Wednesday 31 October 2012

Conversion: Drive Attendance To Your Seminar


Wednesday 8 October, 2008
There is a major difference between visibility and conversion. The key to success for any event is the understanding of the factors driving conversion.
You've told everyone that you are having a seminar, tele-seminar, webinar, etc. As a strategy to gain visibility, you invested in Google ads and Facebook ads. You've promoted it to your database and posted the event on your website. You've blogged about it. Yet, you look at your registrant list and it is not at the level you had hoped. Hey, you know your stuff! You're an expert on this subject. Why aren't people signing up?
Whether you are hosting a paid event or a free one, driving attendance is challenging. All of the advertising in the world does not put people in your event. It just informs people that you are having an event.

How do you drive attendance for your event? How do you get people to move from an inert state to an active one? The key to registrant conversion is the event description.
There is a five-step formula that takes "tire-kickers" and makes them participants:
  1. Issue

    The traditional way that event descriptions are written is to tell the reader what the event is all about. The parallel to sales is to tell a prospect of a solution when you have not yet identified a problem.

    Look at the way this article has been presented to you. I didn't start with telling you my methodology. I presented a challenge that faces anyone who hosts events. The description should start with a problem that the target audience for the event is experiencing. Thus, the first one, at most two, paragraphs explain the issue, or problem to the reader.
  2. Impact

    We all have problems and issues in our lives. Yet, we aren't trying to solve all of them this minute. Once the reader has been presented with the issue, they need to also understand the impact this is having on them.

    Without this element, the reader will simply look at this as just another problem they have and metaphorically throw it in the bucket with the other ones. The impact creates a sense of urgency and tells the reader, "Of all of the problems you have, this one needs to be dealt with right now. It's critical and here is why". The best way to present the issue is to finish the "issue" portion of the description with the impact. If you don't tell the reader of the impact, they will not feel a sense of urgency to resolve it.
  3. Solution

    The solution portion of the description is the opportunity to explain to the reader what information will be presented during the event that will help the attendee with the issue that was presented above. It should be clear, concise, and action oriented. Think of energy words like action-packed, hands-on, powerful and interactive.

    You will also want to be mindful of search engine optimisation (SEO) when writing the solution as it will help search engines to increase visibility to your event.
  4. Takeaways

    The traditional event description usually has a section presenting what you will learn. That's nice to share, but is not necessarily an effective way to drive conversion. Consider telling the reader what they will be able to do immediately following your event that they either can't do now or can't do as well now.

    This approach creates action and energy. It allows the reader to visualise themselves being more proficient at tackling the problem you presented earlier.
  5. Credibility

    Unless you have a household name, credibility is a critical requirement of the event description. Without that, you will not be able to convert registrants that are not already familiar with you. In most cases, there are thousands of people who present similar content.

    Since time and dollars are fixed, precious resources, the reader needs to know that you are an expert on this specific subject and others can vouch for you. What they need to see is: "Of all of the people in the world from which to learn this information, why you?"

    There are two components to establishing credibility:
    1. What makes you an expert

      Present, in a few sentences, what makes you an expert on this specific subject matter. This is very different to a biography. It is specific to the topic of this event. Why are you passionate about this subject? Passion sells!
    2. Use of testimonials

      Testimonials are critical for converting those who don't know you into registrants. Use testimonials that vouch for you as an expert on this topic. A testimonial for you as an author is meaningless when you are delivering content on financial planning.
With those five elements presented, the obvious question is how long should the description be.
The true test of that is to ensure that the value of the event is consistent with the description. A description comprised of two sentences and three bullet points does not convey value.

The best suggestion is that once you have created your description, test it on colleagues. Do they see the value? Would they be motivated to attend? Once the polish is applied, you are ready to drive registrants to your event!


Source:ceoonline.com

A Quick Guide To Effective Client Interviews


Monday 13 October, 2008
It would be unusual to have a project in which interviews weren't necessary. There may be formal interviews, in which you are trying to gather the sentiments of the top team, or informal interviews, in which you're chatting with someone in their office about their experience with a particular type of customer complaint. In either case, it helps to have a format and structure to accomplish several objectives.
  1. Gather as much qualitative information as possible
  2. Keep the interviews brief - for your sake and the interviewee
  3. Avoid having to return for further information
  4. Discourage the interview from being a "gripe session"
Here are my suggestions for maximising interview effectiveness and productivity.
  1. Get some background on the interviewee

    Find out their correct title, tenure in the job, prior experience, and recent accomplishments. This will serve to give you perspective on the responses, as well as to have some "ice breakers" at the outset. For example, "I understand you used to be in the London office ...".
  2. Arrange for privacy

    If you use the interviewee's office, request that your time together be undisturbed. You may have an office on site that the client provides. Don't conduct interviews in public places and don't conduct them over meals. (It's tough to take notes and there are a zillion distractions.)
  3. Ask permission to take notes and explain the purpose

    You may want to read the notes back before you depart to comfort the interviewee. I prefer not to record discussions because the recorder creates a somewhat intimidating atmosphere. Never trust your memory.
  4. Set a finite time limit and finish early

    This will aid your schedule as well as the interviewee's. You should not need more than 45 minutes for an interview, and many should be completed in under 30.
  5. You may or may not want to provide advance notice of some of the areas

    This can work well if you need background and recall which may require some digging and can stimulate people into being better prepared. But it doesn't work well if you want spontaneous reactions to controversial issues. Providing advance questions in that case may only generate politically correct responses or tap dancing.
  6. Bring about 10 scripted questions with you

    Start with these (there's no need to use them all) so that you have a comfortable starting point. But don't be trapped by them. Use follow-up questions to earlier responses to dig deeper wherever appropriate.
  7. Ask reaction questions

    In other words, don't ask, "Do you favour the current compensation system?", or "How would you rate the current compensation system on a scale of one-to-ten?". Ask instead, "What are the best and worst features of the current compensations system", or "If you could make one change to the system to improve it the most, what would it be?".
  8. Don't offer your own opinion or show any bias

    But do use your impressions from prior interviews. In other words, it's fine to say, "Several prior interviewees have mentioned that they think the compensation system is the primary reason for turnover at mid-management level here. What is your reaction to that?" (Not: "Do you agree with that?").
  9. Be conversational but directive

    If the interviewee rambles or digresses or keeps repeating the same point, politely interrupt and say something like this, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but before I forget, you said something that triggered a question: What is your reaction to the merger plan announced yesterday?". Don't let conversations run aimlessly. Politely point them in the right direction.
  10. Send a thank you note and encourage the individual to let you know of any other thoughts they have

    Occasionally, you'll receive a call or email with further insights that can be quite helpful.
When you summarise your interviews, eliminate identification and disguise anything that may give away identity (e.g., "A woman only with the firm for three months reported..."). Look for patterns and trends. But also watch for the one-off comment which may be quite singular but also quite insightful. Many times the conventional wisdom is neither conventional nor wise, and someone close to the operation has actually figured out what's actually going on!
When interview feedback matches focus group and survey feedback, those agreements are almost always valid and demand close scrutiny

Source:ceoonline.com

A Quick Guide To Effective Client Interviews


Monday 13 October, 2008
It would be unusual to have a project in which interviews weren't necessary. There may be formal interviews, in which you are trying to gather the sentiments of the top team, or informal interviews, in which you're chatting with someone in their office about their experience with a particular type of customer complaint. In either case, it helps to have a format and structure to accomplish several objectives.
  1. Gather as much qualitative information as possible
  2. Keep the interviews brief - for your sake and the interviewee
  3. Avoid having to return for further information
  4. Discourage the interview from being a "gripe session"
Here are my suggestions for maximising interview effectiveness and productivity.
  1. Get some background on the interviewee

    Find out their correct title, tenure in the job, prior experience, and recent accomplishments. This will serve to give you perspective on the responses, as well as to have some "ice breakers" at the outset. For example, "I understand you used to be in the London office ...".
  2. Arrange for privacy

    If you use the interviewee's office, request that your time together be undisturbed. You may have an office on site that the client provides. Don't conduct interviews in public places and don't conduct them over meals. (It's tough to take notes and there are a zillion distractions.)
  3. Ask permission to take notes and explain the purpose

    You may want to read the notes back before you depart to comfort the interviewee. I prefer not to record discussions because the recorder creates a somewhat intimidating atmosphere. Never trust your memory.
  4. Set a finite time limit and finish early

    This will aid your schedule as well as the interviewee's. You should not need more than 45 minutes for an interview, and many should be completed in under 30.
  5. You may or may not want to provide advance notice of some of the areas

    This can work well if you need background and recall which may require some digging and can stimulate people into being better prepared. But it doesn't work well if you want spontaneous reactions to controversial issues. Providing advance questions in that case may only generate politically correct responses or tap dancing.
  6. Bring about 10 scripted questions with you

    Start with these (there's no need to use them all) so that you have a comfortable starting point. But don't be trapped by them. Use follow-up questions to earlier responses to dig deeper wherever appropriate.
  7. Ask reaction questions

    In other words, don't ask, "Do you favour the current compensation system?", or "How would you rate the current compensation system on a scale of one-to-ten?". Ask instead, "What are the best and worst features of the current compensations system", or "If you could make one change to the system to improve it the most, what would it be?".
  8. Don't offer your own opinion or show any bias

    But do use your impressions from prior interviews. In other words, it's fine to say, "Several prior interviewees have mentioned that they think the compensation system is the primary reason for turnover at mid-management level here. What is your reaction to that?" (Not: "Do you agree with that?").
  9. Be conversational but directive

    If the interviewee rambles or digresses or keeps repeating the same point, politely interrupt and say something like this, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but before I forget, you said something that triggered a question: What is your reaction to the merger plan announced yesterday?". Don't let conversations run aimlessly. Politely point them in the right direction.
  10. Send a thank you note and encourage the individual to let you know of any other thoughts they have

    Occasionally, you'll receive a call or email with further insights that can be quite helpful.
When you summarise your interviews, eliminate identification and disguise anything that may give away identity (e.g., "A woman only with the firm for three months reported..."). Look for patterns and trends. But also watch for the one-off comment which may be quite singular but also quite insightful. Many times the conventional wisdom is neither conventional nor wise, and someone close to the operation has actually figured out what's actually going on!
When interview feedback matches focus group and survey feedback, those agreements are almost always valid and demand close scrutiny.

Source:ceoonline.com

6 Reasons Why You Should Not JUST Send An Email Newsletter


Monday 22 December, 2008
Six ways print newsletters beat email newsletters - and why they need to be part of your marketing mix.
With everyone bombarded by email overload, do you really think your email newsletter is being read? A Nielsen Norman Group report revealed that the typical email newsletter gets 51 seconds of your reader's time. That was three years ago. Today, many say it's closer to 26 seconds - and that's if your email newsletter is even opened!

You're not as popular as you think

While you believe YOUR email newsletters are special and opened like gifts on Christmas morning, remember this: Dozens of emails are routinely wiped out daily, in one swoop, with the casual push of the delete key.
Even if the reader recognises your name, you can be expunged just because they're having a busy day or your email got caught in a large block of spam. Now, I'm not suggesting that you stop sending email newsletters. In fact, I advise you to send an email newsletter on a weekly basis. But, I also suggest sending a monthly print newsletter.
Here's why:
  1. Printed mail gets delivered

    It's never blocked or caught in spam filters. Faulty connections, email authentication and webmail service idiosyncrasies are not issues. And, you have no issues with connection speeds.
  2. Print newsletters have more perceived value

    Think about it: How many companies are willing to do this? Your clients aren't stupid. They understand the energy, cost and time required to send them a great newsletter every month. It will get their immediate attention.
  3. Print newsletters let you use an unlimited number of images

    A picture really is worth a thousand words. Print newsletters are not shackled by bandwidth. That means you can use a variety of text, graphics and formatting styles to capture the interest of your clients.
  4. Print newsletters are sticky

    Print newsletters have great 'hang-time'. Not only are they likely to be read from start to finish, they usually get passed around. Hand-along readership can be as high as four-to-one. Talk about free marketing!
  5. Print newsletters offer convenient and comfortable reading

    Printed newsletters are much easier on the eyes. Reading articles of any length on a computer screen is uncomfortable and often inconvenient. Plus, a print newsletter allows you to mark sections you find interesting, take it to work and leave it there to be picked up by workmates.
  6. Print newsletters stand out and get noticed

    By using color, logos and a familiar return address, a print newsletter is easy to spot. With an inbox filled with subject lines, every message looks the same.

Here's your best bet 

Make no mistake. There is a place for electronic communication with your customers. Websites and email are an important part of any business.
But a better bet for keeping customers, getting more referrals and building relationships is to include print newsletters within your marketing mix. You can even offer your customers a choice. They will see that you really care about what they want - not just what you are willing to provide for them.
And that's what relationship marketing is all about, isn't it?

Source:ceoonline.com

7 Print Newsletter Design Tips To Get Your Client Newsletter Opened And Read Every Time


Monday 16 November, 2009
You spend a considerable amount of time and money producing your monthly client print newsletter. Having it tossed in the trash along with the ‘B’ pile (junk) mail is the last thing you want.
Yet this happens every day to business leaders just like you. In fact, it’s probably happening to you right now.
Why? Because most monthly client print newsletters are not put together in a way that screams out “READ ME!”

Having Great Content Is Just The Beginning

Ignoring your newsletter’s ‘packaging’ or formatting is like giving your clients a lovely gift, and then wrapping it with duct tape and plain brown paper. The fascinating articles and interesting content in your newsletter must be presented in an appealing way to capture the eye’s attention.
By following seven basic newsletter design rules you will ensure that your client print newsletter does not wind up in the trash.
  1. Color attracts the eye.

    The only people who tell you color isn’t important are the ones who refuse to use it. Color animates everything! It livens up and attracts attention.

  2. Use interesting formatting.

    Put your copy in a tinted text box. Use reverse text (white text on a black background) somewhere in your newsletter. Also use a multi-column format. With the proper use of shading, reverse text borders and bold fonts, you can design a professional newsletter template that grabs attention.

  3. Don’t go crazy with fonts.

    Stick to a maximum of three font types throughout your newsletter.

  4. Headlines get noticed.

    Decades of newspaper reading have taught us to look for headlines. We look for them to get an idea of what to read. We scan the subheadings to pick up on the key points. Powerful, punchy headlines get noticed and read.

  5. Make your lead article interesting.

    This is critical. If the main article is boring (or sounds boring) you can forget it. You’ve lost their attention and you won’t get it back. Your customer will simply stop reading your newsletter.

  6. Position draws the eye.

    Without anything else to draw it, the eye comes to rest about two thirds of the way up the page and slightly to the left. That’s a good place to put something interesting. Think picture or graphic.
  7. Use pictures and graphics liberally.

    Everyone loves pictures. And they really are worth a thousand words because they capture our attention. That’s why the captions on photographs are the most-read parts of any publication.
Hint: Use the “dollar bill” test. You shouldn’t be able to lay a dollar bill down on your page without it touching a graphical element.

The Bottom Line

A successful client newsletter is controlled by more than just good content. Your newsletter template design must be pleasing and attractive to the eye.
Remember: A client newsletter is a powerful relationship marketing tool. When you follow a successful template, your newsletters will be well received. It will provide your customer with an interesting and fun experience. And, it will ensure that your monthly client print newsletters get opened and read every time.


Source:ceoonline.com

Relationship Selling: So What Is A Relationship?


Tuesday 17 November, 2009
It seems that anywhere you turn there is a conversation, blog, discussion or new book on Relationship Selling. You may also be seeing and hearing the banter: What is this relationship? Can it be described or is it just another catch phrase to sell product and talk smart?
It can be defined, but many salespeople and managers may be avoiding the accountability that goes along with a clear definition. After all, a bit of gray area, some foggy ideas and generalized thinking can keep most inquisitive minds at bay.
Here are the six key points that make up a strong sales relationship.
  1. Trust

    Now this is always the first word out of people's mouths when asked the question: what makes a good relationship? Yes, it is the keystone to creating, building and maintaining an effective business relationship. If there is no trust there will be no business done or activities carried out other than avoidance! So what is trust and how does one create it? The terms "relationship of reliance" show up in the definitions. Can I rely on you? Can you rely on me? If I believe I can rely on you, then I trust you. So the real issue comes down to how reliable both parties are or at least are perceived to be.
  2. Respect

    One has to realize that I do not have to like you or be your best buddy to respect you and vice versa. We can respect others for their abilities, their character or talents. So what do others respect in you? Are your clients looking at you as an equal in some way? Are you perhaps even better in some ways? Do you respect their special abilities or capabilities? Can you point their qualities out to them, and they yours to you? Without mutual respect in some form, the foundation of trust can become shaky at best.
  3. Value

    Does each party provide value to the other in some form? If there is no value in either tangible material value or in emotional supportive value, why have the relationship? Now is value always a product/service provided and financial reward returned? It can certainly be a major part of the relationship or, can there be other values as well? How do you provide value other than your product/service and what value your customer provides you other than pay their bill?
  4. Meaningful Conversations

    This means the communication between the parties is very open and non-manipulative. Do we divulge all our dark secrets of a personal nature? No. But, is there real value in the conversations that have an impact on how each party sees the other? Do the conversations build more trust and respect or simply feel good? Is each party better off because the other caused them to think differently or view something differently than before? Is there some type of impact on one or both because of the conversations?
    This means discussions about topics many people may avoid or feel is not proper. Yet, experience indicates the more open we are and the more we are willing to help others through either business or personal challenges, the greater the trust and respect become.
  5. Results Oriented Conflict

    What does that mean? Any relationship that has gone on and grown has had conflict of some type along the way. There can be so many errors by trying to avoid any type of conflict in a business relationship. The potential loss of the business and client is many a time the justifying reason. Yet, more often than not, the client is looking for someone they can trust to work through the issue and come out better on the other side. Therefore, many miss one of the best opportunities to build a really strong relationship by working through conflict.
  6. Accountability

    This is perhaps the most intimidating and most challenging part of the relationship. If I am asked to do something and fail to do so, what happens to the trust and respect? Is the same not true of the client and their failure to come through on their part? Having accountability and expectations as part of the meaningful conversation is just as important as the trust and respect part of the relationship. In fact, the absences of accountability on either side will erode the trust and respect from the other side.
    Setting expectations for each party should be a standard part of any sales conversation. Yes, clients need to have expectations to meet from their side just as the salesperson has to meet expectations. Otherwise, the relationship is one-sided, isn't it?
There you go; six areas that need to be part of any effective business relationship. The question now becomes, "How do your business's relationships measure up?"
If any of the six areas gets goose bumps rising or a reaction of concern or even fear; then you know where your efforts need to be in order to move those relationships ahead.
Take charge, it is up to you and it is your choice how you interact in your relationships. You can build stronger, better and longer lasting relationships if you choose to.


Source:ceoonline.com

The Nine Keys To Managing Client Expectations


Tuesday 23 February, 2010
Mismanaged client expectations can be unpleasant, costly and damaging to your reputation. So how do you stop them biting you on the backside?
  1. Outline what you will cover

    Do it in plain English and don’t be afraid to use bullet points. They’re easy to read, easy to scan and easy to tick off.
  2. Outline what you won't cover

    Get rid of those frustrating assumptions; this will really help clarify exactly what you will include. Again, bullet points work well.
  3. Don't promise what you can’t deliver

    It can be awfully tempting to take on a project you’ve never done before. But be honest with yourself. If you can’t guarantee you’ll deliver what you promise, don’t do it. Then take initiative and do recommend someone who can help. Your client will be blown away by your honesty and willingness to help. If you don’t stretch yourself, you won’t grow. Just don’t do it at the client’s expense.
  4. Give examples of what you do deliver

    Don’t leave anything open to interpretation, particularly your product. Show your client an example of the high quality business cards you print. Or the observations and recommendations to expect in a website review – along with the word count. If you can’t show another client’s example because of confidentiality, a case study is a good alternative.
  5. Use the client’s preferred communication method

    Ask for your client’s preferences; show that you care. But of course, only offer options you’re comfortable with yourself! Offering a method that you’re hopeless at will only unravel your hard work.
  6. Follow up in writing

    Tedious? Yep. Essential? Absolutely. Following up with a concise email on what you’ve just discussed on the phone or at a meeting doesn’t just document the conversation, it also gives you a chance to reiterate and show your understanding. Bullets, again, are just fine.
  7. Don't hide the unpleasant stuff

    Quite simply, hiding the details with big fancy words on how you handle late fees and runaway delivery dates etc is the perfect way to mismanage expectations. Be upfront. Be succinct. And please, use plain English.
  8. Stick to your scope

    Exceed expectations. But don’t oblige to the expectation you’ll do extra tasks for free. This is hard. But don’t set a dangerous precedent. If you don’t show you value your time and expertise, there's bad news. No one else will. If this comes up regularly in your business, make sure you’ve got some tools up your sleeve for dealing with this, so that you can quickly, confidently and politely handle any issue that arises.
  9. Don't start until the terms have been agreed upon – and signed

    This is the golden rule. It doesn't matter how tight the deadline is, under no circumstances should you start a project until both you and the client sign off on the scope. If there’s a misunderstanding (or worse) along the way, the scope document is your insurance policy.
Source:ceoonline.com

Are You Paying Attention?


Thursday 20 May, 2010
Attention is the new currency. More than ever, customers crave attention and are prepared to pay for it.
This is a new opportunity to differentiate and attract word-of-mouth referrals.
Regardless of the industry you’re in, you can pay attention to your clients by sharing your knowledge (teaching), expertise (helping or advising), understanding (listening) or ideas (acting as a sounding board).
Consciously using the following skills and behaviour patterns will also go a long way towards showing your clients that you really do care about them and their needs.

Develop empathy and listening skills

These basic building blocks of quality attention are skills that can be learnt. Even if they come naturally to you, a course in counselling can help you refine and leverage them.  

Reflect, reassure and anticipate your clients’ needs

Reflecting what your clients say means reiterating the content of their communications to you, but in your own words. This short summary reassures them of your understanding. Reflection and reassurance are great techniques to help clients feel heard, especially if you’re communicating online or via email. Your marketing material should provide sufficient reassurance as well.
Try to anticipate your clients’ needs, but not in a controlling or smothering way. This sometimes means being tentative with your suggestions, using phrases such as “You may want to consider this course of action”.
However, be wary of putting words into your clients’ mouths, or expressing quick judgements about them.

Choose your language carefully

Language is the conduit for attention. Quickly picking up and using the vernacular of your clients is a great way to set them at ease.
You must be able to converse fluently in the same way that your clients do. Don’t just learn the vocabulary and jargon of your trade, make sure you’re also aware of the synonyms and shorthand your clients use. Avoid impenetrable business-speak though – it’s more important to be understood than to sound clever.
Use inclusive, open and politically correct language (unless being otherwise is part of your business persona!)
There’ll be times when you and your client disagree, and choosing the right language (and tone of voice) will be particularly valuable then. Don’t confuse being frank and open with being confrontational. Relationships often work better if we can adopt softer, less confrontational ways to tell-it-like-it-is. It does pay to be nice.
Above all, make sure you don’t talk to your clients. Talk with them.

Be authentic

Be yourself. Be real. Business is personal! People want to connect with the real person, not some professionalised clone. You can’t sustain a persona over extended periods anyway, and nor can you please every one.
Along the same lines, make sure your compliments are genuine and heart-felt. Inauthentic affection just comes across as creepy!
Keep your listening authentic too. Do you listen to your clients with the intention of helping or with a view to finding openings into which you can shoehorn your offerings? If your answer is the latter, don’t think your clients haven’t noticed. After all, how long does it take you to notice when someone is trying to sell you something?

Keep the focus on your client

It's okay for your client to tell you they didn't have a great weekend, but it may not be a good idea in reverse. The only time when it is appropriate to talk about yourself is in your marketing material. Even then, you still need to emphasise how you can help them and to avoid ill-considered communiqués spruiking about how great you are.

Put the relationship first

Business is all about people and relationships, so it’s no coincidence that the skills discussed here are the same ones that help you foster successful interpersonal relationships! Whenever you’re in any doubt, take the choice that sustains and strengthens your relationship with your client.

Source:ceoonline.com

Turning Publicity Into Profit


Tuesday 12 October, 2010
Congratulations! Your DIY publicity efforts are starting to pay off. Now it’s time to leverage your media profile in a way that benefits your business.
You’ve been interviewed by a national newspaper, invited to submit a regular column to an e-newsletter and a talkback radio show wants your opinion. Well done!
The next step is to turn your publicity momentum into public relations and use it to attract new clients and remind existing ones why they love doing business with you.

Talking to existing customers

Have you ever been out to dinner and been impressed by a framed newspaper or magazine review of the restaurant you’re eating at? Even if you’re a regular diner there, seeing a published review of the venue reminds you that they are skilled, talented and worthy of your patronage.
If the article also features a service you didn’t know the restaurant offered, like meeting catering, reading the review may even up-sell you into buying something you didn’t even realise you needed!
This is just one way in which media coverage can easily be leveraged to enhance your profile and credibility among your existing client base. Here are a few more:
  • Send a mailer to your database touting the coverage.
  • Display your press coverage: Enlarge and frame clippings of magazine articles in which you’ve appeared, and hang them in your office or store. Simply framing the magazine covers also looks very impressive.
  • Alert your clients in advance: Email your clients or database about upcoming media coverage so they can watch your appearance ‘live’ on TV, or pick up a copy of the newspaper or magazine.
  • Tie it to an offer: Use your coverage to create incremental sales. For example, make an offer in which anyone who brings in a clip of your recent media coverage gets a discount on your products or services for a limited time.

Attracting new clients

Way back before social media was the force we know it as today, Microsoft’s first Xbox gaming console sold out within 24 hours of hitting the stores. It had a consumer awareness rate of nearly 90 per cent a fortnight before it was launched and prior to the start of any advertising. These results were achieved almost exclusively through media relations.
While you may not have the same level of influence with the media as Microsoft, you can still reach new clients and generate sales by replicating this phenomenon on a scale that fits your business. Here are some tips:
  • Let the media coverage do the work for you:

    Being in the media instantly drives new clients your way, simply because they saw, read or heard about your book, product or service.
  • Reach out to prospects:

    Sending a mailer or email highlighting your press coverage to prospective clients at the same time you’re contacting your existing ones could convert some of your database into purchasers. The credibility the media coverage offers may be just the incentive or reminder that pushes them into buying from you. No matter how well you promote your business to prospective clients, having the media do it for you is much more meaningful.
  • Highlight your media results on your website:

    When people visit your site to check out your business, you’ll stand out from others thanks to the (implicit) endorsement of the press that you are among the best in your industry.
  • Use social media:

    Tweet links of your media success to your followers, share it with your Facebook friends and leave a Linked In update.

Source:ceoonline.com

Successful Communication - 4 Key Categories


Friday 15 October, 2010
There are four key categories to remember when thinking about whether you are maximising your communication with your target market.
Within these categories there are many variations on how a message can be conveyed, or a channel for dialogue opened. However, if you keep in mind the 4 groups, you will always maximise your opportunities for communication of your message.

1. Develop The Information / Message

If you have information you would like to convey to your customers and clients, in how many fundamental ways could this be presented?
  • Newsletters
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Emails
  • Web site
  • Music or message on hold
  • Company profile documents
  • Products and services lists
  • Product specifications
  • Company stationery
  • Brochures
  • Direct mail pieces
  • Copies of press coverage / press releases
  • Articles
  • Invitations
  • Speeches
Presentation of your message is critical. Please keep some of these considerations in mind:
  • Always think in terms of your customers’ perspectives. What is interesting and useful to them?
  • Be genuine. If you say you’re going to do something, then do it. If you’re not genuine it will be apparent.
  • Focus on consistency of presentation, of message, of image, of how you are being perceived by your customer.
  • Know who your customers are. Don’t use humour which would only appeal to a small group of people, don’t risk using any message which may offend, and always be mindful of different religious and cultural perspectives when appealing to a broader segment of the local or international market.

2. Open The Communication Channel: Events And Networking

This category of communication is ‘up close and personal’ between you and the customer or potential client. The message may be specific, or non-specific relationship building communication. Some options within this category are:
  • Client lunches
  • Launch events
  • Entertainment events
  • Industry events (exhibitions, conferences etc.)
  • Association or Institute gatherings
  • Organised sporting competitions between companies
Again, remember that your clients and customers are typically not all men, or all women, they are not all the same age, they do not all have the same interests, they may not all have families, and their idea of a great time may not be the same as yours.
The point is, learn about your customers as much as you can, so they join in these events willingly and enthusiastically, so everybody gains something from it. Finally, events and networking are about communication, but what will be remembered is what is different, amusing, and interesting. Add value and your message will be remembered.

3. Involvement From Your Clients And Customers

Events and networking functions involve your customers at some emotional level and build the relationship you have with them. However, communication that elicits involvement and follow-through communication from your customers is different, in that there is some notion of commitment to do business with you.
Specific tools to communicate with involvement from customers and clients are:
  • Surveys and questionnaires
  • New product / service test programs
  • Writing up testimonials from your customers
  • Case studies on your customers’ businesses and their relationships with you and your business
  • Ask customers for feedback on new developments, such as your web site
Inherent in this type of activity is ongoing involvement and relationships. This is the primary objective of successful communication.

4. Follow Through Communication

One-off communication is not enough. One-off communication does not build relationships. A message can be conveyed by communicating it only once, but will it be remembered? How many times have you seen yet another ad on television and not known who the advertiser was because it didn’t register? The message needs to be clear, repeated, and followed up. Ideally it should also be humorous, of interest or value, and have some differentiating factor.
Don’t stop communicating:
  • Thank your clients
  • Send notes of congratulations when appropriate
  • Send information in which they may be interested
  • Send them leads
  • Follow up on your survey
  • Follow up on the new product or service launch
  • Send them a copy of your first newsletter, brochure, etc.
  • Proactively call them once in a while to touch base and ask how they are, and how business is
The cycle must continue in order to be successful. The little differences make all the difference.


Source:ceoonline.com

Customer Survey Tips


Tuesday 21 June, 2011
Surveys are an excellent way to find out how your customers feel about a new product, service, location, store policy or virtually anything that's important to your business. A survey will tell you what your customers expect of you and your company, and clarify how well you are performing in their eyes. If executed properly, you can achieve impressive results without spending a lot of money.
Surveys are an excellent way to find out how your customers feel about a new product, service, location, store policy or virtually anything that's important to your business. A survey will tell you what your customers expect of you and your company, and clarify how well you are performing in their eyes. If executed properly, you can achieve impressive results without spending a lot of money.
The tips below can help you create an effective survey:
  • Start with clear objectives

    A strong survey has a clear goal or focus. (i.e. to find out how customers feel about a proposed new location or store layout; get response to a new product or service; learn why once loyal customers are now shopping elsewhere). Take time up front to know why you're surveying your customers, and you will get results that will help you make your business more effective.

  • Give customers a compelling incentive for responding

    You could include discount coupons for certain products or services with the survey. Or, if customers return the survey in person by a certain date, they're entitled to a 10 percent discount. This can be particularly useful if you're using your survey to prospect for new customers. It might also be as simple as a sentence at the top of the survey indicating that you are using the input to evaluate current policies/products and create new ones - customers like to feel like they can have an impact on your company.

  • Ask questions that are important to customers

    Customers aren't concerned with issues that do not pertain to them (i.e. hiring, promotion or store policies, outreach programs, etc.). Make sure that each question is important to your customers' needs, not your internal management. Plus, remember that a successful survey arouses excitement and is fun to fill out. Don't put yourself in a position of wasting your customers' time.

  • Keep the survey brief

    Ideally, it should contain 10-12 questions neatly spaced on one page.

  • Use a confidential self-mailer to generate higher response rates

    The easier it is for people to respond, the higher the response rate will be. Self-mailers are highly recommended because they require less paper and postage. Next best is including an addressed pre-stamped envelope. (It's presumptuous to expect respondents to use their own postage.) Also, stressing the survey's confidentiality increases your chances of getting honest answers.

  • Ask compelling easy-to-answer questions

    Keep questions direct, simple and brief. Scaled questions (strongly agree, moderately agree, disagree, don't care) and yes/no questions are the easiest to answer. Long, wordy multi-part questions should be avoided. An example of a good question: How well do you feel your accountant meets your tax needs? The answer would be on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

  • Encourage customers to give their opinions

    With every question, enclose a "Comments" line, encouraging respondents to express opinions - both positive and negative. Many service businesses, for example, have been successful with questions such as, "If this were your business, what would you do differently?". If respondents feel strongly about the issue, pro or con, there's an excellent chance they'll answer it.

  • Test the survey before mailing it

    It is advised that you test a survey before mailing it. Try it out on a few good customers first, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that the survey can be improved.

  • Focus your surveys on your best customers

    These are the people whose opinions you value most. You don't have to mail a lot of surveys to get valuable information. If you have 2,000 valuable customers, for example, consider sampling 500. A 50 percent return (250 respondents) is considered excellent; 30 percent (150 respondents) is considered good and 10 percent (50) is dismal. If the lion's share of your business comes from only 8 or 10 customers (as may be the case with a small service business), design your survey with their needs in mind.

  • Preview survey a with postcard arousing curiosity

    A brief attention-commanding announcement should be delivered a week before the survey is officially sent. It's an opportunity to highlight the benefits (premium, discount or special money-saving coupon) of filling out the survey and sending it back promptly.
Source:ceoonline.com

The Power Of People


Tuesday 27 July, 2010
People like to do business with people they like and trust so it is vital to build strong rapport and relationships with those we hope to do business with.
One effective method of meeting people and building your brand is networking. You don’t have to go to every networking event in town – it might not be the best use of your time and money. Initially choose the appropriate networks where you are likely to meet your target market. Or if you are new to networking go to an event of like-minded people where you will feel comfortable.
The most important point about attending networking functions is that you’re there to meet people and make effective contacts. You won’t do that if you spend your time flitting around the room from person to person or spending all your time with people you know. You’re better off meeting three people and having a good quality conversation than trying to get around to thirty people. Go for quality contacts rather than quantity.
A good idea is to set an objective before you head off to an event. Perhaps it is just to meet and make contact with three people, maybe meet the guest speaker who you’ve admired for a while or perhaps talk to that elusive business contact you’ve been playing phone tag with.
Wait until the end of the conversation to exchange business cards and ask the other person for theirs first. You don’t want to make a sales pitch at a networking function and thrust your business card at them like you’re handing out fliers in the main street of town. It can be off putting to other people if you come across as too pushy or needy – after all you are there to build good relationships.
Have good quality business cards made up and make sure you have plenty to hand out if asked, keep them within easy reach. A networking function can be a great profile builder for you and your business if you remember it’s also about the other person. Try and make the other person feel comfortable and enjoy your company by having a quality conversation. And that often means we need to listen twice as much as we talk! Most people will think you’re a brilliant conversationalist if you let them do most of the talking.
You’ll have a lot more fun and enjoy networking if you remember to take an interest in other people, share a quality conversation before you excuse yourself politely and move on to establish another relationship.
When it comes to following up your contact, if you have established some rapport send an email the next day to say hello. Perhaps suggest meeting for a cup of coffee. If appropriate send a short note with your brochure.
You can make some very valuable contacts this way.

Source:ceoonline.com

5 Ways To Be Your Own Chief Networking Officer


Thursday 19 August, 2010
Every business should have a CNO, but you don’t have to hire one. You just have to take on the “CNO mindset!”
Those of you who work in organisations might be familiar with an increasingly popular position, that of chief networking officer (CNO). The CNO is the person who handles many corporations’ business networking and community-related activities such as these:
Community involvement  Diversity
Internal communication Client/customer relationships 
External communication Developing a word-of-mouth campaign
Public relations Departmental collaboration
Corporate culture Relationship advertising and marketing
Social capital Improve vendor relationships
Human resources Referral generation strategies
 
 
 
 
Let's focus on the two roles of the CNO:
  1. Word-of-mouth campaigns
  2. Referral generation strategies
These roles should be top of mind if you’re going to network like a pro. They should be the principal job focus of your CNO.
First, however, let’s address the thought that’s probably just popped into your head: Hey, it’s just a ten-person (four-person/one-person) organisation; how can I afford to hire a CNO to do my networking?
As business professionals ourselves, we remember what it was like trying to get a company off the ground. And quite frankly, there never seemed to be enough resources to take care of all the things the business needed, let alone hire an executive-level person. Create a CNO position in your company—and filling it yourself, at least in the beginning. In other words, don’t hire a CNO – just take on a CNO mindset.
How do you create a CNO mindset? Here are five actions you can take day to day:
  1. Engage in two to three networking events each month and follow up with people you meet.

    As a smart, enterprising businessperson, you already know the importance of networking and how vital it is to meet new people. However, one of the biggest mistakes people make is failing to follow up. By adopting a CNO mindset, you recognise that meeting new folks while networking is just the first step towards generating more word-of-mouth business. The second step is meeting them later over coffee or lunch to learn more about their business and how you can help them. When you do that, you pave the way for future referral business.
  2. Touch base with past business contacts by making two personal phone calls each week.

    A CNO’s job is maintaining relationships and generating referrals. And that can’t happen unless you stay in touch.
  3. Use postcards and greeting cards to stay in touch with people throughout the year.

    A good time to do this is on annual holidays and on special occasions when a card can be an unexpected surprise. You can start off by buying a pack of 20 cards and sending them to people you’ve fallen out of touch with or with whom you’d like to reconnect—past clients, past vendors, a friend of a friend, another business owner you chatted with at your local coffee shop a few months ago. Doing this will keep you top of mind with these people in a unique way.
  4. Take good care of your database.

    With all this talk about phone calls and greeting cards, it makes sense that a CNO should have a top-flight contact database and contact management system (CMS) to help stay organised and on top of things. For those of you who might not be familiar with those terms, a contact database is simply a storage facility enabling you to keep track of all the people you’ve met. It can be as simple as a physical card file or as high-tech as an online data site. It just needs to be something you can use so business cards aren’t falling off your desk and onto the floor. Using database management software can streamline and supercharge your referral generation system. Because there are data entry fields for many different kinds of information (email address, phone number, profession, where you met the contact, etc.), you can sort contacts by many different criteria and target emails to particular segments of your database with a few clicks of the mouse.
    The reason these systems are so important for a CNO is because your contacts are your business! You can’t get referrals unless you have relationships, and you can’t have relationships unless you stay in touch and up to date with contacts. A good contact database and contact management system enables you to do both while creating a powerful word-of-mouth marketing campaign.
  5. Always thank your referral partners.

    A “referral partner” is not simply a contact who gives you referrals every once in a while; a referral partner is someone with whom you have entered into a relationship that is mutually trusting, respectful, and beneficial. Maintaining that relationship means, among other things, thanking your contact for referrals. It’s not only good manners; it’s good for keeping the benefits mutual. Thanks can and often should take the form of reciprocation, of course; get a referral, give a referral. The Law of Reciprocity, however, doesn’t require such a quid-pro-quo response, and indeed it might even seem a bit artificial if it happened as a matter of course. The person being thanked might be inclined to think, "If my partner can send me one referral every time I send him a referral, how many might he be able to send me if he sent me all the business he knows I could use? Is he, in other words, holding back? Is he doling them out like dog treats every time I perform a trick?"
    Rather than foster such ideas, make sure you send your partner a referral every time you have the opportunity; chances are the ones you receive from him (and others) will balance out in the long run. Gratitude by reciprocity should be given freely and abundantly and not in measured response to the number of referrals received. A referral partnership should never be viewed as a simple accountancy.
    A simple “thank you” is always appreciated and should always be the first response given. It’s probably the single biggest action a CNO can take to maximise the number of referrals he gets. It will typically double the amount of referral business he gets from an existing referral partner. This simple thanks can take many forms other than a voiced “Thank you.” There are many ways to show your gratitude, but it’s important to simply understand that thanking the person who gave you a referral in the first place is just as important as getting that referral. When you do, that person will be more likely to do it again and provide another revenue boost for your business.

Source:ceoonline.com

3 Major Misconceptions About Networking


Thursday 16 September, 2010
Once you overcome these misconceptions, there will be nothing to stop you building a powerful network that provides continuous business and opportunities.
Think about the most successful people you know. What do they have in common? Probably this - they have built a network of contacts that provide support, information, and business referrals. They have mastered the art and science of networking, and business flows to them almost as a matter of course.
It has taken these successful networkers years of hard work and perseverance to build their networks. It will take a similar commitment for you, too. However, many people, before building networking prowess, need to overcome three major networking misconceptions:
  1. “How do I network if I’m not a naturally outgoing person?”

    Go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief — because you don’t have to become Mr. Public Speaker, Person About Town - to be a successful networker. Most business people, given a little real-world experience, naturally develop a certain level of comfort in dealing with customers, vendors, and others in their day-to-day transactions. Even people who are not gregarious or outgoing can form meaningful relationships and communicate. There are many techniques that can make the process a whole lot easier — especially for those who consider themselves a bit introverted. For example, volunteering to be an ambassador or visitor host for a local business networking event can be a great way to get involved without feeling out of place.
    Think about it. When you have guests at your house or office, what do you do? You engage them, make them feel comfortable; perhaps you even offer them something to drink. What you don’t do is stand by yourself in the corner thinking about how you hate meeting new people.
    By serving as a visitor host at your local chamber event, you effectively become the host of the party. Try it! You’ll find it much easier to meet and talk to new people.
  2. “Getting business by person-to-person referral sounds like something that used to happen when my great-grandfather was selling horse-drawn buggies. Why should I waste my time on a marketing method that’s generations out of date?”

    Yes, networking has been around a long time. It used to be the way that most businesses operated. In a small community, where everybody knows everybody, people do business with the people they trust, and they recommend these businesses to their friends. Small-town professionals naturally tend to refer business to each other, too — usually to those who return the favor, but often simply on the basis of whose service will reflect best on the referrer. If you’re a plumber and you refer a customer to a dentist you know, you don’t want that customer complaining to you a week later about what a lousy dentist you sent him to. Today, most people do business on a larger scale, over a broader customer base and geographic area. More people now live in cities, and in even a small city most people are total strangers to one another. The personal connections of the old-style community, and the trust that went with them, is mostly gone. That’s why a system for generating referrals among a group of professionals who trust one another is so important these days, and it is why referral networking is not only the way of the past but the wave of the future. It’s a cost-effective strategy with a long-term payoff. It’s where business marketing is going, and it’s where you need to go if you’re going to stay in the game.
  3. “Networking is not a hard science.”

    We give people bachelor’s degrees in marketing, business, and even entrepreneurship, but we teach them hardly anything about the one subject that virtually every entrepreneur says is critically important to his or her business — networking and social capital. Why don’t business schools teach this subject? It’s because most are made up of professors who’ve never owned a business. Almost everything they’ve learned about running a business they’ve learned from books and consulting. Can you imagine a law course taught by someone who’s not an attorney, or an accounting course taught by anyone without direct accounting experience? Yet we put business professors in colleges to teach marketing and entrepreneurship with little or no firsthand experience in the field. Is it any wonder, then, that a subject so critically important to business people would be so completely missed by business schools?
    The science of networking is finally being codified and structured. Business schools around the world need to wake up and start teaching this curriculum. Schools with vision, foresight, and the ability to act swiftly (the way business professors say businesses should act) will be positioning themselves as leaders in education by truly understanding and responding to the needs of today’s businesses.

    Source:ceoonline.com

10 Networking Blunders That Cost You Sales


Tuesday 11 January, 2011
Networking effectively can have a dramatic impact on your sales - providing it is done correctly. Avoid these fatal networking mistakes and improve your results.
Networking is a critical skill; after all, the more people you connect with the more sales opportunities you create. However, many business people make a variety of mistakes that prevent them from maximising the power of networking. Here are ten blunders and mistakes you need to avoid.
  1. Attending The Wrong Networking Events

    When I first started my business I attended as many local networking events as I could fit into my schedule. However, I quickly noticed that I encountered the same people at these events - other small business owners out looking for business. These people were not my target market and very few of them interacted with the type of decision-maker I usually worked with so I realised that I was going to the wrong events. Get the most from your networking opportunities by showing up at events that your prospects attend.
  2. Waiting For People To Introduce Themselves

    Let's face it; the vast majority of people are reluctant or hesitant to approach strangers. However, if you take the initiative to introduce yourself to others you will be perceived as a person of authority and power. Not to mention that the other person will be relieved that they didn't have to make the first approach.
  3. Spending Too Much Time Talking

    One of the most fatal mistakes is to dominate the conversation. If you truly want to make a great impression, limit the amount you talk to no more than 40 percent of the airtime. Remember, networking events are not the appropriate setting to sell your solution. However, they are perfect situations to uncover potential sales opportunities.
  4. Failing To Ask Other People Questions

    The most effective way to create a connection with someone is to ask them questions about their business and what they do. Ask them about the challenges they face and what they enjoy most about their work. High-value questions encourage people to share information and help you position yourself as an expert and a great networker.
  5. Becoming Distracted By Other People

    Have you ever had a conversation with someone who constantly watched the room instead of paying attention to what you were saying? If so, you likely felt ignored and unimportant. I also suspect that you would not refer business to that person. Don't make the same mistake. Pay close attention to every person you meet and learn how you might be able to help them.
  6. Focussing On Your Self-Interest

    This follows the last point. If you make the effort to find out how you can help someone else, the chances are they will reciprocate. In the words of motivational guru, Zig Ziglar, "You can have everything that you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want".
  7. Failing To Articulate Your Value Proposition

    I once spoke with a small business owner at a networking event and after a 20 minute conversation I still had no idea what she did because she was unable to clearly articulate the purpose of her company and her ideal client.
  8. Failing To Establish A Connection

    Effective networking means connecting with people. Although you will not connect with everyone you meet, you can improve your results by making great eye contact, smiling, asking questions and showing interest in the other person.
  9. Executing The "Meet & Move" Strategy

    We've all encountered the person at a networking event who introduces themselves, gives you their business card, asks for yours in return and immediately moves on to repeat the process with another victim. You get much better results by connecting with a small number of people rather than trying to meet as many people as you can.
  10. Failing To Follow-Up Afterwards

    Post-event follow-up is critical. However, don't make the mistake of calling someone three months after a networking meeting and saying something like, "We met a few months ago and I thought I'd touch base with you". This approach simply does not add any type of value to the relationship. Here are two follow-up strategies to consider:

    1. When you meet a potential customer, arrange to contact them shortly after the event. Mark it in your calendar and make sure you contact them on the agreed-upon day and time.
    2. After you meet someone who is NOT a prospect, look for opportunities to refer business to them. You can also help them by sending articles or information related to their business.

    Source:ceoonline.com

Networking Only Works When You Stop Selling


Thursday 10 March, 2011
Networking is more about farming than it is about hunting. So, the next time you go to a networking meeting, think about how many people are there to ‘buy' something. Then, remember to stop ‘selling' and start networking.
I was at a networking event once where more than 500 people were in attendance. The speaker who was on stage asked the audience: "How many of you came here hoping to do some business today - maybe even make a sale?" The overwhelming majority of the people in the audience raised their hands. He then asked, "How many of you are here hoping to buy something today?"  No one raised a hand - not one single person! 

The networking disconnect

If you are going to networking events hoping to sell something, you are dreaming. Do not confuse direct selling with networking. Effective networking is about developing relationships. I know, I know ... there is always someone out there who says, "But I've made a sale by attending a networking event!". 
I am not saying it doesn't ever happen - it does. I am just saying it happens about as often as a solar eclipse. Face it, even a blind squirrel can find a nut. Any businessperson can stumble on some business at a networking meeting from time to time. However, when you have most of the people at an event trying to sell something and virtually no one there to buy something, you are crazy if you think the odds are in your favor to "sell" at a networking event. 

So why go to a networking meeting if you're not going to sell? 

You go because networking is more about farming than it is about hunting. It is about developing relationships with other business professionals.  It is not about ‘direct selling'.  This means you need to move the relationship through a series of stages. Visibility leads to credibility which, with time and effort, leads to profitability.
With many people, there seems to be a significant disconnect between intent and reality relating to people's expectations at a networking event.  This kind of disconnect leads to poor results, which then leads people to exclaim that "networking doesn't work".  From what I've experienced myself over the past the past twenty six years, along with the results I've witnessed with hundreds of thousands of people around the world - networking works just fine.  However, one's intention must be in alignment with the reality of the particular circumstances. 
If nobody at an event is looking to buy something and you are there trying to sell something - you have a disconnect.  If you are there to meet people and move through the relationship networking process, then your intention and the reality of the situation are more likely to be in alignment.

Networking is about moving through the relationship process

Sometimes you go to a networking event to increase your visibility and to connect with people you have never met, sometimes you go to establish further credibility with people you know, and sometimes you may even go to meet a long-time referral partner and do some business. In any case, the true master networkers know that networking events are about moving through the relationship process and not just about closing deals.
I had someone recently say to me, "There is a great opportunity to be found in connecting with people and getting to know them.  We need to start seeing each other as interesting human beings as opposed to a potential sale!"
It's ironic that so many people are disconnected to a process that is supposed to be all about becoming connected.

Change your mindset 

There is a paradigm shift that needs to take place before you can make your networking efforts work. That shift is to move from a ‘direct sales' mentality to a ‘relationship networking' mentality.  If you go to networking events looking to meet new people and move through the relationship process with people that you meet and get to know, then you are working the process correctly.
Here are five things to remember when attending networking events:
  1. Don't go there to sell, go there to connect
  2. Have some meaningful conversations with people you meet
  3. Follow up with people you found interesting or who you can help in some way. Don't follow up to sell them something
  4. Meet these people in a one-to-one setting, learn more about them, and ask them: "How can I help you?"
  5. 5. Go for the long-term relationship, not the short sale
Source:ceoonline.com

Winning Strategies To Raise Your Profile


Monday 4 July, 2011
If you want to start raising your profile, get started now on these activities and keep them going on a regular basis.
Marketing is all about being noticed - you, your products and services, your company. The BIG factor here - is that you need to be very focused, and target a specific group or area. The more focused you are with this strategy, the more impact your activities will have.

Reach out to people

Strangely enough, this is called an ‘outreach' strategy and is used to directly connect with potential prospects, alliance partners and other referral contacts. It's like the 6-degrees-of-separation concept - if you reach out to enough people within the same group/market/tribe, who interact with each other on a regular basis, your outreach activities will gain momentum and your name will become increasingly known by a lot of people and potentially connect you to most of them.
Identify a group that is a target market for you, and then start contacting individuals within that group.
A few online and offline ways to reach out include:
  • Asking a question to prompt discussion or do some research
  • Answering a question or problem on your topic of expertise
  • Providing useful information
  • Sharing interesting / valuable information
  • Connecting people together to benefit them
  • Inviting someone to something
  • Offering someone an opportunity
  • Sending a personal note - great to meet you; thanks for the referral; happy birthday
Just remember, the thing with social networking is to actually reach out to people and connect. It's also a great way to connect to people you may not otherwise be able to reach, due to gatekeepers in their business email and phones.
Use the above ways to connect with potential clients, collaborators, connectors who can introduce you to potential prospects, and people you would like to meet.
Make a list of these and other outreach strategies you can think of, and schedule them into your diary on a monthly or weekly basis. Have your assistant help you with this to make sure it gets done on a regular basis.
Consistency of these activities will raise your profile.

Attract attention

There are professional ways to attract attention; the sort that make people stop and take another look:
  • Visual branding

    Some people like to attach a type of clothing or style to their brand - for example, leopard print, black and white, always black, white pantsuits (yes...I know), designer clothes, etc. It's really all about consistency and the recognition factor with your brand. Your clothes make a statement about you and your brand; memorable style creates an impact. Carry this style through all your marketing materials.

    I remember watching a very high profile Melbourne business woman give a speech at an event. It was her clothes that made me remember her so vividly - they were appalling! Her grooming and her clothes were really surprisingly inappropriate and very shabby. The flip side is what we're aiming for!
  • Be controversial

    Make sure you're prepared for the sort of attention that controversial views bring. Personally, it's not my style to deliberately set out to be controversial, but for others it works - think of controversial advertising campaigns. You can be controversial in the social networking space, and in any interviews you do, articles you write or live events where you express your views. Controversial could be ‘outrageous' or just going against the popular mindset.
  • The company you keep

    Have photos on your website or blog or Flickr stream of you with high profile people. Attending events and paying extra for the VIP seating will usually give you a photo opportunity with the guest speakers. Testimonials from high profile people adds value to your profile too.
  • Your car

    Interesting and unusual cars can be a great profile-raising strategy. In the case of one architect, a very noticeable part of her brand was a pale blue, immaculately maintained, vintage Porsche cabriolet with a cream interior. It was part of her brand. My neighbour owns an advertising agency and he drives an immaculately maintained bright red 1976 Lancia with a custom number plate. His car is like a work of art. I knew of him before he became my neighbour - courtesy of the car. You can also create a work of art on your car, and use signage to raise your profile in a local area.
  • Pick one marketing strategy, and dominate the space

    For example, become the feature writer on a specific topic for a magazine or newspaper. Become the special expert on your topic for a particular radio station (online or offline). Pick an event and sponsor it - this could be big or small and it could be a fund-raiser or a business event. What could you do to dominate as the expert on your topic in one type of marketing arena?
Source:ceoonline.com

Checklist For Your Business Networking Toolkit


Monday 25 July, 2011
Running a successful business networking campaign includes building an arsenal of credibility-enhancing materials. Use this checklist to make sure you have the right material at your disposal and make the most of every networking opportunity.
It's amazing what a business networking campaign can do for your business. People rely on recommendations from trusted sources much more than they do from mere advertisements.
The best thing is, the costs associated with running a successful business networking campaign are usually a fraction of what a traditional advertising campaign can run! However, as the saying goes, "there is no free lunch". What you save in dollars spent, you must replace with time and effort. Simply saying to yourself that you are going to "network" does not guarantee immediate success.
You not only need to plan and execute a schedule of networking events and activities that will put you in front of people, you will also need to build your credibility. One of the most important ways to do this is to hold yourself to the highest ethical standards: Be fair in your pricing; make sure the work you are hired to do is provided with the highest standards in quality; and certainly never over-promise and under-deliver. The other includes utilising credibility-enhancing materials.
Below is a checklist of items you may wish to begin assembling, which can be used as collateral materials in developing your desired image. Before we get started:
  1. Point 1 - This is not a complete list of items needed to market your business
  2. Point 2 - This checklist covers a wide variety of items - consider when to use them

    Not every item will be used at the first point of contact with a potential client, or even with someone who can refer you clients. Each item will address a specific area of information that you have to share about your business. While some can be used to build credibility at earlier stages of networking, you will want to save the more detailed items for a later point in the networking process.

    The first half of the list includes items that you will most likely want or need at the early stages, while the second half you should have ready as the relationship deepens.

Business Networking Toolkit Checklist 

  • A one-page flyer

    You should have a brief overview of your business ready to pass along at all times - both a hard copy and an electronic copy - in case you meet someone while networking who wants to quickly pass along your information to a prospective client they know.
  • Question-and-answer sheet

    One of the quickest ways to learn about a person's business - and for them to learn about yours - is to make the initial meeting as organised as possible. A sheet with questions that you can each ask each other can ensure you don't forget to find out the most important information - the information that could lead to a referral the quickest!
  • Testimonial letters from satisfied clients

    Testimonials are one of the most effective ways to showcase the quality of the products or services you provide. You can keep hard copies in a binder, or you can post them to your website. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can ask the clients in your network to "recommend" you.
  • Photos of yourself, your office facilities, equipment, and/or products

    A professional photo, or headshot, is important for promotional opportunities and for your social media profiles. Photos of your office or business operation and products help to legitimise your business and gain credibility.
  • Current brochures, circulars, data sheets, and product catalogs

    This may seem like a no-brainer, but quite often I've noticed that business owners are too busy running their business and neglect their collateral materials.
  • Items that reflect your "brand"

    These items go a long way to building the consistency and recognition of your brand: Logos, trademarks, service marks, patterns, designs you've used, posters, banners, and display materials used at trade shows.
  • A list of your key customers

    You can put these on your website to show the type of clients you have already successfully served.
  • A list of your memberships and affiliations

    This is very helpful when you meet someone for the first time - it's a great way to see if you have mutual acquaintances or business associates. It may also lead to an introduction to someone in one of their networks to whom you have been hoping to be introduced.
  • Photos of awards and certificates you and your staff have earned

    These items can rank almost as high on the credibility factor as testimonials.
  • Articles you have published, or in which you're mentioned

    Writing articles (or being professionally mentioned in them) is a great way to become known as an expert in your field - and people like to know they are working with experts.
  • New-product or service announcements or press releases

    As you network, make sure the people who might potentially hire you - or refer others to you - are immediately informed of news about your company. In addition to submitting these announcements to news outlets, you can also hand these out at meetings, or you can post them on your website and on your social media accounts.
  • Items that help you explain your business to your network

    These can include: your annual report, capability statement and prospectus; your motto, mission statement or service pledge; or even a written history of your company.
  • Client or customer proposals, bid sheets, or marketing letters you have written to existing clients

    Keeping this information top-of-mind will come in very handy if you are at a networking event and have the opportunity to talk to a prospective client in depth.
  • Articles on trends affecting your target market

    Keeping up with issues and news items that are important to people helps you to be able to target your conversation and, subsequently, your products and services more directly to the prospects you want to turn into clients.
Be sure to store your networking materials somewhere that makes it easy to retrieve frequently used documents.  This equipment greatly aids any company's business networking campaign and ability to respond quickly when necessary.

Source:ceoonline.com

Ten Step Guide To Personal Branding Success


Monday 31 October, 2011
Are you known for the reasons you want to be known? Do people in your market perceive you and your organisation according to your brand strategy? What percentage of your target market know who you are? What percentage have never heard of you? The objective of this article is to move your name and business awareness from relative obscurity to top-of-mind awareness.
Ten Step Guide To Personal Branding SuccessThere are two key metrics to branding: awareness and identity:
  1. Awareness is about how many people know of you
  2. Identity is about how they perceive you
Both are important. You need the numbers to capture market share. More importantly, you need strategic identity so people know you for the right reasons; that you are the top specialist in ... you name it. When they have a need for X your name comes to mind right away. They call you with interest and a budget. 
Here is a step-by-step digest of how to increase awareness and build strategic identity in your personal / professional brand. The results are fewer obstacles and lower stress in growing your business:
  1. Articulate it clearly

    There is tremendous power in word choice. Choose words that paint the picture of successful outcomes from doing business with you. Shelve the mission statement and write a clear positioning statement. What's your brand promise, your elevator pitch? 
  2. Choose your networking groups

    This is a necessity. Unless you get out in the field and start shaking hands, getting to know key players in the market, you will remain obscure. Join chambers, free, open networking groups (these are on the rise), trade associations, clubs, boards, churches, community centers ... the list is long. There is no excuse to be a hermit. Online networking alone probably won't work. There is no substitute for human contact and warm relationships.
  3. Invest time on LinkedIn

    This is the place where serious businesspeople network online. You need to build your profile to be 100% complete. Then you have to participate in the amazing discussions and content sharing. What about social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs? The short answer is yes, yes, yes. Budget time as best you can. 
  4. Deploy email marketing

    This doesn't mean e-blasting promotional messages. It means delivering valuable information to your target market. Email newsletters work. The out-of-pocket cost ranges from totally free to upwards of $150/month, sometimes more for large corporate or enterprise-class programs. How's your email database looking these days?
  5. Shut up and listen!

    Get interested in what other people are saying and forget about your own needs when engaging in networking conversations. Be a connector when you spot a good fit. Bring referrals to other people before asking for them. This is how you become more attractive as a person.
  6. Engage in free speech

    You're the industry expert! Show 'em what you know! Go out and speak at civic clubs, business events, luncheons, trade shows, conferences - keynotes and breakout sessions; anywhere gatherings of potential clients, vendors and partners take place. Follow up with the connections you make and answer the questions you get.
  7. Draft relevant, value based articles

    Submit them to business editors in your industry publications - online and off. Editors need content. Give it to them! Use a copywriter if you lack good editing skills.
  8. Advertise when you can

    For some - such as retailers - this is a constant necessity to keep awareness high and perceptions accurate. For others it's a good investment in building awareness and identity for long term growth.
  9. Tell your business story

    Contrary to some beliefs, clients do want to know the backgrounds and unique experiences of people with whom they do business. It is:ceoo

    Ten Step Guide To Personal Branding Success

    Monday 31 October, 2011
    Are you known for the reasons you want to be known? Do people in your market perceive you and your organisation according to your brand strategy? What percentage of your target market know who you are? What percentage have never heard of you? The objective of this article is to move your name and business awareness from relative obscurity to top-of-mind awareness.
    Ten Step Guide To Personal Branding SuccessThere are two key metrics to branding: awareness and identity:
    1. Awareness is about how many people know of you
    2. Identity is about how they perceive you
    Both are important. You need the numbers to capture market share. More importantly, you need strategic identity so people know you for the right reasons; that you are the top specialist in ... you name it. When they have a need for X your name comes to mind right away. They call you with interest and a budget. 
    Here is a step-by-step digest of how to increase awareness and build strategic identity in your personal / professional brand. The results are fewer obstacles and lower stress in growing your business:
    1. Articulate it clearly

      There is tremendous power in word choice. Choose words that paint the picture of successful outcomes from doing business with you. Shelve the mission statement and write a clear positioning statement. What's your brand promise, your elevator pitch? 
    2. Choose your networking groups

      This is a necessity. Unless you get out in the field and start shaking hands, getting to know key players in the market, you will remain obscure. Join chambers, free, open networking groups (these are on the rise), trade associations, clubs, boards, churches, community centers ... the list is long. There is no excuse to be a hermit. Online networking alone probably won't work. There is no substitute for human contact and warm relationships.
    3. Invest time on LinkedIn

      This is the place where serious businesspeople network online. You need to build your profile to be 100% complete. Then you have to participate in the amazing discussions and content sharing. What about social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs? The short answer is yes, yes, yes. Budget time as best you can. 
    4. Deploy email marketing

      This doesn't mean e-blasting promotional messages. It means delivering valuable information to your target market. Email newsletters work. The out-of-pocket cost ranges from totally free to upwards of $150/month, sometimes more for large corporate or enterprise-class programs. How's your email database looking these days?
    5. Shut up and listen!

      Get interested in what other people are saying and forget about your own needs when engaging in networking conversations. Be a connector when you spot a good fit. Bring referrals to other people before asking for them. This is how you become more attractive as a person.
    6. Engage in free speech

      You're the industry expert! Show 'em what you know! Go out and speak at civic clubs, business events, luncheons, trade shows, conferences - keynotes and breakout sessions; anywhere gatherings of potential clients, vendors and partners take place. Follow up with the connections you make and answer the questions you get.
    7. Draft relevant, value based articles

      Submit them to business editors in your industry publications - online and off. Editors need content. Give it to them! Use a copywriter if you lack good editing skills.
    8. Advertise when you can

      For some - such as retailers - this is a constant necessity to keep awareness high and perceptions accurate. For others it's a good investment in building awareness and identity for long term growth.
    9. Tell your business story

      Contrary to some beliefs, clients do want to know the backgrounds and unique experiences of people with whom they do business. It isn't only about nuts and bolts capabilities. Bottom lines are also affected by congruence of fit and strength of relationships.  
    10. Expect results in due course

      People make the mistake of testing these methods and giving up after they fail to get new business from a short-term effort. This isn't about getting - it's about building. Builders attract people (customers) to the edifices they create.
    Invest time in the steps above and, as importantly, give these initiatives time to work. Realistically, you should start seeing measurable results after several months to a full year.
    n't only about nuts and bolts capabilities. Bottom lines are also affected by congruence of fit and strength of relationships.  
  10. Expect results in due course

    People make the mistake of testing these methods and giving up after they fail to get new business from a short-term effort. This isn't about getting - it's about building. Builders attract people (customers) to the edifices they create.
Invest time in the steps above and, as importantly, give these initiatives time to work. Realistically, you should start seeing measurable results after several months to a full year.

Source:ceoonline.com