfaces alone speak loudly on the thought that went into each product.

Why?

At Stride, we choose to refine our current product before releasing new features. This has led to a great user experience that sets us apart from other CRMs on the market – allowing us to focus on giving our customers the best we can, our support tickets are low, and our satisfaction is high.

By making the best of what you currently have available, you focus on your current users. Your first 1,000 users and customers will be the most important as you grow. They’ve chosen to invest their time and money into using what you provide and will be the driving force in your road map and growth.

Marketing Perfection vs Features

Features are easy to sell, you make a list of what your product does, place it next to a list of your competitors; and at first, people will think that because your product does more, it’s better. It’s become a commonplace to do this – you walk into any store that sells consumer electronics, and the first thing you look at is the feature card.

To market your user experience, bring people to your product and encourage them to try it, make it inviting. Sell the benefits of using the product, not the product itself. Apple is a great example of this. The Apple stores have given thought into the maximizing the “inviting” feel. They’ve thought of everything from the angle of screens to what to display next to their products. Features are second to the user experience – the opposite of what big box electronics stores focus on. There’s a reason why Apple stores generate the most revenue per square foot of retail space. They sell the experience.

Doing it

These lessons that Stride, Rdio, and Apple have demonstrated can be translated to any industry. Follow the key ingredients:

1. Product first, features second.
2. Sell the experience, not the product.
3. Make the experience inviting, encourage people to touch and feel.
4. Make it fun.

That’s what can happen in your job too. You get a well-paid position that aligns with your skills and things are OK for a while. And then over the years you become more and more dependent on that job – now you have a mortgage to pay, benefits to keep for your family, and the status you are known for.

Suddenly, you feel stuck.

People call it “the golden handcuffs” – it’s risky and difficult to leave, because who knows what’s out there. When you depend on something (or someone), you’ll undoubtedly start feeling resentful towards it (or the person). You’ll feel as if you are tied to a chair and you want out.

But here is the twist! When you are on that chair, instead of trying to figure out how to get out of it, maybe you just need to find a way to get loose. Remember? You actually wanted to sit in that chair, so maybe it’s not about the chair at all.

Chances are that it’s all about the handcuffs

So, when you are feeling stuck at your job, it may have nothing to do with the job itself and everything to do with the dependencies you feel. The question is then, “How can you feel free again?”

1. Strengthen your independence

Instead of indulging yourself with vacations that you so much deserve after working so hard, maybe you should streamline your expenses and pretend you only have half of the income. You may need to make huge decisions, like taking your kid away from her private school, or downsizing, but once you can operate on a lower budget I bet it’ll feel like the cuffs are not that tight.

2. Strengthen your self-confidence

You may feel stuck because you lost perspective. You are not aware any more about how valuable you may be for the world around you. Talk to people around about what other possibilities you may have in your career. Feeling you have options will relax you more, for sure. When you ease the dependencies you’ve created over the years, you may very well re-discover the passion you once had for your job.

The truth is, you tied yourself up to that chair and you can also get yourself free.

And when you do, you may very well decide to continue sitting in that chair, because now you know you can get up any time you want.

Author:

Henrieta Riesco is a founder of Intentional Career. She is all about meaningful conversation to empower professionals on their career journey. After experiences of being a teacher and a corporate trainer in Slovakia, a customer advocate and a training consultant for 10+ years at Microsoft, she is comfortable with calling herself a Career Coach. You can follow Henrieta via Twitter, or via her blog.

Too often, people confuse the wrong things. Using the latest, coolest technology. Following the latest trends, whether music, appearance, tools. Being seen at the “right events,” hanging out with the “cool people,” whether it’s in the customer, in your own company, or in “social communities” is all meaningless if you aren’t relevant. Relevance trumps boring, relevance trumps age. Relevance trumps everything else.

You are irrelevant if:

1. You don’t know your product or services.
2. All you can talk about is your product and services.
3. If you don’t understand the customer’s markets, customers, issues, business challenges, strategies, priorities, growth opportunities.
4. If you are more concerned with making quota than helping the customer achieve their objectives.
5. If you can’t create value in every interchange you have with the customer.
6. If you can’t articulate and quantify the business value you create in terms meaningful to the customer.
7. If you don’t know how to leverage your sales process to make you more effective and impactful.
8. If you measuring volume of activity independent of quality of outcomes.
9. If you aren’t doing formal pre-call planning and research for every meeting.
10. If you aren’t documenting your opportunity strategy and keeping it updated.
11. If you don’t take the time to plan and analyze your territory, pipeline, funnel, what you are trying to do to achieve your goals
12. If you aren’t constantly learning and developing new skills.
13. If all you read or learn about is “selling” or “marketing.”
14. If you aren’t keeping current with the trends, best practices, and critical issues impacting sales/marketing professionals, as well as your customers.
15. If you don’t read a newspaper (or several) everyday—whether old school paper, or online/digital.
16. If you haven’t read a book of any type in the past year.
17. If you aren’t keeping fit–exercising, eating well.
18. If you aren’t volunteering time or money to some cause you believe in (other than yourself).
19. If you are using the “tools” or “systems” only because managers force you and you haven’t figured out how to leverage them for your own productivity and effectiveness.
20. If you think what you wear, what you drive, what color your hair is, the number of piercings, tats, or a person’s age is important.
21. If you think the number or LinkedIn or Facebook connections, Twitter followers, likes, Klout scores and the like are important.
22. If you actively promote being an open networker on LinkedIn.
23. If you don’t stand for something or are afraid to express your opinion to customers and within your company.
24. If you aren’t building alliances within your company, collaborating, working as a team member.
25. If you aren’t formally or informally mentoring and helping new sales people learn and grow.
26. If you aren’t building deep relationships and alliances with your customers.
27. If you are doing the same things you did to sell 10 years ago, 5 years ago, last year.
28. If you are older and don’t learn from the “youngsters,” or think they don’t get it.
29. If you are younger and don’t learn from your “older colleagues” or think they don’t get it.
30. Thinking that it’s your manager’s problem.
31. Thinking that it’s your customer’s problem.
32. If you aren’t achieving your goals and blame it on others or something else.

The interesting thing about being relevant is it’s totally within your control. It’s your choice, are you going to be relevant?

It’s easy to understand the appeal that demo offers provide. One, they don’t require the resources and development cycles of a new white paper or Webinar or infographic. Secondly, what sales rep doesn’t like demo leads? A demo request is almost always a Sales Accepted Lead (SAL). Demos short cut the demand generation process and gives sales what they want, namely someone with a short-term interest in the product they’re selling.

Demo-itis would appear to be caused primarily by two factors: one, a lack of resources to produce new content (and therefore, alternative offers), and two, the degree to which corporate marketers are now increasingly accountable and measured, not by the number of raw inquiries they generate, but by the number of Sales Qualified Leads that result from the marketing activity they fund. It’s that latter variable, I fear, that is a prime driver in the rush to demo. One can just imagine the internal conversation: “If it’s SQLs that I’m going to be measured on, I’m going to design my campaigns to generate SQLs.”

Of course, designing demand gen campaigns solely to generate highly qualified leads is problematic. For one, demo leads are on average (based on our work with tech clients) up to 3x more expensive than leads generated by other, information-type offers, say white papers or Webinars.

Secondly, a demo is by definition a late stage offer. That is, it will only ever appeal to that small subset of prospects who have already decided 1) they have the problem your technology solves, 2) they’re ready to do something about it, and 3) they think your product warrants a closer look. Focus your demand generation efforts too much on generating demos, and you’ll be leaving 60-70 percent of potential prospects (and customers) on the table simply because they’re just not at the stage to where they’re ready to listen to a product pitch.

A much more effective strategy is to present a range of offers – utilizing early, mid- and late-stage content – to attract prospects at every stage of the selling cycle. (Late stage offers do need to have a role in demand generation, because it’s critical to capture those qualified buyers who may have previously slipped through the cracks and aren’t currently engaged in dialog with your company.)

Once you’ve captured that broader spectrum of leads, some of whom will almost certainly be more qualified than others (or at least, further along the sales cycle), use automated lead nurturing to filter, qualify, cultivate, score, and ultimately convert them to qualified opportunities. Executed well, a demand generation strategy designed to capture a broad spectrum of inbound leads is destined to always generate more qualified leads in the long term, compared to a strategy focused on generating on “hot leads” exclusively.

Remember, demos can also serve as secondary offers – for example, on thank you pages, in fulfillment emails (emails that you use to send someone the link to the white paper they requested, for example). Presented “after the fact” as such in conjunction with other offers, they won’t scare off early stage prospects, and yet you’ll be presenting the opportunity to say “yes” to the demo if they’re indeed ready.

For a more in-depth discussion of how best to design your demand generation strategy, download a free copy of our white paper: “Lead Recycling: A More Cost Effective Approach to Demand Generation for High-Technology Companies.”

I recently ran a workshop for a small business. The owner of the business asked for my help to improve the business performance and as part of the initiative I suggested, like all good consultants to “borrow the watch, tell the time and then charge for the privilege”. In other words I was going to ask the business what was wrong, and then tell the owner what was wrong based on what the business had told me was wrong! OK, slightly facetious but you will get the idea.

There were 10 managers who joined us for an exercise I call “The CEO’s bunch of 5’s”. It is a simple process of:

1. Asking each individuals for the 5 things they would do to achieve the desired outcome. In this case the desired outcome was to “grow profitable sales”. At this stage each person writes their 5 actions without discussing their action list with any of the other participants
2. I then created groups of two. It depends on how large the total group is i.e. you may choose to have groups of 3 or 4 etc. The groups were to discuss each of their 5 actions (10 in total assuming no crossover) and then come back to the main group with only 5 from the list. The purpose of this is to force the participants into prioritising what is important for the business.
3. Each group then presents their 5 actions
4. As the moderator for the activity it is important to listen to the key themes. In every session I do this the outcome is always the same
   1. There are a number of common themes
   2. The answers are general and lack detail
5. Congratulate everyone for their work but then I say something to the effect “it is not good enough. As a CEO you can’t make general recommendations. We want to hear the detail behind your recommendation.”
6. The groups go back to their 5 key action list and re-write the list with specific detail
7. Moderator summarises the action list and charges the client for the privilege.

This specific exercise is something I came up with myself (I am sure there are similar ones out there) but the technique was learnt by watching all the big consulting firms come in, interview the staff, slice the numbers and charge a fortune for the recommendations. I always found it unbelievable how many times I saw, verbatim, the recommendations from my colleagues make their way on to the smart guy paper.

However, there is significant merit in the consultants methodology. The fact remains that most good employees can see the issues in a company and have probably thought about potential solutions to the issues. The consultants are smart enough to know that listening to these employees will inevitably lead to a probable outcome that is palatable to management.

As managers, business owners or CEOs, you are faced with challenges every day. Whether you chose to outsource the solution finder or look internally is entirely up to you. However before you decide, phrase your two options as such:

a) Employee, we value your opinion and will listen to what you have to say

b) Consultants, we value your opinion and will listen to what our employees have told you

You may have just saved yourself a lot of money, potentially made even more and all by listening to the real experts … in your business!

• Dedicated Editors: Depending on the size of your business, you may have several people who can and should be contributing to your blog and online presence. As with any business, your employees probably have various areas of expertise and knowledge that would prove useful to your customers, so it’s important to enable them to contribute. However, only one or two people should own the editing and posting. This way, a consistent tone is easier to maintain. Rather than over complicating things by trying to teach every contributing member how you want posts to sound, allow them to write – putting their ideas and main points in the hands of the primary editors. Those editors can craft the writing into the desired style and voice.

• Tell Trending Stories in Your Own Words: It’s good to be original with what you write, but being unique is often difficult considering the mass of content posted online every day. Instead of trying to cover subjects no one has covered before (and hence no one may care about), follow trending topics online within your industry. What are others writing about? What’s big in the news right now that could affect your business or your customers? Then retell those stories in your own words and in a way that it will be most relevant and interesting to your customers. You want your readers to associate your blog and online presence with a source of knowledge for your industry or field. Explaining complex ideas and larger news stories in a simpler format will position you as a thought leader. In essence you become the voice of the expert with the advice and solutions your readers and customers are seeking.

• Keep Your Voice Casual: This best practice may not be true for every business, but the vast majority of companies with an online presence should strive to keep their style and voice casual. According to Anna Ritchie of Content Marketing Institute, “By clouding social media sites with your corporate voice, you may deter your social audience from feeling comfortable that their own voices are welcome or will be heard. Your social sites shouldn’t serve as an extension of your company voice; they should give you the chance to… connect with your audience on a more intimate level.” Readers don’t want to get bogged down in long-winded posts that get overly specific or involved. Instead explain topics and concepts as if you were talking to someone one-on-one. If your voice mirrors that of a casual conversation, people are more likely to keep reading and feel as though they are being informed or advised by a person. A casual voice breaks down the barrier between you and your readers and can put them at ease.

Establishing a voice and tone for your business can take time, but well-written consistent content can yield lots of positive returns. These three best practices are a great place to start. Eventually, your content will find a style and your business will take on an online personality all its own.

An article from CNN cites a recent study that says, “According to a preliminary investigation published in March in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Business, employees who bring their dog to the office can cap the amount of stress experienced during the day, and improve job satisfaction for all.” Less stress and increased satisfaction? Seems like a no-brainer, and some pretty successful companies including TRX, ModCloth, Yammer and Google here in San Francisco seem to have found a way to do it by doing the following:

Have a Solid Policy in Place

Google for instance, has a dog policy that outlines a basic set of guidelines including picking up after your furry friend and being respectful of allergic co-workers. And Google is clearly a dog’s world as their code of conduct forbids cats under the notion that because Google is a dog place, any visiting felines would feel less than secure. Your policy should also spell out specifics of any breeds not allowed, as well as damages and personal injury issues. Covering your bases and being respectful to all employees will help ensure a good experience for everyone. Also consider that not all buildings and landlords are pet-friendly which is a bummer, but if yours is, you may want to try it.

A recent Inc. article discussed how the company, One Call Now even goes beyond dogs. The company has several dogs, fish, birds, turtles and other caged animals that hang out with their humans during the workday. The company worked with their HR team to develop a pet policy, “There’s nothing that’s not common sense,” CEO Lieb Lurie, says of the policy. “So if you have common sense, your pet is welcome.” Simple and straightforward.

Take It For a Walk Before You Go Full Force

Take Your Dog to Work Day is just around the corner (June 21st) and it’s a great chance to “test drive” having dogs, or other pets in your office. Pet Sitter International has a great action pack with all the details to keep tails wagging during the event.

My pup, Dwight.

Make Them Part of Your Culture

Modcloth has been one of the fastest growing companies in San Francisco and are known for their mascot Winston, the pug who shows up throughout their site. They’ve incorporated Winston and other pups in their blog and even have a Facebook page called ModDogs which according to their About section is, “meant to showcase our most loved pups and give you a chance to submit your own puppy photos once you join the club!” And judging by the 4,000-plus likes they’ve got on the page, they’re creating some great engagement with their customers and fans! This is a great example of taking a positive thing for your employees and expanding the reach to your customers.

What do you think of having dogs in the workplace? Are you a fan?

This article by VerticalResponse CEO and founder Janine Popick originally appeared on Inc.com.

Hecklers suck!

Trolls are to the Internet as hecklers are to speeches. However, hecklers are a special breed. Internet trolls hide behind the protection anonymity offers. Hecklers shout, “Hey, look at me. I’m a giant ass!” in a room full of people. They’ve got an opinion and more importantly, they aim for attention whore status.

The good news is that hecklers are a rare breed. Most people aren’t willing to be jerks in a group of people – in fact most people are terrified of even asking a question during Q&A. Even though trolls are rare. my fabulous coaching clients ask, “How do you take take down a heckler?”

Here are my 3 easy steps to handle the rare but pesky heckler.

Step 1: Heckler discernment

There’s a huge difference between a tough question or comment and a heckler.

The tough questioner is thoughtful, respectful, and backs up his/her question with logic, reasoning and even evidence. They respectfully disagree, but their end goal is to have a great discussion. An answer to this may strengthen your ideas.

A heckler is hell-bent on making it personal. If he’s ranting about how your presentation sucks, you have no new ideas and are generally insulting you, your work and your intelligence, yep, that’s a heckler.

You’re dealing with the ad-hominem king or queen. It’s time to shut that crap down.

Step 2: You have the power

You have the microphone. You are on the stage. Take control of the conversation.

Let’s face it, heckler Joe may be on a roll. Just let him rant, and at the first sign of a breath, jump in. Ask “Do you have a question?” This typically takes them back. They’ll stumble, mumble, “No, I’m finished now” and sit back down. If they do ask a smart-ass question like, “Why do you suck so much?” Answer back with “Why do you suck at asking meaningful questions?” You’ll get a laugh from the audience. When the center of the universe realizes that the audience is laughing at him not with him, he’ll shut up.

On occasion, this disarms the heckler. The rant becomes an honest question. The dialogue shifts. The person feels heard and understood. The tenor of the Q&A changes.

Step 3: Empower the audience

What if step 2 didn’t work? It’s time to use your secret weapon – the audience. They came to hear you speak. Not some joker who didn’t get enough attention from mommy growing up. If they wanted to hear a heckler, they’d go to a comedy club.

Simply ask the audience if they want to hear more from your heckler. An awkward silence usually follows where you can hear the clock ticking loudly in the background. Some brave soul might shout out “Sit down!”

Social proof is powerful. When the audience doesn’t want to hear more – the heckler gets embarrassed and slinks off.

Don’t let the heckler shake you. It’s time to turn your focus back to your presentation and creating great value for your audience.

I’ve never been heckled during a presentation. I’ve witnessed it though. It’s as awkward for the audience as it is for the presenter. Remember, as the speaker, YOU have the power. Use it and handling a heckler is a snap.

In this connected economy, the challenge is not connectivity – but alignment.

If you look for differences you will find them; and if you seek alignment, cooperation, and collaboration, you will find that too. This is why learning to effectively manage your business networks is without question the key to your business success.

Alignment is the result of taking connectivity to the next level. This is often accomplished by partnering or collaborating to progressively achieve mutually beneficial objectives.

Who are these partners?

These are logically team members, friends, and influencers, but could also be what you to be competitors.

Alignment Builds Value

When a company gives freely, it earns the respect of the community, and that creates alignment. When a business is creating and sharing solutions that are relevant to their communities, alignment is naturally achieved.

This is why businesses need to start thinking of being problem solvers, what I like to think of as being in the answers business.

In addition to the content solutions that your business shares online, your products and services are also tangible and desirable solutions.

However, it is vital to first share free content in the form of tips and advice. That is what attracts buyers to what your business is selling. It’s a process of attraction that leads to engagement to build relationships and trust that ultimately lead to profitable outcomes.

The Social Marketing Process ©Jeff Korhan

Business in The Trust Economy

Like it or not, our business environment is being profoundly shaped by the influences of social media, and smart businesses are learning they can prosper if they seek to understand and embrace it.

Many of us are competitive by nature. Yet, when we channel those energies toward increasing value for the communities we serve, we can not only achieve our goals, but help others do the same.

Being a team player is a skill that ranks above technical talents. This is why nearly anyone will choose to to align their business with partners they trust, and therefore enjoy working with.

Communities are the New Markets

Traditional marketing speaks to markets, which are an abstract construct created by businesses that want to sell to buyers.

That’s a model that has become irrelevant in this connected and socially influenced economy. Consumer now have a voice, and every business should be finding new ways to engage customers with your brand.

We all live and work in local communities. So, respecting their dynamics is essential for succeeding in a trust economy.

It has taken me some time to learn this, but the feedback I am consistently receiving these days underscores its value.

This recent quote from Twitter is an example:

Truth be told, that tweet was the inspiration for this post.

So, look no further than the comments of your community friends and followers for what matters most.

Pretty simple, huh?

When staffing a contact center, the trick is to walk the fine line between being overstaffed and being understaffed.

Overstaffing is expensive, it means your employees do not have enough work to fill their day and understaffing is expensive too as you are not meeting your service level objectives at the expense of customer satisfaction.

As we all know contact centers have to deal with a fluctuating workload every day. Getting staffing right is not easy. Some forecasters take this into account and allow for a percentage of overstaffing so that there is a ‘cushion’ of resources when things get a little rough.

But sometimes your agents get some time to breathe and you may want to better utilize this idle time. However by the time you have decided on this substitute activity, you might be too late as incoming traffic could already be picking up.

Here are 4 ways to give your agents something to do when the dust settles:

• Call new customers or follow-up on a closed case
  Giving a new customer a call to verify if the new product or service works well as it should can drive customer satisfaction and you could prevent a customer from calling-in when service levels are already under pressure.
• Send a ‘knowledge nudge’ or online quiz
  When service levels are above target you can send a knowledge nudge to inform the agent of changes in products or services or send a quick online ‘quiz’ to test their knowledge and keep them engaged.
• Share a ‘best practice’
  Take an example of a great customer conversation in the form of a recorded call and send it to an agent that is twisting their thumbs for a minute. Describe what worked well in the call or what could be improved.
• Balance service levels for multiple channels
  The telephony channel is most prone to fluctuating arrival patterns. Blending interactions such as calls, emails, chat requests etc can also help to fill the gaps and find a good balance between agent utilization and agent morale.

The key to optimizing idle time is to make it part of an integrated contact routing strategy and make it ‘non-disruptive’. If your agents need to start other applications and take manual steps, you are wasting their idle time and be putting agent moral under pressure.

To learn more about intelligent ways to manage multi channel conversations download the whitepaper ‘Solving the Multichannel Customer Care Challenge’.

I am sure there are many other clever ways to optimize agent idle time you can think of, please share ways you may have done this with a comment below.

Customers Have Needs, Too (So Why Aren’t We Taking them Seriously?)

Budgeting constraints aren’t really a new problem, and there are certainly plenty of examples of companies overcoming them (just ask monoliths like Apple and Whole Foods, both of which sit at the top of this list of Fortune 500 companies that started with next to nothing). But it’s not necessarily fiery entrepreneurship that’s suffering, since trying to make something out of nothing comes with the territory. More so, it’s organizations that have some roots and systems in place failing to fund innovation as a result of misplaced capital.

All business undertakings involve a certain level of risk, and despite a shift towards the agile approach of embracing and learning from failure, gambling in the name of innovation sometimes scares investors and stakeholders into hoarding assets. The thing is, customers have problems and needs that, because they’re ultimately more impactful to future growth, trump those qualms — at least, they should. In a nutshell:

• Customers are suffocated by the sheer amount of options they face, and although brand loyalty is a factor, things get dropped if a different offering clearly does a better job.
• They want companies to follow the same financial platitudes that they do — you get what you pay for, quality over quantity, etc.
• That said, they don’t expect to shoulder the cost of your talent when there’s evidence that jacked up prices are being used to generate quick profits rather than develop better products.
• They have zero tolerance for poor performance and slow support.
• They know that alternatives exist, and they’re not afraid to use them as leverage.

Again, not new challenges, but they’re placing a decent amount of pressure on today’s companies to explore new markets, develop more robust product offerings, and make use of commercial technologies. Working within limited financial frames is forcing businesses to get creative and collaborative. The problem is, not everyone is very good at it.

The C-Word (Collaboration. Sheesh.)

It’s true that we already celebrated collaboration month here at Mindjet, but it’s no secret that innovation is really just collaboration’s louder, more animated sister. There’s an undeniable kinship between working together and turning ideas into action, and I’ve said before that innovation doesn’t keep good company with redundancy. In this case, that could equate to how dangerous it is to distribute funds in the same way each quarter (which most companies do), a practice that makes department heads scramble to spend if it turns out they don’t need their entire allowance. It’s an understandable tactic (we’d all rather be left with a surplus, right?), but it paints an inaccurate picture of company needs, causes us to spend money without any viable strategic foundations, and lessens the chance that the more ambiguous initiatives — like fostering innovation — will actually receive the financial backing they need.

If there’s a call to action to be found here, it’s this: if you want your organization to grow, be profitable, thrive, and all that other good stuff, pay attention. Stop being afraid to use resources differently. Reanalyze potential, and make sure that funds are lining the paths that are actually driving your company forward, not those that simply used to.

Bottom line? Companies that invest in innovation, even at the risk of losing traction and depleting the corporate nest egg, set themselves apart as savvy, consumer-driven, and willing to advance at a faster pace than their markets. That means competitive advantage — and you can’t put a price on that.

The key benefit for cross channel attribution is to provide visibility into which marketing channels are driving sales well and which are performing poorly. This will allow you to adjust your marketing tactics accordingly and track performance over time.

In many environments several challenges exist when implementing a cross-channel response attribution model. They include:

1. The process of attributing a ‘sale’ to one or more channels is challenging from both a data and analytic perspective. It is best to start with bringing your data house in order before implementing the attribution model(s).
2. The modeling techniques can be complex and difficult to communicate. All teams (business, database, and analytics) need to be a part of the process of choosing the proper analytic techniques. Analytics should drive this process but gain feedback and buy-in from all teams at every step of development.
3. Implementation of the response attribution process typically requires a database, a data transformation layer, and an analytic engine. Be sure to have a vision on how the implementation should occur before starting development. That vision will help identify complexities during the implementation that may be minimized during development.
4. Once you have your response attribution house in order, then it may be used to help optimize media spend over time, through the use of media mix models. When mapping out the response attribution process spend time to understand how it will be used within media mix models as that will enable a more seamless process from response attribution to media mix.

Cross-channel response attribution can be difficult, but it is worth the effort. Think agile, start simple, gain buy-in and momentum, and enhance over time. It is human nature to take an all-in approach and build out the ‘perfect’ solution right away. I would argue that approach, in many environments, is fraught with pitfalls given the challenges that exist in cross-channel response attribution. Build out a roadmap with milestones and quick wins and a solution built out in phases so you can learn and enhance over time while providing value quickly.

A recent survey from MarketingSherpa found that two-thirds of marketers worldwide recognize acting on data to improve marketing performance as an important objective for marketing analytics, but what is really astonishing is that only 27% recognize the importance of integrating disparate systems and siloed data.

If you’re in the marketing department and only acting on data from within your department, you’re missing the boat. When you’re able to pair multiple data sources, you can begin to see the big picture of how all facets of your business work together–which lends itself to better measurement of your investment dollars and allows you to calculate true ROI. What are you waiting for? Watch this short Learn with Levelwing video to find out how to aggregate all your disparate data sources.

Personal power is the ability to achieve what you want. More than anything else, it is personal power that brings you success and happiness. So, how do we go about increasing our personal power? One very effective way is to set and achieve what I call “Everest” goals. Let’s look at how they worked for me, and how they might work for you, too!

Step 1: Find Inspiration

In 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the only blind person in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Erik redefines the term “blind ambition.”

Since Erik went blind, at the age of 13, it was a dream of his to climb the world’s tallest peak. Erik knew that some people would think he was crazy, but hoped that he could find others to share his dream.

Erik found a supporter that believed in him; that first person was the beginning of a team of supporters. Erik’s supporters helped him realize his dream, while his accomplishment increased his personal power to tackle other tough challenges.

Erik’s story became a source of inspiration for me. If Erik can climb Mt. Everest blind, surely I can also reach out in the dark, embrace a challenge, and conquer it. I really wanted to feel the same sense of exhilaration and personal power that Erik found by conquering something challenging. For me, it was starting over and tackling an MBA program.

Who inspires you?

Step 2: Dream Your Own Dream

Standing on top of Mount Everest expanded Erik’s view of what was possible in his life; conquering Everest was Erik’s dream. Each of us need Everest goals in our lives to expand our vision of what we’re capable of; we need to dream our own dream.

In 2010, I set my own Everest goal. After raising my children, I decided that it was time to continue my education; I decided to earn a master’s degree. But what degree should I pursue?

My undergraduate degree was in education. I wondered if I should continue in that area. Honestly, that would be the easiest avenue to pursue. But I wasn’t looking for easy; I was looking for challenging and exhilarating.

I wanted to broaden and enlarge my knowledge, skills, and abilities. After considering a number of options, I decided to obtain a Master of Public Administration from Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business Management.

Why? Thoughts of leading, supporting worthy causes, developing organizations, and making a difference propelled me to think of public administration. This became my dream.

What is your dream?

Step 3: Qualify Your Everest Goal

An Everest goal goes beyond normal goal setting. It represents an ultimate achievement or an extraordinary accomplishment. Achieving it requires everything one can give, and that is exactly how and why it increases our personal power.

Like setting our sights on climbing to the summit of Mount Everest, an Everest goal is clear, engaging, compelling, exciting, stimulating, and passionate. An Everest goal is visionary, and it leaves individuals better for having engaged in its pursuit.

An Everest goal meets these qualifications:

1. It captures our deep inner commitment because we care deeply about it.
2. It require our supreme effort.
3. It depends on our complete authenticity and genuine desire.
4. It motivates our learning and wisdom as we conquer and achieve.
5. It enhances positive relationships because it is rare to achieve an Everest goal alone.
6. It requires that we get in touch with our personal values and core purpose in life.

What qualified my goal to obtain a master’s degree as an Everest goal? I believe strongly in life-long education; I feel a strong commitment to, and value, education. This goal would require my supreme effort because I have been out of school for so long, I was pursuing a degree for which I had no foundation, and I wanted to “excel” and not just “complete.” I genuinely felt that I had chosen a goal that would both challenge and exhilarate me.

Does your Everest goal meet these six qualifications?

Step 4: Conquer the Challenge

This is the step that pushes us to our limit. We discover barriers to our success that were not obvious at the outset. Discouragement, fatigue, doubt, and fear threaten to derail us altogether. The very act of enduring, overcoming, strategizing, adjusting, and conquering enlarges our personal power. If we can do this, we can do other challenging things.

This quote from The Power of Passion: Achieve Your Own Everest echoes my feelings about conquering Everest goals: “Winning is an internal satisfaction, a deep inner sense of pride and joy. Success can only be measured within ourselves, by ourselves. It has nothing to do with other people’s perception of our achievements. It has everything to do with our own perceptions of our efforts. Success is giving it your all.”

I gave it my all. I conquered my Everest with excellence and I can look back with an increased sense of ability and personal power.

What Everest goals have you conquered?

Step 5: Repeat the Process

Did Erik stop conquering challenges once he reached the summit of Mt. Everest? Not on your life. In 2008, Erik completed his subsequent goal of climbing the Seven Summits—the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.

Achieving personal power is not an event — it is a life-long process. So, after we have enjoyed our accomplishment, processed the learning experience, and integrated our new abilities into our daily lives, it is time to reach out once more for a new challenge.

I graduated just two weeks ago, but it’s not too soon to start dreaming up my next Everest goal. Whatever it is, it will be as challenging and exhilarating as this one.

What is your next Everest goal? How have Everest goals increased your personal power? I’d love to be inspired by your experiences. Please comment below!

Overheard in the editorial department (2012):

“Hey Jody, can you edit this real quick?”

“Real quick?”

“Yeah, I gotta get it to the client in like 30 minutes.”

“How long is it?”

“Like 20 pages.”

I don’t know how we got into the mindset of thinking of quality like it was some sweet topping that could be added to a deliverable in a quick dollop. Quality is a core ingredient that affects the entire piece of content. So, as a company, we’re adjusting our mindset. In order to do that, we had to start by defining our terms.

First, we separated quality from Editorial. While related, the terms aren’t synonymous.

Editorial: to alter, adapt, or refine to bring about conformity to a standard. So, the function of an editorial department is to decide what quality is and alter our content to conform to that standard.

So, what is quality? A couple of things.

Quality: a peculiar sense of character (referred to as “Big Q”).

When it comes to clients, projects, or even singular deliverables, they all have their own character because they all have their own intents and purposes. Some client content may be conservative and data-driven and meant to inform a specific community. Other client content may be artful and funny and intended to drive sales or help earn a client’s brand a certain kind of reputation. When we talk about “Big Q” around here, we want to make sure we’re honoring a brand as well as honoring the intent and purpose of the content. And everyone around here is responsible for “Big Q.”

quality: a degree of excellence marked by being error-free (referred to as “little q”).

Here’s where editorial comes in and acts as a guardian of good grammar, spelling, and other content mechanics. Because clean content is essential for clients. It’s tricky to edit for both Quality and quality in just one pass, so separating these and focusing on them one at a time ensures Qquality.

That wasn’t a typo. When a deliverable has both kinds of quality, it’s got the full gussy and is ready to go. So, if you’re in the office and you hear someone say, Q-quality, it’s because we take our quality so seriously, one q isn’t enough.

Image credit: Wikimedia.org