It’s been often said that hope is not a strategy but I wonder if we should automatically throw it out. Hope pushes us forward; it keeps our minds active toward potential results and solutions. As we get to the end of our lives, regret can be one of the worst emotions we can feel, so as long as there is hope, we can carry on.
This is not to suggest we can survive simply on hope because without effort and action, it will be an empty exercise. However, if we remain hopeful, we will keep trying to find solutions, relationships, business concepts, and career choices.
In Other Words
Synonyms for hope include; confidence, courage, anticipation, faith, and optimism.
If we replace any of those words when we feel we are looking at what we want, perhaps it can change our perspective. And if evidence becomes overwhelming that hope for a certain outcome isn’t going to go our way, we should find strength to keep hope in our minds and hearts for the next time around.
Time gives us experience and hope gives us life to our dreams, plans, ideas, and relationships. Life can be hard, business can be challenging, and leadership can be a struggle. If we keep our hope at the forefront, we can take our experiences and passions forward when circumstances don’t go our way.
Let's stay hopeful.
__________________________________________________________________
Showing posts with label stakeholders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stakeholders. Show all posts
August 1, 2020
December 13, 2018
Lead Don't Boss
Allow others to inspire. Find the how. Get out of their way. Be present even during challenging times. Have clear expectations. Don't expect to ever have all the answers.
Helping others is a privilege. Back your people up. Be bold. Never stop learning. Open door policies are for those who mean it. Don’t hide behind busy. It’s their career too.
Be inquisitive. Invest at least half of your time helping people. Hire passion. A team is more than celebrating victories. Don’t be a boss. Listen.
Don’t hide when your people need you. Grow their strengths. Let them shine. Be fair. Get to know what motivates everyone on your team. Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow.
Customer service begins with you. Never settle. Understand that it will be the most rewarding work you’ll ever have the privilege to do.
And it won't be listed on your business card.
__________________________________________________________________
Helping others is a privilege. Back your people up. Be bold. Never stop learning. Open door policies are for those who mean it. Don’t hide behind busy. It’s their career too.
Be inquisitive. Invest at least half of your time helping people. Hire passion. A team is more than celebrating victories. Don’t be a boss. Listen.
Don’t hide when your people need you. Grow their strengths. Let them shine. Be fair. Get to know what motivates everyone on your team. Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow.
Customer service begins with you. Never settle. Understand that it will be the most rewarding work you’ll ever have the privilege to do.
And it won't be listed on your business card.
__________________________________________________________________
October 26, 2018
Faith and Courage
It’s been often said that hope is not a strategy but I wonder if we should automatically throw it out. Hope pushes us forward; it keeps our minds active toward potential results and solutions. As we get to the end of our lives, regret can be one of the worst emotions we can feel, so as long as there is hope, we can carry on.
This is not to suggest we can survive simply on hope because without effort and action, it will be an empty exercise. However, if we remain hopeful, we will keep trying to find solutions, relationships, business concepts, and career choices.
In Other Words
Synonyms for hope include; confidence, courage, anticipation, faith, and optimism.
If we replace any of those words when we feel we are looking at what we want, perhaps it can change our perspective. And if evidence becomes overwhelming that hope for a certain outcome isn’t going to go our way, we should find strength to keep hope in our minds and hearts for the next time around.
Time gives us experience and hope gives us life to our dreams, plans, ideas, and relationships. Life can be hard, business can be challenging, and leadership can be a struggle. If we keep our hope at the forefront, we can take our experiences and passions forward when circumstances don’t go our way.
Let's stay hopeful and remain curious.
__________________________________________________________________
This is not to suggest we can survive simply on hope because without effort and action, it will be an empty exercise. However, if we remain hopeful, we will keep trying to find solutions, relationships, business concepts, and career choices.
In Other Words
Synonyms for hope include; confidence, courage, anticipation, faith, and optimism.
If we replace any of those words when we feel we are looking at what we want, perhaps it can change our perspective. And if evidence becomes overwhelming that hope for a certain outcome isn’t going to go our way, we should find strength to keep hope in our minds and hearts for the next time around.
Time gives us experience and hope gives us life to our dreams, plans, ideas, and relationships. Life can be hard, business can be challenging, and leadership can be a struggle. If we keep our hope at the forefront, we can take our experiences and passions forward when circumstances don’t go our way.
Let's stay hopeful and remain curious.
__________________________________________________________________
July 12, 2016
A Couple of Dozen Thoughts for Leaders
Allow others to inspire. Find the how. Get out of their way. Be present even during challenging times. Have clear expectations. Don't expect to ever have all the answers.
Helping others is a privilege. Back your people up. Be bold. Never stop learning. Open door policies are for those who mean it. Don’t hide behind busy. It’s their career too.
Be inquisitive. Invest at least half of your time helping people. Hire passion. A team is more than celebrating victories. Don’t be a boss. Listen.
Don’t hide when your people need you. Grow their strengths. Let them shine. Be fair. Get to know what motivates your people. Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow.
Customer service begins with you. Never settle. Understand that it will be the most rewarding work you’ll ever have the privilege to do.
And it won't be listed on your business card.
__________________________________________________________________
Helping others is a privilege. Back your people up. Be bold. Never stop learning. Open door policies are for those who mean it. Don’t hide behind busy. It’s their career too.
Be inquisitive. Invest at least half of your time helping people. Hire passion. A team is more than celebrating victories. Don’t be a boss. Listen.
Don’t hide when your people need you. Grow their strengths. Let them shine. Be fair. Get to know what motivates your people. Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow.
Customer service begins with you. Never settle. Understand that it will be the most rewarding work you’ll ever have the privilege to do.
And it won't be listed on your business card.
__________________________________________________________________
July 2, 2016
Breathe and Think
The challenge for any business leader is to try and remain a few steps ahead of the day-to-day which is near impossible because of distractions and deadlines. But who has time to plan and look forward when you’re trying to keep a company rolling in the right direction and trying not to hit a pothole?
Some say you’re not embracing all the right tools to maximize revenue. Others claim you are missing opportunities right under your nose. You need to manage all the moving parts, ensure stakeholders are working toward their strengths, keep employees happy and the black ink flowing.
What they say
If you travel in some circles, they will say you need to be everywhere. Others claim promise of instant results. If you are one of the few who can eliminate judgment from others, clear your mind enough to focus on exactly what you are good at and more importantly decide what you want to do, you are way ahead of the curve.
The challenge is often not making things more complicated but rather embracing complexity, finding what's important, and making things simple.
Taking a breath to think can often be your best strategy.
__________________________________________________________________
Some say you’re not embracing all the right tools to maximize revenue. Others claim you are missing opportunities right under your nose. You need to manage all the moving parts, ensure stakeholders are working toward their strengths, keep employees happy and the black ink flowing.
What they say
If you travel in some circles, they will say you need to be everywhere. Others claim promise of instant results. If you are one of the few who can eliminate judgment from others, clear your mind enough to focus on exactly what you are good at and more importantly decide what you want to do, you are way ahead of the curve.
The challenge is often not making things more complicated but rather embracing complexity, finding what's important, and making things simple.
Taking a breath to think can often be your best strategy.
__________________________________________________________________
January 18, 2016
Relationship Changes
If your internal customer service (employees to employees) is not strong, the expectation your external customer service (customers, suppliers, partners) will be strong is flawed logic. If we don't treat each other with respect, how can we possibly expect it to magically shift when we are talking to a customer?
It was a quick call with a friend that said everything. She was upset because her co-workers were just barking orders at her. It’s not that she can’t take the heat or the busy work environment, it was the attitude. Please and thank-you goes a long way.
Attitude Shift
Something to think about when you wonder why the mood is off in the building or people seem grumpy. Begin the shift by looking them in the eye and saying; good morning. And when they do something right; say thank you. And mean it!
The little things are the big things when it comes to leadership. If you want to create a collaborative atmosphere at work, start today. A few small changes can make the necessary shift to make all the difference.
And since you dropped by here, thank you!
__________________________________________________________________
It was a quick call with a friend that said everything. She was upset because her co-workers were just barking orders at her. It’s not that she can’t take the heat or the busy work environment, it was the attitude. Please and thank-you goes a long way.
Attitude Shift
Something to think about when you wonder why the mood is off in the building or people seem grumpy. Begin the shift by looking them in the eye and saying; good morning. And when they do something right; say thank you. And mean it!
The little things are the big things when it comes to leadership. If you want to create a collaborative atmosphere at work, start today. A few small changes can make the necessary shift to make all the difference.
And since you dropped by here, thank you!
__________________________________________________________________
June 2, 2015
Please and Thank You
If your internal customer service (employees to employees) is not strong, the expectation your external customer service (customers, suppliers, partners) will be strong is flawed logic. If we don't treat each other with respect, how can we possibly expect it to magically shift when we are talking to a customer?
It was a quick call with a friend that said everything. She was upset because her co-workers were just barking orders at her. It’s not that she can’t take the heat or the busy work environment, it was the attitude. Please and thank-you goes a long way.
Hello
One of my long standing clients always begins an email with my name. Hello, Hey, Hi and I always reply back in the same manner. We could exchange 12 emails in a day and every one begins with a salutation and a nice ending.
It takes seconds to completely change the culture of your relationships.
Attitude Shift
Something to think about when you wonder why the mood is off in the building or people seem grumpy. Begin the shift by looking them in the eye and saying; good morning. And when they do something right; say thank you. And mean it!
The little things are the big things when it comes to leadership. If you want to create a collaborative atmosphere at work, start today. A few small changes will make the necessary shift to make all the difference.
Thank you!
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
It was a quick call with a friend that said everything. She was upset because her co-workers were just barking orders at her. It’s not that she can’t take the heat or the busy work environment, it was the attitude. Please and thank-you goes a long way.
Hello
One of my long standing clients always begins an email with my name. Hello, Hey, Hi and I always reply back in the same manner. We could exchange 12 emails in a day and every one begins with a salutation and a nice ending.
It takes seconds to completely change the culture of your relationships.
Attitude Shift
Something to think about when you wonder why the mood is off in the building or people seem grumpy. Begin the shift by looking them in the eye and saying; good morning. And when they do something right; say thank you. And mean it!
The little things are the big things when it comes to leadership. If you want to create a collaborative atmosphere at work, start today. A few small changes will make the necessary shift to make all the difference.
Thank you!
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
May 28, 2015
Anticipation and Strategy
It’s been often said that hope is not a strategy but I wonder if we should automatically throw it out. Hope pushes us forward; it keeps our minds active toward potential results and solutions. As we get to the end of our lives, regret can be one of the worst emotions we can feel, so as long as there is hope, we can carry on.
This is not to suggest we can survive simply on hope because without effort and action, it will be an empty exercise. However, if we remain hopeful, we will keep trying to find solutions, relationships, business concepts, and career choices.
In Other Words
Synonyms for hope include; confidence, courage, anticipation, faith, and optimism.
If we replace any of those words when we feel we are looking at what we want, perhaps it can change our perspective. And if evidence becomes overwhelming that hope for a certain outcome isn’t going to go our way, we should find strength to keep hope in our minds and hearts for the next time around.
Time gives us experience and hope gives us life to our dreams, plans, ideas, and relationships. Life can be hard, business can be challenging, and leadership can be a struggle. If we keep our hope at the forefront, we can take our experiences and passions forward when circumstances don’t go our way.
Let's stay hopeful and remain curious.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
This is not to suggest we can survive simply on hope because without effort and action, it will be an empty exercise. However, if we remain hopeful, we will keep trying to find solutions, relationships, business concepts, and career choices.
In Other Words
Synonyms for hope include; confidence, courage, anticipation, faith, and optimism.
If we replace any of those words when we feel we are looking at what we want, perhaps it can change our perspective. And if evidence becomes overwhelming that hope for a certain outcome isn’t going to go our way, we should find strength to keep hope in our minds and hearts for the next time around.
Time gives us experience and hope gives us life to our dreams, plans, ideas, and relationships. Life can be hard, business can be challenging, and leadership can be a struggle. If we keep our hope at the forefront, we can take our experiences and passions forward when circumstances don’t go our way.
Let's stay hopeful and remain curious.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
March 15, 2013
Collusion or Commiseration?
While waiting for a client this week in a coffee shop, I couldn't help but hear the couple right beside me talking about work. They didn't seem upset per se but the conversation got a bit loud and heated. It appeared the topic of the conversation was about the people in their company. Apparently someone in the office is upset because she works too many hours while the other guy isn't in the office enough and the boss hasn't looked at the new forms. My client arrived and we moved on to our own conversation.
The Three Circles
You may be familiar with the theory of three sides to every story - your version, my version, and the truth. So what was really going on in their chat and how often does this happen? Well I’ll propose the true story could be better told if they knew the whole picture and this happens far too often.
In a recent Forbes article entitled Why Are so Many Employees Disengaged, Victor Lipman outlines that the United States Bureau of National Affairs estimates US businesses lose about $11 billion each year due to employee turnover. There are various data that estimate the loss in productivity in North American businesses due to disengaged employees is approaching a trillion dollars annually.
Refills and Retorts
Widen that scope to a global snapshot and the numbers get worse. It's not always obvious, it often comes in small increments difficult to measure. A sick day here, a stab in the back there, an off-site chat here, and suddenly it adds up to a malaise or unhappiness which affects careers, culture, and bottom lines.
This isn't to suggest the two people at the coffee shop are ready to walk but imagine how much productivity is lost by their chat then multiple it by the millions of similar chats all over the world every day. We all need to blow off steam and not everyone will collaborate the way we want them to, but if you’re in a leadership role it’s imperative to understand revenue is driven by much more than sales calls.
If you are the leader, get used to the team talking about you behind your back and not agreeing with every decision but if you treat them fairly and openly, I like your chances.
Open that door a little wider and pass the sugar.
Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture Strategist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Coach helping leaders create dynamic culture and improved results.
uaproperty
December 23, 2012
Twenty-Three Leadership Ideas
It's been said repeatedly that leadership is not a job title and doesn’t materialize on a company’s org chart. It comes from communication and compassion about helping people grow. It thrives through action.
You don't acquire leadership with a pay raise or VP stripes. It requires daily focus and comes from inside you. Leadership is necessary from all stakeholders. You probably do most of these but here are some suggestions as you navigate your day.
Allow others to inspire. Find the how. Be present even during challenging times Have clear expectations. Don’t expect to ever have all the answers. Helping others is a privilege. Back your people up.Be bold. Never stop learning. Open door policies are for those who mean it. Don’t hide behind busy.
It’s their career too. Invest a minimum of 50% of your time helping people.
Be inquisitive. A team is more than celebrating victories. Lead don't boss.
Listen. Don’t hide when your people need you. Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow. Customer service begins with you. Help grow their strengths. Be fair. Get to know what motivates your people.
Leadership may be the most rewarding work we will ever do. But we won't find it on our business card.
Kneale Mann
2012 Top 10 - March 2012 | freefoto
March 12, 2012
23 Leadership Ideas
It's been said repeatedly that leadership is not a job title and doesn’t materialize on a company’s organizational chart. It comes from communication and compassion about helping people grow. It thrives through action.You don't acquire leadership with a pay raise or VP stripes. It requires daily focus and comes from inside you. Leadership is necessary from all stakeholders. You probably do most of these but here are some suggestions as you navigate your day.
• Allow others to inspire
• Find the how
• Be present even during challenging times
• Have clear expectations
• Don't expect to ever have all the answers
• Helping others is a privilege
• Back your people up
• Be bold
• Never stop learning
• Open door policies are for those who mean it
• Don’t hide behind busy
• It’s their career too
• Invest a minimum of 50% of your time helping people
• Be inquisitive
• A team is more than celebrating victories
• Don’t be a boss
• Listen
• Don’t hide when your people need you
• Seek guidance from those who are committed to helping you grow
• Customer service begins with you
• Grow their strengths
• Be fair
• Get to know what motivates your people
Leadership may be the most rewarding work we will ever do. But we won't find it on our business card.
Kneale Mann
image: waap
January 15, 2011
Looking Inside
The opinion of them.
The chatter in the digital channels is deafening. Opinions, blogs, news articles, podcasts, expert analysis, tweets, the list goes on and on. If you spend any time skimming through websites for information, you can’t even get near scratching the surface. So I am amazed you took the time to visit here, thank-you.
The challenge for any business manager is to try and remain a few steps ahead of the day-to-day which is near impossible because of distractions and deadlines.
Who has time to plan and look forward when you’re trying to keep a company rolling in the right direction and trying not to hit a pothole?
Victim of busy.
Some say you’re not embracing all the right tools to maximize revenue. Others claim you are missing opportunities right under your nose.
You need to manage all the moving parts, ensure stakeholders are working toward their strengths and keep the black ink flowing.
It can be confusing and divert momentum.
If you travel in some circles, they will tell you that you need to be everywhere. Others have bottles of snake oil with the promise of instant results.
If you are one of the few who can eliminate judgment from others, clear your mind enough to focus on exactly what you are good at and more importantly decide what you want to do, you are way ahead of the curve.
How do you focus and eliminate disruptions?
knealemann | email
image credit: flickr
The challenge for any business manager is to try and remain a few steps ahead of the day-to-day which is near impossible because of distractions and deadlines.
Who has time to plan and look forward when you’re trying to keep a company rolling in the right direction and trying not to hit a pothole?
Victim of busy.
Some say you’re not embracing all the right tools to maximize revenue. Others claim you are missing opportunities right under your nose.
You need to manage all the moving parts, ensure stakeholders are working toward their strengths and keep the black ink flowing.
It can be confusing and divert momentum.
If you travel in some circles, they will tell you that you need to be everywhere. Others have bottles of snake oil with the promise of instant results.
If you are one of the few who can eliminate judgment from others, clear your mind enough to focus on exactly what you are good at and more importantly decide what you want to do, you are way ahead of the curve.
How do you focus and eliminate disruptions?
knealemann | email
image credit: flickr
October 14, 2010
Patience
It is a virtue, rarely a business plan.
Have patience for that guy in accounting who doesn’t get Twitter. Have patience with the prospect that needs more explanation. Have patience with yourself if you need extra time to figure it out.
Have patience with those who act like they have all the answers. Have patience with the rest of the team catching up to your cool new idea. Have patience before you send that email.
Have patience with the members of the team who aren’t pulling their weight once you remind them tactfully. Have patience as you navigate new avenues of communication. Have patience with your business partners who want to play it safe.
Have patience when you want to get there faster. Have patience with others who don’t get the concept. Have patience and read the instructions.
Have patience with the guy who keeps posting stuff on your Facebook wall. Have patience with the dinosaur in sales who thinks all this online stuff is a waste of time. Have patience with someone like me who finds patience the toughest part of the gig.
Have patience?
knealemann
image credit: maximenz
Have patience for that guy in accounting who doesn’t get Twitter. Have patience with the prospect that needs more explanation. Have patience with yourself if you need extra time to figure it out. Have patience with those who act like they have all the answers. Have patience with the rest of the team catching up to your cool new idea. Have patience before you send that email.
Have patience with the members of the team who aren’t pulling their weight once you remind them tactfully. Have patience as you navigate new avenues of communication. Have patience with your business partners who want to play it safe.
Have patience when you want to get there faster. Have patience with others who don’t get the concept. Have patience and read the instructions.
Have patience with the guy who keeps posting stuff on your Facebook wall. Have patience with the dinosaur in sales who thinks all this online stuff is a waste of time. Have patience with someone like me who finds patience the toughest part of the gig.
Have patience?
knealemann
September 10, 2010
Do You Have a People Plan?
We are social media.
Unless you work in a fully automated business where you are the only human involved, you work with people.
And it takes many people to make the machines to create a fully automated workspace so you're always working with people in one way or another.
We live in a time where stuff appears and we integrate it into our lives without much thought.
It takes a village to raise a child.
It takes a community to build a business.
The notion that we are going to survive in a world where the boss barks the orders and the minions carry out her wishes in neatly formed cubicles is both archaic and broken. People are working in their homes, bars, coffee shops, airports, via cell phone and through telecommunications. People have surpassed the drone mentality.
This is not our grand parents business environment.
The world is becoming more digitally social. The largest aggregated social networking site on the planet is QQ from mainland China which has over one billion subscribers. Facebook has over half a billion, Twitter is approaching 200 million, three quarters of North Americans have Internet access and there are more than 4.6 billion cell phones currently in use around the world.
Mobile penetration is increasing every day and our ability to connect to each other is getting simpler and easier by the week.
Technology is not just making fun gadgets and toys but solving real human crises as well. Yet companies are still focused solely on revenue.
There is nothing human about the bottom line.
Money is important, it keeps businesses in business but without employees, stakeholders, associates and ultimately customers the company doesn’t exist.
We are a connected world. We are finding similar thinking people across thought silos not just proximity circles.
How does that relate to your business?
These are people and they are wired up, hooked up, creating their own customized user experiences and yet many companies are still grappling with this whole social media thing.
Concentrate on their behavior and your actions. This has absolutely nothing to do with a particular web portal, this is about us wanting to be creative human beings.
When developing a business plan, do you think it is equally imperative to keep your eye on a people plan?
knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.
image credit: jerdi
Unless you work in a fully automated business where you are the only human involved, you work with people. And it takes many people to make the machines to create a fully automated workspace so you're always working with people in one way or another.
We live in a time where stuff appears and we integrate it into our lives without much thought.
It takes a village to raise a child.
It takes a community to build a business.
The notion that we are going to survive in a world where the boss barks the orders and the minions carry out her wishes in neatly formed cubicles is both archaic and broken. People are working in their homes, bars, coffee shops, airports, via cell phone and through telecommunications. People have surpassed the drone mentality.
This is not our grand parents business environment.
The world is becoming more digitally social. The largest aggregated social networking site on the planet is QQ from mainland China which has over one billion subscribers. Facebook has over half a billion, Twitter is approaching 200 million, three quarters of North Americans have Internet access and there are more than 4.6 billion cell phones currently in use around the world.
Mobile penetration is increasing every day and our ability to connect to each other is getting simpler and easier by the week.
Technology is not just making fun gadgets and toys but solving real human crises as well. Yet companies are still focused solely on revenue.
There is nothing human about the bottom line.
Money is important, it keeps businesses in business but without employees, stakeholders, associates and ultimately customers the company doesn’t exist.
We are a connected world. We are finding similar thinking people across thought silos not just proximity circles.
How does that relate to your business?
These are people and they are wired up, hooked up, creating their own customized user experiences and yet many companies are still grappling with this whole social media thing.
Concentrate on their behavior and your actions. This has absolutely nothing to do with a particular web portal, this is about us wanting to be creative human beings.
When developing a business plan, do you think it is equally imperative to keep your eye on a people plan?
knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.
image credit: jerdi
April 27, 2010
The Language of Business
In This Day and Age
Every industry and generation makes its mark on the language of the day.
Each claims that uniqueness was founded upon the dawn of its existence.
If you are in sales, you may have a better way to close business like no other in history.
Buzz and Fix
Some in marketing think embracing social media is the golden bullet and the 'old ways' are no longer effective. They may also fail remind you that your sustained contribution is essential as it is not about a particular website.
If you run a business you are always looking for new customers or clients. As a business owner, it’s a part of my life every day. This process used to be called prospecting but today it is often referred to by many as lead generation.
Bootstrap or VC?
You may have an idea but need time to let it roll around in your head. This process was once called brainstorming but now referred to as incubating.
For decades, people who worked in the same company or on the same project were known as co-workers or team members but that has been replaced by the catch-all term – stakeholders.
Choose Your Medium
If you produce material that will be used to help with your marketing campaign, that is no longer simply a bunch of pamphlets or flyers, billboards or television commercials, micro sites or mobile applications – that can now fall under the handy phrase – marketing collateral.
Business owners or managers often get defensive if their business plan is questioned. The issue can be that it is not shared with those expected to execute it. A more fluid word that suggests dialogue and flexibility is one of my favorites – strategy.
Keep In Mind
So your co-workers (stakeholders) may be working on material (marketing collateral) for your new business (start-up) but need to time to brainstorm (incubate) on how to find new customers (lead generation).
The important element to remember is that your activity (tactics) must be in line with your plan (strategy) in order to realize profits (bottom line).
What is the language of your business?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
photo credit: 101cm
Every industry and generation makes its mark on the language of the day. Each claims that uniqueness was founded upon the dawn of its existence.
If you are in sales, you may have a better way to close business like no other in history.
Buzz and Fix
Some in marketing think embracing social media is the golden bullet and the 'old ways' are no longer effective. They may also fail remind you that your sustained contribution is essential as it is not about a particular website.
If you run a business you are always looking for new customers or clients. As a business owner, it’s a part of my life every day. This process used to be called prospecting but today it is often referred to by many as lead generation.
Bootstrap or VC?
You may have an idea but need time to let it roll around in your head. This process was once called brainstorming but now referred to as incubating.
For decades, people who worked in the same company or on the same project were known as co-workers or team members but that has been replaced by the catch-all term – stakeholders.
Choose Your Medium
If you produce material that will be used to help with your marketing campaign, that is no longer simply a bunch of pamphlets or flyers, billboards or television commercials, micro sites or mobile applications – that can now fall under the handy phrase – marketing collateral.
Business owners or managers often get defensive if their business plan is questioned. The issue can be that it is not shared with those expected to execute it. A more fluid word that suggests dialogue and flexibility is one of my favorites – strategy.
Keep In Mind
So your co-workers (stakeholders) may be working on material (marketing collateral) for your new business (start-up) but need to time to brainstorm (incubate) on how to find new customers (lead generation).
The important element to remember is that your activity (tactics) must be in line with your plan (strategy) in order to realize profits (bottom line).
What is the language of your business?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
photo credit: 101cm
March 29, 2010
Pack Your Social Media Toolkit
Hittin' The Road
You’re about to head out on a trip. An oil change and a quick check of the tires is a good idea.
You should give the car a once over and top up the fluids. You need clothes, toiletries and provisions.
Then you need to put coordinates in the GPS or check a map. Then hop in the car, gas up and go.
What do you need on your digital trip?
Are you traveling online on behalf of your company or simply searching for a new car? Do you want to contribute to a conversation through a social networking site or read up on the latest recipes? Perhaps you like to just hop on board and let the ideas flow freely.
Always on the record.
It's wise to have a social media employee toolkit for the trip to navigate the online journey and keep everyone prepared for what's down the road.
The level of social media knowledge is not the same across your organization. Many may not think they need to follow any rules of engagement or guidelines. Those assumptions can hurt your company.
Social media policies and guidelines should be linked directly to the company’s code of ethics. This will cause less confusion when Jim in HR decides to post those Vegas pictures on his Flickr account while company details are prominently displayed.
Doohickeys and thingamajigs.
The online world is no longer an add-on or tactic to use for advertising. It is an integral part of your company’s objectives. Your presence online is as important as your physical location. And without a map, accidents will happen.
Does your organization have a social media employee toolkit?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
image credit: handycons
You’re about to head out on a trip. An oil change and a quick check of the tires is a good idea. You should give the car a once over and top up the fluids. You need clothes, toiletries and provisions.
Then you need to put coordinates in the GPS or check a map. Then hop in the car, gas up and go.
What do you need on your digital trip?
Are you traveling online on behalf of your company or simply searching for a new car? Do you want to contribute to a conversation through a social networking site or read up on the latest recipes? Perhaps you like to just hop on board and let the ideas flow freely.
Always on the record.
It's wise to have a social media employee toolkit for the trip to navigate the online journey and keep everyone prepared for what's down the road.
The level of social media knowledge is not the same across your organization. Many may not think they need to follow any rules of engagement or guidelines. Those assumptions can hurt your company.
Social media policies and guidelines should be linked directly to the company’s code of ethics. This will cause less confusion when Jim in HR decides to post those Vegas pictures on his Flickr account while company details are prominently displayed.
Doohickeys and thingamajigs.
The online world is no longer an add-on or tactic to use for advertising. It is an integral part of your company’s objectives. Your presence online is as important as your physical location. And without a map, accidents will happen.
Does your organization have a social media employee toolkit?
@knealemann
strategy. marketing. social media.
image credit: handycons
February 19, 2010
Do You Know Your Company?
Survey Says...If you are a manager or owner of a company, here is a quick way to get a snapshot of the landscape inside your organization.
This is a short survey that should be done anonymously and done by everyone in your company.
Here are three simple questions:
• What does this company do?
• Who is our target customer?
• What do you need from us?
The answers will surprise you.
@knealemann
photo credit: bre
Additions to the list:
Susan: I would add to that list "What problems do we solve?"
Iris: This is good, I'll add one more question: Why are you here?
Elliot: And add, "What do you do?"
October 24, 2009
Freedom of Choice | What Is Yours?
The waiter asks you what we want from the menu. You call the service line and if you’re lucky enough to get a human within half an hour they will ask you how they can help.
You stand slack jawed in the cereal aisle trying to decide whether it will be flakes or loops.
Consumerism is built on the appearance of choice.
What happens when we have too much?
Imagine for a moment that I put pictures of 83 different cars in front of you. Each car is available in 17 different trim packages and 163 colors. How quickly would you choose the car you wanted? At one time I did have a car that was black currant with grey leather interior. But I digress.
If your real estate agent showed you 481 different houses, how closer would you be to calling the moving van? Crown moulding is not that compelling but the Catskill green granite counter top in the bathroom is fantastic.
What About Your Career?
On the surface, a free society fights to have career path choice. It’s obvious, right?
You want to choose what do for a living – don’t you? You don’t want to feel stuck, you want a wide open menu filled with hundreds of delicious items.
Depending on the study however, most say that close to 80% are unhappy with their career path - why is that?
We can site family obligations, financial concerns, educational limitations but are those just excuses? Most of us have them; they are nice comfy memes to keep us from stepping too far out on the ledge.
Why don’t we make more choices? It’s common to feel stuck, have self-doubt or limited with your ability to move. Imagine how that looks across an organization with hundreds of people feeling the same way. It may not appear to be related to your personal or business strategic objectives but it has everything to do with them.
In the free world during tight economic times you can try the - ’cause I said so - approach for a little while but it is a highly damaging long term plan.
Your most talented stakeholders will simply leave.
Some say that there are three reasons we do anything: to make money, to make a name for ourselves or to make a difference.
What is differentiates high achievers from the rest?
It begins with their ability to answer one simply question:
What Do I Want?
@knealemann
Helping you create your best business,
marketing and social media strategy.
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
Rush - Freewill
image credits: gallup.com | corbisimages.com
