Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued, and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People and Profits
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 2,000 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's go!
__________________________________________________________________
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
August 7, 2019
April 21, 2018
2,000 Hours
Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued, and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People and Profits
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 2,000 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's get to work!
__________________________________________________________________
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People and Profits
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 2,000 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's get to work!
__________________________________________________________________
December 28, 2017
Losing the Status Quo
Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued, and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People + Priority = Profit
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 1,800 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's get to work!
__________________________________________________________________
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People + Priority = Profit
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 1,800 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's get to work!
__________________________________________________________________
February 21, 2017
Investing Unwisely
You don’t have to go too far before you hear some mutation of the phrase “we can't do that here”. At first, it almost seems believable but with some thought it's more of an auto-response. No new ideas is often next in line.
It reminds me of what a colleague once said to me. He often boasted that "employees are overhead, customers are profit". Yes, dinosaurs do walk among us.
But before you feel compelled to say “we can’t do that”, one suggestion is to put the company on the hoist to expose waste before you make cuts on essential items such as the people who work there. Companies often bemoan decreasing results but think they can cut themselves into the black.
Or worse, do nothing.
__________________________________________________________________
It reminds me of what a colleague once said to me. He often boasted that "employees are overhead, customers are profit". Yes, dinosaurs do walk among us.
But before you feel compelled to say “we can’t do that”, one suggestion is to put the company on the hoist to expose waste before you make cuts on essential items such as the people who work there. Companies often bemoan decreasing results but think they can cut themselves into the black.
Or worse, do nothing.
__________________________________________________________________
June 28, 2016
Before They Are Customers
You want to take your significant other out for a nice dinner. Maybe you'll check out that new steak place? They claim they have best Kobe beef this side of Tokyo. Decision made. Reservation for 7:30.
What they didn’t tell you in the advertising was that there is a mandatory $10 parking fee. A bit annoying and scam-like. Still not fazed, you head inside. You are met at the threshold with a line-up. Not a bad thing, it means this new place is doing well and you’re not worried, you have a reservation.
Service On Hold
At 7:45, you inquire with the snappy dressed guy at the front if your table is ready. He doesn’t take his eyes of the calculus that is the restaurant floor plan and barks that the kitchen is busy, they are new, and all reservations are 30 minutes behind.
It’s a nice night out, why spoil it with complaints so you go back to the bench and wait quietly. Several minutes later a woman approaches you with two white cards. On one side is the restaurant’s logo and on the other is a questionnaire.
Survey Says
They want to know your demographic, how you found out about the place, how many times you go out for a meal each month, how much alcohol you consume in a year, and for your trouble your name is put in a draw for one free dessert on your next trip - if you go to their website and register.
It’s 8:43 and burgers sound good about now.
Before getting caught up in metrics, surveys, and coupons, be careful people don't walk out before you get a chance to help them as customers.
Let them try it before asking their opinion.
__________________________________________________________________
What they didn’t tell you in the advertising was that there is a mandatory $10 parking fee. A bit annoying and scam-like. Still not fazed, you head inside. You are met at the threshold with a line-up. Not a bad thing, it means this new place is doing well and you’re not worried, you have a reservation.
Service On Hold
At 7:45, you inquire with the snappy dressed guy at the front if your table is ready. He doesn’t take his eyes of the calculus that is the restaurant floor plan and barks that the kitchen is busy, they are new, and all reservations are 30 minutes behind.
It’s a nice night out, why spoil it with complaints so you go back to the bench and wait quietly. Several minutes later a woman approaches you with two white cards. On one side is the restaurant’s logo and on the other is a questionnaire.
Survey Says
They want to know your demographic, how you found out about the place, how many times you go out for a meal each month, how much alcohol you consume in a year, and for your trouble your name is put in a draw for one free dessert on your next trip - if you go to their website and register.
It’s 8:43 and burgers sound good about now.
Before getting caught up in metrics, surveys, and coupons, be careful people don't walk out before you get a chance to help them as customers.
Let them try it before asking their opinion.
__________________________________________________________________
December 11, 2013
Action Vs Noise
Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued, and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky. But if you can take time to entertain new ideas then move them forward with a clear plan and data to in turn shape the idea into something tangible while including input from all involved. You will see stronger ideas for your business and a much more engaged team.
Uncharted Territory
This approach makes some people nervous because the process may seem laborious and could perhaps slow down results when you just want things done. It takes some time to get used to finding room for many voices and opinions while remaining on track.
If it's new to your team, the process won't be perfect, nothing is, but fresh thinking doesn't survive in status quo so it is worth the effort. Let someone on the team facilitate the first few times - not the highest ranking member of the team - and take it slow. Keep things factual and don't make it personal. Your business will be a more collaborative atmosphere where employees can offer opinions and ideas are considered.
People and Profits
When we meet with a business leader who wants to improve the bottom line, it's usually much more than a revenue issue and it often begins with internal customer service. The relationships you build and nurture inside your business can represent 90% of your bottom line yet far too many companies view it as unimportant.
We work an average of 1,800 hours each year and that number is growing. Collaboration and communication remain critical building blocks for any leader who desires success. But you and I just talking about it won't make it happen.
Let's get to work!
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.
emoclear
March 3, 2012
Customer Service - Inside and Out
Recently, I was chatting with some friends about their recent road trip. All went well but they did share a couple of interesting stories. One was from a bad experience while trying to grab a quick bite to eat. It was one of those experiences where you feel you're more of an annoyance than a customer. “Someone deserved a four cent tip”, my friend exclaimed. The rest of the group nodded and began sharing bad service stories. Bad service ruins your experience and you wonder why you are the victim of their bad day.Bad Service is Everywhere
We all want great service. But we are still surprised when we get it. If “four cent tip” guy got the service my friends received, he would be incensed. But he’s having a bad day, a rough shift, his boss is a tyrant, his feet hurt or a wide range of possible explanations that don’t and shouldn’t concern customers. Companies miss an opportunity when they ask us to follow them on Twitter only to find out there is nothing in it for us. Or they request we "like" them on Facebook only to find the same.
Now flip this around and look at your internal stakeholders. We all have a bad day, we all make mistakes but imagine for a moment that whiny waiter dude was your communications department and don’t wannabe there coffee shop woman was running your sales department while get it done faster cheaper guy was your boss.
Good Service: Tell a Friend.
Bad Service: Tell All Your Friends.
One bad customer experience can dismantle thousands, even millions of dollars in marketing investment. To my friends, the grumpy server is now attached to the name of the restaurant. They had a bad brand experience.
Envision spending the next three months simply working on improving service inside your organization. That’s the stuff that happens between each person in your building. Any one of your stakeholders may be the only person a customer may ever meet. And this is true in all industries and across all levels of leadership.
The creation of strong internal and external customer service is far more valuable than a well crafted advertising campaign.
Kneale Mann
image credit: helpscout | original: may 2011
January 13, 2012
What Would They Do?
Garbage day is Fridays in my neighborhood. The city rotates recycling weeks between paper/cardboard and cans/plastic and every second week they take perishable items in a green bin. When there is a holiday, pickup moves to Saturday. Your place may have a similar schedule. According to the schedule, last Friday was a regular pickup day but with the Holidays I was all messed up on whether that affected the schedule. I looked at the other houses and no one had garbage at the end of their driveway. I had to make a decision before heading to my meeting. Was it garbage day or not?
Ignoring Our Gut
I thought I had misread the schedule or missed an announcement. If everyone else had waited to put out their garbage, maybe it was a holiday schedule. I checked the city website again. It didn’t look like a holiday week. I looked outside again – nothing. I decided to go with the schedule and put out the garbage.
We sometimes make decisions based on the behavior of others. It may be a stretch to compare garbage day to business strategy but there is a correlation. In my case, I was looking for others to make my decision and we often do it in the enterprise. Leadership is hard work. Sometimes we allow outside factors influence us more than our intuition.
Price Tag Wins
Seth Godin calls it a race to the bottom. Providing great products and services becomes less important than increasing market share and no one knows who's following whom anymore. In our quest not to be wrong, we miss opportunities.
By the way, the plastic and cans were collected. For the first time I can remember, I was first on the block to put my trash at the curb. Instead of trusting my own decision, I made a conclusion from an assumption.
That never happens in business, right?
Kneale Mann
image credit: ctv
October 21, 2011
700 Posts in 42 Months
It happened at a dinner on April 23, 2008. After the 5th person asked me where they could find my blog, later that night I started a blog. Like millions before me, I had no clue what I’d write about and I didn't think anyone would read it. So I started writing and I'm still surprised people read it.
I thought I'd write every now and then which turned into 699 posts in three and a half years with more than 12,000 comments and readers in 147 countries. There have been fun times and not-so-fun times in my career during that time but this space has remained the one constant. Thank-you for ensuring my thoughts aren't just fired into the abyss. If you want to write, don't wait for permission, write and keep writing.
Connect and Collaborate
Through this and other social channels, I have met literally hundreds of people I would never had met otherwise in a ten lifetimes. Some have turned into business colleagues, friends and clients. And the focus of this space continues to be to share creative ideas for business, leadership, strategy, marketing, social media and life.
My passion is to help business owners and managers become better leaders, build better teams and grow their companies. So let's keep sharing ideas and don’t hesitate to email, say hi, send thoughts, book a call or grab a coffee.
Thanks For Dropping By!
Kneale Mann
image credit: wikipedia
September 14, 2011
Measuring Business and Marketing Results
We All Want Revenue
We seem to be good at tossing around buzz phrases. We can talk to each other about the ROI of digital engagement through the internal customer service of community development. Managing expectations and deliverables are a way of life. And yet we seem to often get stuck while waiting for quick wins.
In the world of marketing and business development (the new catch-all for sales), there is no shortage of chatter about the social web. Of course, it’s the moving target and still the new shiny toy. Anyone with an Internet connection can publish their opinions. That does not mean it’s a sound business opportunity.
Marathon Meet Race
Budgets are tight, jobs are on the line, there is no time to try stuff and hope it will work. And as someone who consults business and has worked in every medium, it remains challenging for me to remind owners and managers that this stuff takes a while and no campaign will sustain them forever. Moreover, you can only measure your return if you are honest about your actual monetary and human investment. Throwing up a Facebook group, buying a bunch of television advertising and stuffing mailboxes are not tactics that will automatically bring results.
The social web is not the only place to spend your effort but reading and tweeting about direct mail or telemarketing just doesn’t seem to be as sexy. But judging from the mound of three-color print designed pieces of cardboard and paper overflowing from my recycle bin, it appears to be alive and well. Television and radio advertising remain viable channels to extend your offer and external or outdoor advertising is still around too. But opening your wallet and demanding results is dangerous sport.
Nothing Is Free
My colleague, Drew McLellan wrote a post recently about the importance of channel selection and more importantly he reminds us that social media are not free or even cheap. It takes a shift in your organization to account for any outbound marketing. In fact, in my humble opinion, marketing is not a department but rather a part of all that you do in business.
No amount of advertising or external collateral will save a bad business. So if you think you can buy your success, save your money and spend it on developing your actual offer. I have lost count the number of prospects who tell me they don’t need marketing, they need more revenue. It’s like saying you want to run a marathon but aren’t prepared to buy shoes and train.
How Do You Measure Your Business Expectations?
Kneale Mann
image creditfantes
We seem to be good at tossing around buzz phrases. We can talk to each other about the ROI of digital engagement through the internal customer service of community development. Managing expectations and deliverables are a way of life. And yet we seem to often get stuck while waiting for quick wins. In the world of marketing and business development (the new catch-all for sales), there is no shortage of chatter about the social web. Of course, it’s the moving target and still the new shiny toy. Anyone with an Internet connection can publish their opinions. That does not mean it’s a sound business opportunity.
Marathon Meet Race
Budgets are tight, jobs are on the line, there is no time to try stuff and hope it will work. And as someone who consults business and has worked in every medium, it remains challenging for me to remind owners and managers that this stuff takes a while and no campaign will sustain them forever. Moreover, you can only measure your return if you are honest about your actual monetary and human investment. Throwing up a Facebook group, buying a bunch of television advertising and stuffing mailboxes are not tactics that will automatically bring results.
The social web is not the only place to spend your effort but reading and tweeting about direct mail or telemarketing just doesn’t seem to be as sexy. But judging from the mound of three-color print designed pieces of cardboard and paper overflowing from my recycle bin, it appears to be alive and well. Television and radio advertising remain viable channels to extend your offer and external or outdoor advertising is still around too. But opening your wallet and demanding results is dangerous sport.
Nothing Is Free
My colleague, Drew McLellan wrote a post recently about the importance of channel selection and more importantly he reminds us that social media are not free or even cheap. It takes a shift in your organization to account for any outbound marketing. In fact, in my humble opinion, marketing is not a department but rather a part of all that you do in business.
No amount of advertising or external collateral will save a bad business. So if you think you can buy your success, save your money and spend it on developing your actual offer. I have lost count the number of prospects who tell me they don’t need marketing, they need more revenue. It’s like saying you want to run a marathon but aren’t prepared to buy shoes and train.
How Do You Measure Your Business Expectations?
Kneale Mann
image creditfantes
July 13, 2011
All Media Are Not Created Equal
What Worked? What Didn't? Where To Go Next?You have a product or service that needs exposure. For the purpose of this exercise, we will assume that it is fantastic and there's a need for it.
We will also make the leap that your creative messages are well focused and all the other parts are in place.
The Future Is Now
Let’s deal with where most business owners unfortunately reside. It’s where the pain is most intense – today. There is no time to look at long term plans; you need to make your next quarter. But if you do the same things hoping they will work this time, well you know the cliché.
Should you do a television campaign or a microsite? Perhaps it’s time for you to increase your social networking activities or buy radio? Has the money you spent on print become a dead end or perhaps an outdoor campaign will work?
It is dicey to change strategy without sound reasons yet dangerous to stay with a bad plan. Whether you run a large, medium or small organization, you have budget constraints. It’s effortless to look at Starbucks or Wal-Mart and have an opinion on how you would spend their marketing budget.
A quick checklist
• Find people who can give you honest feedback and perspective.
• Stop watching the competition (for now).
• Remember that Facebook and Twitter are tactics, not your strategy.
• Pay no attention to those who say they have all the answers.
• Keep in mind that the media sales person is compensated on commission.
• Firing people to save money is not a good enough reason.
• Ask your customers what resonated with them.
• Carefully analyze what media has worked for you and what has not.
• Get out of your office, turn off your phone and think.
• Examine all of our current business activities. All of them.
• Cutting your marketing budget to save money is not the answer.
• Educate yourself on all media options and metrics.
Perhaps some items to add to your list.
Kneale Mann
image credit: alternativenews
original post: July 2010
June 20, 2011
ROI: Are We Focused on the Wrong Letter?
Anytime After Now
You run a business, you have expenses, you have revenue and you want profits. You want to see measurable growth in your overall business this fiscal.
Your time is tighter than ever, you are distracted by all of the outbound marketing choices and there doesn’t seem to be one clear cut way to go.
You know you should examine your current business development and perhaps dump some stuff and incorporate some new stuff and that’s about as far as the conversation has gone. In this case, your business is anything from a part-time interest to a publically traded multi-national in the Fortune 500.
Of course the “you” in this story is a composite of any business owner and manager because these are issues faced every day in companies small, medium and large. We all struggle with striking a balance between working in the business while trying to work on the business and ultimately find our why business.
Busy Busy
You could freshen up the website, add another Twitter stream, begin blogging, put out a direct mail piece, create a Facebook group, buy some radio advertising, develop a mobile application, slap up some billboards, create a YouTube channel and take out full page ads in the daily newspaper.
All this activity will take time, resources and cash. There will be creative meetings with your agency or internal team. You will need to decide on the content and artwork. And then there is production and upkeep. You’re in business every single day so these activities certainly can’t be haphazard.
Proof Meet Pudding
If traction isn’t realized in quick order you may be concerned it didn’t work. There hasn’t been an increase in blog readers, the radio campaign hasn’t garnered enough sales leads and all that Facebook stuff seems a waste of time. You may claim you don't need more marketing, you need more sales. Egg meets chicken.
Have a close look at you investment and effort. Are you committed to it? Are you aware of the expected results of each tactic? Or are you hoping to throw money at an eternal solution then get back to work so all those new sales leads will pour in? Traditional, digital and mobile media are no longer places to buy but rather channels to engage. We have to look at the return of our social investment.
Before we measure our return, perhaps we have to be honest and clear about our actual investment?
Kneale Mann
image credit: abcnetau
You run a business, you have expenses, you have revenue and you want profits. You want to see measurable growth in your overall business this fiscal.
Your time is tighter than ever, you are distracted by all of the outbound marketing choices and there doesn’t seem to be one clear cut way to go. You know you should examine your current business development and perhaps dump some stuff and incorporate some new stuff and that’s about as far as the conversation has gone. In this case, your business is anything from a part-time interest to a publically traded multi-national in the Fortune 500.
Of course the “you” in this story is a composite of any business owner and manager because these are issues faced every day in companies small, medium and large. We all struggle with striking a balance between working in the business while trying to work on the business and ultimately find our why business.
Busy Busy
You could freshen up the website, add another Twitter stream, begin blogging, put out a direct mail piece, create a Facebook group, buy some radio advertising, develop a mobile application, slap up some billboards, create a YouTube channel and take out full page ads in the daily newspaper.
All this activity will take time, resources and cash. There will be creative meetings with your agency or internal team. You will need to decide on the content and artwork. And then there is production and upkeep. You’re in business every single day so these activities certainly can’t be haphazard.
Proof Meet Pudding
If traction isn’t realized in quick order you may be concerned it didn’t work. There hasn’t been an increase in blog readers, the radio campaign hasn’t garnered enough sales leads and all that Facebook stuff seems a waste of time. You may claim you don't need more marketing, you need more sales. Egg meets chicken.
Have a close look at you investment and effort. Are you committed to it? Are you aware of the expected results of each tactic? Or are you hoping to throw money at an eternal solution then get back to work so all those new sales leads will pour in? Traditional, digital and mobile media are no longer places to buy but rather channels to engage. We have to look at the return of our social investment.
Before we measure our return, perhaps we have to be honest and clear about our actual investment?
Kneale Mann
image credit: abcnetau
May 10, 2011
Business Strategy | We Can't Do That
Conform (verb / kənˈfôrm)
Comply with rules, standards, or laws. Behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. Be similar in form or type. Agree.
You don’t have to go too far before you hear some mutation of the phrase “we can't do that here”. At first, it almost seems believable but with some thought it's more of an auto-response. It becomes part of the fabric of the organization. No new ideas is often next in line.
One phrase I hear almost daily is; “we don’t need marketing, we need sales" and it reminds me of what a colleague once said to me. He often boasted that "employees are overhead, customers are profit". Yes, dinosaurs walk among us.
Underspend To Success
Sales training is not a simple process and it's not free. The process to master the art of sales usually takes a few years and a lot of expense. If short-cuts are made, a company can be decimated. There are few quicker steps to failure than an inexperienced sales team on the street with a product or service that isn't ready for customers who have never heard of it.
So before you feel compelled to say “we can’t do that”, one suggestion is to put the company on the hoist to expose waste before you make cuts on essential items such as people and letting customers know you exist. Companies often bemoan decreasing results but think they can cut themselves into the black. Or worse, do nothing.
What are your thoughts?
Kneale Mann
Comply with rules, standards, or laws. Behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. Be similar in form or type. Agree.
One phrase I hear almost daily is; “we don’t need marketing, we need sales" and it reminds me of what a colleague once said to me. He often boasted that "employees are overhead, customers are profit". Yes, dinosaurs walk among us.
Underspend To Success
Sales training is not a simple process and it's not free. The process to master the art of sales usually takes a few years and a lot of expense. If short-cuts are made, a company can be decimated. There are few quicker steps to failure than an inexperienced sales team on the street with a product or service that isn't ready for customers who have never heard of it.
So before you feel compelled to say “we can’t do that”, one suggestion is to put the company on the hoist to expose waste before you make cuts on essential items such as people and letting customers know you exist. Companies often bemoan decreasing results but think they can cut themselves into the black. Or worse, do nothing.
What are your thoughts?
Kneale Mann
May 8, 2011
The Lost Art of Customer Service
The Foundation of BusinessRecently, I was chatting with some friends about their recent road trip. All went well but they did share a couple of interesting stories. One was from a bad experience while trying to grab a quick bite to eat. It was one of those experiences where you feel you're more of an annoyance than a customer. “Someone deserved a four cent tip”, my friend exclaimed. The rest of the group nodded and began sharing bad service stories. Bad service ruins your experience and you wonder why you are the victim of their bad day.
Bad Service is Everywhere
We all want great service. But we are still surprised when we get it. If “four cent tip” guy got the service my friends received, he would be incensed. But he’s having a bad day, a rough shift, his boss is a tyrant, his feet hurt or a wide range of possible explanations that don’t and shouldn’t concern customers. Companies miss an opportunity when they ask us to follow them on Twitter only to find out there is nothing in it for us. Or they request we "like" them on Facebook only to find the same.
Now flip this around and look at your internal stakeholders. We all have a bad day, we all make mistakes but imagine for a moment that whiny waiter dude was your communications department and don’t wannabe there coffee shop woman was running your sales department while get it done faster cheaper guy was your boss.
Good Service: Tell a Friend.
Bad Service: Tell All Your Friends.
One bad customer experience can dismantle thousands, even millions of dollars in marketing investment. To my friends, the grumpy server is now attached to the name of the restaurant. They had a bad brand experience.
Envision spending the next three months simply working on improving service inside your organization. That’s the stuff that happens between each person in your building. Any one of your stakeholders may be the only person a customer may ever meet. And this is true in all industries.
The creation of strong internal and external customer service is far more valuable than a well crafted advertising campaign.
Kneale Mann
image credit: shoply
April 25, 2011
Collaborative Business Growth
Let's Have a Meeting
You don't need to spend much time in the social web before you see someone mention the importance of collaboration. It is the essence of networks and groups. It is why we form teams and clubs. It is the reason we live in cities and towns. It is the driving force behind commerce. It is why most iPhone owners prominently display the device rather than leave it in their pocket. It is our need to connect, be accepted and belong.
Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!
Boss Breaks Tie
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky.
Some people get special treatment, some rank higher on the organizational chart and others don't care. So if a team environment is the goal, optics certainly won't be enough to carry it off. No one is buying "our people are important" if they're not.
The View from Here
Each of us brings our own set of sensibilities for collaboration. In my case, I like being in a creative environment where people can back up their stuff. I don't want them to feel cornered if they are proven wrong or shown something they don't know. I want to be in a room where everyone in the room wants to be there. Life is a lesson so why on earth do we try and give the impression we know it all?
When I meet with a business owner who wants to improve the bottom line, it's often much more than a revenue issue. I like to examine how digital opportunities can enhance - not necessarily, replace - what they're doing. But it begins with internal customer service. How are they collaborate to give great customer service is essential.
Less Talk More Action
The average person is working 1,800 hours each year and that number is growing. One way to improve your work environment would be to have less meetings and pamphlets about teamwork and prove it through action.
What steps can you take within your organization right now that can improve collaboration and in turn increase revenue?
Kneale Mann
image credit: inetgiant
You don't need to spend much time in the social web before you see someone mention the importance of collaboration. It is the essence of networks and groups. It is why we form teams and clubs. It is the reason we live in cities and towns. It is the driving force behind commerce. It is why most iPhone owners prominently display the device rather than leave it in their pocket. It is our need to connect, be accepted and belong.
Imagine working where ideas are shared and appreciated, each and every person in the organization is valued and progress is measured not by empty promises and well crafted corporate speak but by the accomplishments of everyone involved. For real!
Boss Breaks Tie
When you have a roomful of opinions all fighting for a voice in a decision making process, the result is often a lot of indecision. Each of us is entitled to our thesis but this is where the water gets murky.
Some people get special treatment, some rank higher on the organizational chart and others don't care. So if a team environment is the goal, optics certainly won't be enough to carry it off. No one is buying "our people are important" if they're not.
The View from Here
Each of us brings our own set of sensibilities for collaboration. In my case, I like being in a creative environment where people can back up their stuff. I don't want them to feel cornered if they are proven wrong or shown something they don't know. I want to be in a room where everyone in the room wants to be there. Life is a lesson so why on earth do we try and give the impression we know it all?
When I meet with a business owner who wants to improve the bottom line, it's often much more than a revenue issue. I like to examine how digital opportunities can enhance - not necessarily, replace - what they're doing. But it begins with internal customer service. How are they collaborate to give great customer service is essential.
Less Talk More Action
The average person is working 1,800 hours each year and that number is growing. One way to improve your work environment would be to have less meetings and pamphlets about teamwork and prove it through action.
What steps can you take within your organization right now that can improve collaboration and in turn increase revenue?
Kneale Mann
image credit: inetgiant
February 3, 2011
Psychographics and the Social Web
.
You are an 18-34 year old white female with short or long brown or black hair who enjoys cooking and/or painting and/or gardening and/or attending plays. Tennis and golf consume 3-5 hours of your time each week and you have a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and/or Social Studies and/or English.
You enjoy 4-6 servings of alcohol weekly and spend $2,650 each year on entertainment. And according to this survey, you fit the average profile hence we are going to now send customized advertising messages to you which match your aggregated character traits.
Check Your Math
Radio talks about cumulative audience, average quarter hour and cost per point derived from less than 5% of the population while television has proprietary metrics to measure a show’s ratings compared to others in it its time slot across demographics derived from a selected sample of the population.
Print, outdoor, product placement, direct mail, e-marketing, infomercials and all other media have an equation they have devised to measure audience and impact.
Social Media have Changed the Game
Johanna Blakeley is Deputy Director of The Norman Lear Center in California and studies entertainment and how it interacts and impacts political, commercial and social habits. This is her presentation at TEDWomen last December. [video]
knealemann
video credit: TED | image credit: thinkgeek
This was also featured on socialmediatoday
You are an 18-34 year old white female with short or long brown or black hair who enjoys cooking and/or painting and/or gardening and/or attending plays. Tennis and golf consume 3-5 hours of your time each week and you have a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and/or Social Studies and/or English. You enjoy 4-6 servings of alcohol weekly and spend $2,650 each year on entertainment. And according to this survey, you fit the average profile hence we are going to now send customized advertising messages to you which match your aggregated character traits.
Check Your Math
Radio talks about cumulative audience, average quarter hour and cost per point derived from less than 5% of the population while television has proprietary metrics to measure a show’s ratings compared to others in it its time slot across demographics derived from a selected sample of the population.
Print, outdoor, product placement, direct mail, e-marketing, infomercials and all other media have an equation they have devised to measure audience and impact.
Social Media have Changed the Game
Johanna Blakeley is Deputy Director of The Norman Lear Center in California and studies entertainment and how it interacts and impacts political, commercial and social habits. This is her presentation at TEDWomen last December. [video]
knealemann
video credit: TED | image credit: thinkgeek
This was also featured on socialmediatoday
January 19, 2011
Marketing is Not a Department
Every industry, every job, every position within an organization has its fans and its critics. If you are climbing the corporate ladder right now you may be looking ahead toward those who are in positions above you on the org chart and making a list of what you will do differently when you get that gig. If you’re the boss, you may have found that deep dark place where you are completely honest with yourself and admit you don’t actually have all the answers to everything.
In the case of marketing, it appears far more people have an opinion than have any experience in the field. My plumber knows what he’s doing and charges me handsomely for his knowledge. My lawyer is a sharp dude who went to school and has letters behind his name so it must mean he knows his way around some law stuff. Yet with marketing, everyone is apparently an expert. That gets even more watered down when you replace the word 'marketing' with the words 'social media' but I digress.
Many moving parts
Clearly, advertising is part of an overall marketing plan yet it is not the sole piece of the puzzle. The look and feel of a company, how the phone and emails are answered, the design of business cards, presentation and business function execution and client correspondence are all part of the overall marketing of a company. In short, marketing is everything you do. I've had company owners tell me they weren't ready to do any marketing. If they're open for business, they have already started.
Many organizations take a campaign approach to some initiative or product launch or event and decide they need to “do some marketing”. And that, in many cases, means advertising. So they build a budget, put together the creative, decide what media they will use to spread the word and there, the marketing is done.
Return on Ignorance
What is then dangerous is when those who are not mathematicians seem to have a foolproof opinion on the return on investment. The success of an entire company should not hinge on a single event.
There is a myriad choices when it comes to external or outbound marketing options. There are the channels that have been deemed traditional such as print, radio, television and transit/outdoor. Additionally, there is the choice of direct mail, trade shows, presentations, conferences and face-to-face contact.
Choosing channels
The social web can be both daunting and enticing. On one side it looks too much like work when you can just place an ad on a flat surface but it can also give the impression that it’s a quick fix. It does require commitment and can garner results but not tomorrow.
We live in a customer centric world and we are all customers and providers. But that certainly doesn't mean everyone is equipped to steer marketing initiatives with guesswork and opinion. Or worst yet, adopting the strategy that what may have worked last year will work again this year.
I'd love to know your thoughts.
knealemann | email
image credit: flickr
January 12, 2011
Changing Education Paradigms
One of the most popular speakers to ever speak at TED is Sir Ken Robinson. He is clearly smart and very funny. He cares deeply about education. Here, he shares some of his thoughts on some of the most controversial learning topics today.
knealemann | email
video credit: TED | RSA Animate
knealemann | email
video credit: TED | RSA Animate
November 26, 2010
Do You Have a Jenny?
Service vs. Servitude
Jenny’s town has a population of about 2500. It’s half an hour from the city. She helps support her family with her job at the full service hardware store chain.
The company sends out direct mail pieces about four times each year and I saw something that caught my eye. I often caution clients on the effectiveness of direct mail.
I'm not against it per se but when a new client is already using direct mail or an existing client is thinking about it, I think it’s imperative that I outline realistic results.
The thin line between a great deal and junk mail
A successful direct mail campaign may bring you 5-10% return. It remains a hugely popular (and potentially expensive) medium but we have to remember realistic results.
As with many companies, this direct mail piece was part of an overall cross media campaign that included television, radio and online components. I had not seen or heard any of those before seeing their 20 page flyer featuring dozens of sale items.
Part of the gig
I skim through all direct mail that comes to my house because there are potential prospects and possible ideas for clients. But I rarely buy anything because direct mail is a passive medium. It attempts to create need where there isn’t any there, or as in my case, there is a serendipity between the recipient and an item featured in the piece.
I was interested to see if they had the item I was looking for on sale. And perhaps for the first time in recent memory, they did. I had an hour window in my schedule the next day so I dropped by the store between meetings. I found the item I wanted and with flyer in one hand and the item in the other I took it to the cash.
Then I met Jenny
She looked at me and as if we had known each other our entire lives said “Sorry dude, that sale starts tomorrow.” I had clearly not read the fine print so I turned around to return the item to the shelf. Jenny stopped me and said “Hang on, come back here.” Both quips may sound flippant but it was all in the way she carried herself and her friendly tone that made it alright.
As I walked up to the cash I then noticed the banner at the bottom that read - 'Sale this Friday only'. I handed it to Jenny. She said “hang on, that’s wrong, the sale is on this weekend and all next week.” She then asked to take my copy and replaced it with hers as she wanted to tell her manager about the error. She could have simply told me the sale wasn’t on yet and went on with her day. No, Jenny took ownership and pride in her store and her customer.
One more try
I returned the next day to a packed store. Customers were holding onto the flyer as they weaved through the crowd to find their deals. I walked up and found the item again and walked up to the cash. As luck would have it, I got Jenny again.
I thanked her for her help the day before and she said “Do you know how many people I meet on daily basis?” then she paused and said “Oh you’re the guy who brought in the wrong flyer! I told my manager and he called head office.”
You can't fake this stuff
During my two minutes at the cash, three employees asked Jenny for the location of an item and she helped an elderly woman put her purchase in her cart. This was just as much Jenny’s store as anyone else’s and she navigated it with poise and passion. She genuinely liked working there and she got herself another return customer.
Take a long hard look at your marketing budget and decipher what activities help grow your business. Then take another look around to see if Jenny has your back. Your people are your biggest marketing asset ...or deficit.
Will your company will pass the test?
knealemann | email
Join me for Movember.
image credits: corbis | getty
Jenny’s town has a population of about 2500. It’s half an hour from the city. She helps support her family with her job at the full service hardware store chain. The company sends out direct mail pieces about four times each year and I saw something that caught my eye. I often caution clients on the effectiveness of direct mail.
I'm not against it per se but when a new client is already using direct mail or an existing client is thinking about it, I think it’s imperative that I outline realistic results.
The thin line between a great deal and junk mail
A successful direct mail campaign may bring you 5-10% return. It remains a hugely popular (and potentially expensive) medium but we have to remember realistic results.
As with many companies, this direct mail piece was part of an overall cross media campaign that included television, radio and online components. I had not seen or heard any of those before seeing their 20 page flyer featuring dozens of sale items.
Part of the gig
I skim through all direct mail that comes to my house because there are potential prospects and possible ideas for clients. But I rarely buy anything because direct mail is a passive medium. It attempts to create need where there isn’t any there, or as in my case, there is a serendipity between the recipient and an item featured in the piece.
I was interested to see if they had the item I was looking for on sale. And perhaps for the first time in recent memory, they did. I had an hour window in my schedule the next day so I dropped by the store between meetings. I found the item I wanted and with flyer in one hand and the item in the other I took it to the cash.
Then I met JennyShe looked at me and as if we had known each other our entire lives said “Sorry dude, that sale starts tomorrow.” I had clearly not read the fine print so I turned around to return the item to the shelf. Jenny stopped me and said “Hang on, come back here.” Both quips may sound flippant but it was all in the way she carried herself and her friendly tone that made it alright.
As I walked up to the cash I then noticed the banner at the bottom that read - 'Sale this Friday only'. I handed it to Jenny. She said “hang on, that’s wrong, the sale is on this weekend and all next week.” She then asked to take my copy and replaced it with hers as she wanted to tell her manager about the error. She could have simply told me the sale wasn’t on yet and went on with her day. No, Jenny took ownership and pride in her store and her customer.
One more try
I returned the next day to a packed store. Customers were holding onto the flyer as they weaved through the crowd to find their deals. I walked up and found the item again and walked up to the cash. As luck would have it, I got Jenny again.
I thanked her for her help the day before and she said “Do you know how many people I meet on daily basis?” then she paused and said “Oh you’re the guy who brought in the wrong flyer! I told my manager and he called head office.”
You can't fake this stuff
During my two minutes at the cash, three employees asked Jenny for the location of an item and she helped an elderly woman put her purchase in her cart. This was just as much Jenny’s store as anyone else’s and she navigated it with poise and passion. She genuinely liked working there and she got herself another return customer.
Take a long hard look at your marketing budget and decipher what activities help grow your business. Then take another look around to see if Jenny has your back. Your people are your biggest marketing asset ...or deficit.
Will your company will pass the test?
knealemann | email
Join me for Movember.
image credits: corbis | getty
October 18, 2010
Striking the Business Balance
Our views can be intoxicating.
We all have the ability to publish our thoughts through electronic means or personal interaction.
As the adage goes, if you and I always agree then one of us may not be necessary in the conversation.
There is a difference between having an opinion and being opinionated.
Someone who is opinionated rarely wants to hear the other side of the story or listen to evidence that may challenge their opinion.
opin•ion
\ə-ˈpin-yən\ noun
• a view, judgment, or appraisal formed about a particular matter.
• belief stronger than impression.
• formal expression of judgment.
• advice by an expert.
opin•ion•at•ed
\-yə-ˌnā-təd\ adjective
• unduly adhering to one's own opinion or to preconceived notions.
Take that and apply it to your business.
You know what you’re doing, it’s your business! You have worked hard to accomplish a lot. You drink, eat and breathe it so you are entitled to have an opinion on its results. But how close can you be before you become opinionated about your offering?
Opinions are crucial to move thoughts from ideas to action. You digest information and move. It's dangerous when we have a preconceived notion and simply search for evidence to support it and miss the better solution.
The drug companies do it with case studies when they throw out the participants that may skew the results. You witness it in the boardroom when the boss is clearly asking a bunch of 'yes' people simply to hear his great ideas parroted back to him.
For small to medium sized business owners, it can be a challenge when you are the only one in the boardroom. That is perhaps why it is often wise to ask for a second opinion.
knealemann
image credit: byu
original post: march 2010
As the adage goes, if you and I always agree then one of us may not be necessary in the conversation.
There is a difference between having an opinion and being opinionated.
Someone who is opinionated rarely wants to hear the other side of the story or listen to evidence that may challenge their opinion.
opin•ion
\ə-ˈpin-yən\ noun
• a view, judgment, or appraisal formed about a particular matter.
• belief stronger than impression.
• formal expression of judgment.
• advice by an expert.
opin•ion•at•ed
\-yə-ˌnā-təd\ adjective
• unduly adhering to one's own opinion or to preconceived notions.
Take that and apply it to your business.
You know what you’re doing, it’s your business! You have worked hard to accomplish a lot. You drink, eat and breathe it so you are entitled to have an opinion on its results. But how close can you be before you become opinionated about your offering?
Opinions are crucial to move thoughts from ideas to action. You digest information and move. It's dangerous when we have a preconceived notion and simply search for evidence to support it and miss the better solution.
The drug companies do it with case studies when they throw out the participants that may skew the results. You witness it in the boardroom when the boss is clearly asking a bunch of 'yes' people simply to hear his great ideas parroted back to him.
For small to medium sized business owners, it can be a challenge when you are the only one in the boardroom. That is perhaps why it is often wise to ask for a second opinion.
knealemann
original post: march 2010
