April 2012

Turn It In2Something Good

Early in my career I worked directly for six different sales managers over a period of about two years. It would have been easy to be distracted by all the various routines, demands, and processes each wanted me to employ as I was getting started in the advertising business.

All had things they could offer a young salesperson. Somewhere in the middle of all the changes I made a decision to try to grab on to some of the strongest elements of each of their styles. I took the prospecting plan of one, the relationship building skill of another and the inventory management strategy of a third. Over time these different managers’ ways were combined with my own experiences to help forge my own management approach. It actually helped me.

How Its Helpful4You

A lot of things may be working against you. There’s no doubt it’s easy to be distracted by things going on around you – mergers, cutbacks, slowdowns, budget freezes and turnover can hold you back from doing your best.

I don’t think you need a rah-rah, go take on the world pep talk. That’s not why I am writing this. Instead, I want to encourage you to pull back and evaluate those things that might be perceived as negatives by others. Take a look at the situations that are dragging down the people with whom you work and make a decision.

First of all – ask yourself if you can fix it. Then do so. If it isn’t fixable; figure out a way to take the negative and become stronger through it. Maybe you can take notes and set them aside for when you are the big boss. Or try using the time to hone specific skills. Perhaps you can get better at observing what people are really trying to say or communicate. Possibly it could be finding a way to be more creative. Whatever the outcome, you set the direction you are going to take through the choppy waters.

It may actually help you in the long run.

March 2012

Not2Be Confused

I listened to a recent radio broadcast of a college basketball game. The teams were moving up and down the court at a fevered pace. There was lots of movement and action – not any scoring. This went on for a few minutes and the announcer said something that caught my ear. He said, “Don’t ever confuse activity with accomplishment,” and it hit me.

In commerce - especially in sales and business development – that statement is the key to staying ahead of economic struggles and downturns. For years, I have encouraged Account Managers and Clients to review --- really review --- their prospect lists.

There is another big benefit…

Prescription4Change

Account Managers used to hold up their long list of prospective clients – kind of like a shield – to show me how much they had going and how hard they were working. Over time I learned to help my team evaluate how genuinely interested their prospects were in working with them. It didn’t take long for all involved to determine the list wasn’t as promising as the Account Manager would have hoped.

Never confuse a big prospect list with a good one.

It was scary for the reps to let go of some of the accounts they were working on, but the reality of figuring out who was really interested freed them up to go out and pursue other businesses. That ultimately led to them finding better and more interested prospects. They had a fresh start.

How about you? When was the last time you honestly evaluated who you were targeting?

February 2012

In2the House

There was something at the front door. It was the 2012-13 Yellow Book, but it could have just as easily been the Easy to Use One, the Verizon one or some other one. Phone books.

There are so many times people ask me about advertising in the yellow pages (or some equivalent). First of all, let’s agree on one thing – it isn’t advertising. It’s a directory. Next try doing a quick calculation with me…to say you use your yellow page directory 1% of the time would mean you spent about 15 minutes each day reviewing the book. I’m not sure that’s even possible

There are times and places where it can make sense for a business, but those instances are becoming less and less frequent. The book is closed 99.9% of the time.

Not4Long

It did make it into my house, but within hours it was out the back door and being recycled.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with someone who told me their organization spent over $750,000 in directory advertising each year. It is the fear of loss driving that. If you’re not in the yellow pages people won’t know how to find you, what you offer or how to call…

Nonsense. (Otherwise you could show me the McDonald’s, FedEx and Facebook ads in your local book)

Advertising, marketing, public relations, referrals and repeat business are the elements of a successful growth pattern for most all organizations. The web and smart phones have actually made that consumer contact easier. Even the directory representatives will confirm theirs is a shrinking industry. Don’t be afraid --- embrace the new and craft your very own plan.

January 2012

Priced2Sell

For the longest time I believed people bought primarily on price. The lower the price the better the chance someone would buy. Everyone loves a bargain right?

These days there are smart phone aps that allow you to stand in one store and check a competitor’s price right then. If the other location has something cheaper – you leave, go across town, and buy the same item for less money. As a retailer – you needn’t be afraid, but it should be on your mind as you do business. Be aware of price.

My Dad is a good consumer and he price shops (he also reads this newsletter). He’d drive across town to buy gas that is five cents per gallon cheaper. But even my Dad has his limits and as price conscious as he may be, it isn’t always the lowest priced place that gets his business.

During the winters he’s out in the Phoenix area and while he could choose a .99 cent tostada from Taco Bell on his Monday Night Mexican dinners, he never does. The tostada at his favorite place probably costs five or ten times as much – and he doesn’t use a smart phone to do a price check analysis.

Application4You

People can spend less, but can they get what it is you offer? While they can scan a price with their iPhone and see if it is less at the Big Box Store nearby, they can’t necessarily get the specific service you provide, the helpful tip your staff passes along, or the feeling of being known by name. They can’t count the economic velocity of keeping dollars “local”.

If you live by low prices – you’ll quickly learn – there’s probably someone who has them even lower.

Build value, offer a fair price and create an atmosphere people enjoy enough they’d pay a little more for the added experience. Then people will choose to do business with you – on purpose. Perhaps someday, Taco Bell will do fresh tableside guacamole and serve an ice cold margarita, but until then folks like my Dad are going to pay a few bucks more for their tostadas.

December 2011

Have2Say

I have heard it so many times.

When you are brought in to tidy up and refocus a half dozen advertising sales departments over a few decades you’re bound to notice some consistencies. This is the best time of year to note and begin to change one such pattern in your own business.

Invariably when I started at each place and began to “nose around” my curiosity would kick in and I would ask something like, “Well, why is it done this way?” As you might expect the answer was almost always the same.

“Because that’s the way we’ve always done it.”

Anytime I heard that, I immediately responded with another question --- “why?”

New Approach4You

Stop for a moment and think about what you are doing in your business before you do it. Does it make sense? Is it the right next step? Is it putting your client or customer or patient first? Then make the determination if it is the best course of action for you and your organization.

The easiest thing to do is what has always been done.

The principle is the same whether it is in regard to your advertising, marketing, operations, production, or paperwork flow. Different may not be good or even better, but evaluating why you are taking a particular course is critical to your company’s growth and development. Wrestle that persistent urge to follow the path of least resistance and simply do things the way you’ve always done them.

November 2011

Stop2Think

The topic was set, the timeline was in place.

I knew exactly what I was going to write about until I opened the Wall Street Journal one morning and saw the following headline: Cain Never Prepared for the Storm. Herman Cain. Remember him? Only a few weeks ago he was a frontrunner in the Republican Presidential Primary. Regardless of your political leaning, you simply have to agree this was a poorly executed Public Relations problem.

Every business (large or small) should take pause to reflect on a plan for dealing with a crisis. No matter what business you are in – you are exposed to potential liability and the fifteen minutes of fame you do not want. This is the reality of the times in which we live.

Here’s another reality – few companies, organizations or leaders pull back and evaluate what they would do when they face “unforeseen” circumstances. Fewer still put a plan in place.

Help4You

So, why does an advertising guy have an opinion about PR? Simple. It’s my job to help clients communicate with and best reflect their value to customers. Handling a crisis alone is like being your own lawyer. You’re too close and it isn’t your area of expertise. Frankly it isn’t my strength either.

That’s why I team with crisis communications expert Stephanie Koehler and SAKinterMedia whenever one of my clients has a question in the public relations realm. She can help you craft a plan, practice for those challenging times, and uncover where your potential exposure lies. The key, however, is to make that call before the media calls you. You’ll be out front, prepared and have a strategy. That’ll put you on the leading edge and allow you to rest a bit more comfortably when the media appears at your doorstep.