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The best way to grow your business

November 23, 2008

So you want more customers? Happier customers? Customers who rave about you to others?

How about bigger sales per transaction? More repeat business? Fewer complaints? Less down time?

The answer to all of those desires…happy employees.

Workplace attitude, employee engagement, taking good care of your people, creating a positive and fun work atmosphere…call it what you want. But it’s not HR mumbo jumbo, it’s not new age hoopla and it’s not the employees angling for more perks.

It’s smart business and any manager or business owner who doesn’t truly understand and believe that – should listen up.

If you don’t instinctively understand the connection between employees who like their work, co-workers and managers and how that ties to happy and prosperous customers…check out these numbers.

A recent study by Harvard Business School found that every 1% increase in staff loyalty resulted in a half percent increase in customer loyalty.
Gallop’s 2006 research to better understand the linkage between employee satisfaction and return on investment (ROI) found that companies with higher levels of employee engagement enjoyed higher ROI.
A recent survey conducted by Maritz found that 43% of customers who stopped doing business with a company made their decision based on poor customer service. Engaged employees are the key to excellent customer service. Engaged employees are employees that feel as though they are truly valued at work; that their efforts directly contribute towards the mission and success of the company.
48% of executives cited that better communication was the best remedy for low employee spirits, according to a new Accountemps report that surveyed 150 executives from the nation’s top 1,000 companies.

The bottom line is this – your employees make or break your bottom line.

It’s your job as a manager or owner to inspire them to help you create a workplace where everyone feels valued, appreciated, noticed and safe. Add in some fun and you have a place that no employee will want to leave.

So how do you do that?

Get it. I mean really get it. Take some time to reflect on all of this and allow yourself to see the value in happy employees. Put aside your pre-conceived notions or age-old biases and understand the new work place.

Invest in it. Both in terms of time and money. Spend some time getting to know your employees and what matters to them. Create a small fund and let them plan quarterly events (within company walls or an outing during the workday)

Learn more about it. Read books (see the list at the bottom of the post), read blogs, subscribe to newsletters. Or here’s a crazy idea – ask your employees. Be honest with them. Tell them this is something you’d like to get better at and you need their help.

Involve the employees. Help them help you. Get their ideas. Let them recognize each other. (check out how we do that at MMG) Have them work with you to create a whole new strategy for attracting and retaining good employees. Find out what matters to them and let them take the lead – but with your 110% support.

Still not convinced? Unless you can run the whole place by yourself – you actually need the employees more than they need you. Wouldn’t you rather invest in the ones you already have, rather than going through the pain of finding and training new ones?

Here are some resources worth your time.

BOOKS:

Radical Leap
FISH: A Remarkable to Boost Morale and Improve Results
Fired Up or Burnt Out: How to re-ignite your team’s passion, creativity and productivity

BLOGS/WEBSITES:

Become a better leader
Training and Development Blog
All Things Workplace

Okay, brilliant readers — time for you to add to the discussion. What are the most effective ways you’ve experienced (from other side of the table) to engage, excite and motivate employees to deliver your brand promise and make the customers hungry for more?

3 traits of a creative leader

November 23, 2008

I recently had to say goodbye to a very dear friend.

Al owned an advertising agency in New Hampshire and we’d been a part of each other’s unofficial advisory boards (I wrote about my posse awhile back) for almost 10 years. I loved him with all my heart and I’ll miss his humor, straight talk and business smarts.

But…over the years, I learned a great deal from him and I’d like to honor his memory by sharing some of that with you.

Al was from the northeast and he always reminded me of a crusty old sea dawg. But underneath the curmudgeon facade, there was a very savvy business man and one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever known.

So without further ado, here are my lessons from Al on how to lead a creative team.

Love your people: Surround yourself with talent and then make sure they always know how much you appreciate that talent. Celebrate their wins. Help them grow. Push them, but push them knowing you won’t let them free fall. When one of your team stumbles or makes a mistake — acknowledge it first. Use it as a teachable moment but never let them leave the situation feeling bad.

And last but certainly not least…know their aspirations and help them chase their dreams.

Success is no excuse for not staying out front: No matter how successful your team or agency is, you need to stay current and lead the way. Your clients expect you to ahead of the curve. It’s also a very powerful argument for retaining your best employees.

Al was always one of the first to be trying something untested or listening to the latest book. Sometimes he didn’t get it or see the value in it. But that wasn’t the point. He knew he was setting an example for his team and his clients.

Only work with clients who appreciate your smarts and skills: Al’s belief was that life was too short to work with jerks, know it alls, or people who didn’t have the manners to say thank you now and then. He understood that sometimes good clients had unreasonable deadlines, or had to please an ungrateful CEO, or dropped the ball on their end. He didn’t mind that — it’s just a part of the business.

But he wouldn’t tolerate clients who berated, brow beat or were demanding in their tone. His employees didn’t deserve to be treated like that and he made sure they knew he felt that way. As a result, most of his agency’s client relationships were 20+ years or longer. They weren’t just clients, they were respected friends.

Al had figured out the formula for success in this crazy business. Surround yourself with people who had oodles of talent and heart. Only work with clients who appreciate and value those people. And keep everything fresh by always being willing to explore something new. He led by example and with his heart.

He’ll be missed by many of us. But, each of us — client, employee, peer, friend — carry a bit of Al with us. And we’re the better for it.

Top 10 ways to bring holiday joy to your small business (Saul Colt)

November 21, 2008

Drew’s Note: As I try to do every Friday, I’m pleased to bring you a guest post. Meet another thought leader who shares his insights via the blogosphere. So without further ado…Saul Colt. Again. Enjoy!

The holidays will be here before we know it, which means it is time to show your appreciation for friends, family, and clients. During a down economy, it is even more important to keep clients happy and spread holiday joy. FreshBooks suggests the following 10 tips to help your small business survive and enjoy the holidays.

1. Bill Clients Early:
You can’t get paid till you send an invoice and at the end of the year people get caught up in all sorts of other activities…so send your invoices as soon as the work is done so it can be posted BEFORE the folks who sign the checks do something silly at the holiday party. Sure this is good advice for all year around but even more important at the end of the year..

2. Make Billing So Simple That an Elf Could Do it:
If you make bill paying difficult, check that, if you make anything difficult people will lose interest and put it aside and possibly forget about it. Think for a moment…when was the last time you made pancakes or macaroni and cheese from scratch and not a mix? Online invoicing makes sending your invoices like opening a box of pancake mix…simple, quick and satisfying!

3. Add a Holiday Greeting Message:
Show your customers that you are like Flava Flav, you know what time it is…OK maybe Flava Flav is a bad example but show your customers that you appreciate them. Send them a personal message on your invoices. It can be holiday related or just something to say "Thanks for a great year". Whatever you do decide to say just make sure you don’t miss this opportunity to do something nice for the people who support you.

4. Take Advantage of the Moment:
Year end time usually means some extra expenses. With gifts and other incidentals that creep up it is always good to have some extra money to help out. Best way to do this is to grab people (not literally) during the planning stages of a project…you know when most people are excited and tend to be more flexible. Use this opportunity to request a partial payment.

5. Use Online Recurring Invoices:
Holidays are supposed to me about spending time with family, doing things like watching "A Christmas Story." This would obviously take you away from your computer and your ability to send an invoice but you still need to get paid . By setting up an automated recurring billing in a service like FreshBooks you can "set it and forget it". Leaving you more time to do what you really want to be doing and still have the peace of mind that your invoices will still be delivered.

6. Automatic Late Payment Reminders:
Santa Claus (or whoever you think brings you presents) isn’t the only one who will be checking his list…checking it twice just to find out who is naughty or nice…Yep, you need to check your own lists to see who owes you money but calling at holiday time can make you look Grinch-like and possibly damage a good relationship; so set up an automated payment reminder .

7. Keep Employee Morale Up:
When I was a teenager my Dad once told me that money doesn’t buy happiness…that same day I bought a pretty girl lunch and she gave me a kiss proving him wrong. That has nothing to do with this point, I just figured I’d use this platform to tell that story. Oh wait it does fit…see I did something nice for that pretty girl and she rewarded me with something. Show your employees that you appreciate them and they may (figuratively) give you a kiss…or just be a little happier and work a little more efficiently and focused. This doesn’t mean throw a big splashy party. If all you can swing is something small then do something small but done nicely. Why not close for an afternoon and go see a movie together or have an impromptu company picnic. It’s the little things make a big difference.

8. Your Customers are Your Best Friends:
You can never have too many good friends because when times get tough you tend to stick with your friends and support them. Treat customers as you would treat your best friends and be genuine with them always show your appreciation. Small gestures such as sending hand-written thank you notes will not be forgotten and will show you wouldn’t be as happy without these friends being part of your business.

9. Nothing Wrong with Asking for Help:
Use the good feeling that the holidays bring to ask your customers to tell their friends how happy they are with your product or service. One of the best ways to acquire new business is to simply ask for it so go take a holiday leap of faith and ask for help from the people who know and like you.

10. Review Company Year-End Spending:
Do you really need those Chinchilla couches? Ok bad example…of course you do but I bet there are other things you could do without; so stop and take a look at your spending. Make sure you have a deep understanding of what your fixed costs are (office lease, employee salary and other overhead costs) and make sure you are making enough to cover that first before you go ahead and spend a bunch of money on some super awesome beads to hang from every doorway and a new bear skin rug…there is probably nothing wrong with the one you have now. This should be done every six months to maximize growth and to remain focused. Further keeping up with current trends will help your business better evaluate what needs to be spent on and what would be a waste of funds.

Saul Colt Saul likes to build stuff, but since he isn’t that handy he chooses to design and execute great marketing and word of mouth programs. Before joining FreshBooks as its Head of Magic he did a slew of interesting and notable things that would absolutely impress you but he is the kind of guy that throws every inch of himself into what he is currently doing so you won’t see him talking about the past in this bio. Saul is an accomplished speaker and has been doing so since 13 months old. When Saul is not working he can be found watching TV or playing spin the bottle.

Every Friday is "grab the mic" day. Want to grab the mic and be a guest blogger on Drew’s Marketing Minute? Shoot me an e-mail.

The best argument for overpaying your proofreader I’ve seen in awhile

November 20, 2008

First….pay attention to the subject matter of Omniture ‘s offering.

Now look at the e-mail they sent out to solicit customers for the above webinar. How sad and scary is that?

My client who shared this with me is actually NOT known by FirstName. And the guy didn’t even sign this very important e-mail. But not to worry — she can call him at…

Note to all of us. For the love of God…have someone proof your work.

“No comment” pretty much means you’re guilty

November 17, 2008

Most people believe a company is guilty of the accusation when a company official says "no comment." Robin Cohn’s book, The PR Crisis Bible tells a story that really illustrates this point.

One day a CEO heard someone behind him say, "Excuse me." Turning around, he recognized a well-known business reporter who said, "I just have one question."

The CEO panicked. "No comment," he replied and hurried away from the reporter.

Since Watergate, those two words have come to mean that the speaker has something to hide.

The reporter, who was just trying to figure out how to find someone that he had an appointment with, began to wonder what was going on at the company and started working the phones. He found a disgruntled employee and looked for dirt on the Web. He ended up writing an expose of problems at the company and stock price plunged.

What should you say instead of no comment? Try the truth. Even if part of the truth is "we don’t have all the answers yet," or "our attorneys have asked us not to discuss that part of the lawsuit."

Be candid. Share what you can. And be frank about what you aren’t at liberty to say. But stonewalling doesn’t cut it today.

Whether it’s true or not, the public and the media believe they have a right to know just about everything. And a "no comment" brands you as guilty long before you’ve had a chance to prove otherwise.

How do you get someone to anxiously wait for your book’s release?

November 15, 2008

Sure, J.K. Rowling, John Grisham and Seth Godin have it in the bag. They release a book…and voila, the audience is there.

But for most authors, especially non-fiction authors, the road is a bit more rocky. They usually don’t have a ton of support from their publishers (if they aren’t self-published), they’re most likely still working a day job and odds are, they aren’t loaded.

So how do they get our attention? How do they convince us to jot their book’s release date on our calendar? Well, the irrepressible and irreverent Andy Nulman did it like this.

And yes, I put it on my calendar. You?

Make trade events deliver in 2009 (Cece Lee)

November 14, 2008

Drew’s Note: As I try to do every Friday, I’m pleased to bring you a guest post. Meet another thought leader who shares her insights via the blogosphere. So without further ado…Cece Lee. Again. Enjoy!

As companies prepare to reduce travel and marketing budgets, marketers will be seeking ways to get the most out of the physical events that they’re committed to in 2009. Physical events, such as product demonstrations, summits, conferences and trade shows, are an integral part of one’s lead generation efforts.

When you prepare to attend a conference or trade show in 2009, the goal is no longer to set-up your booth at a conference. It’s how do you create a PR strategy to fully take advantage of your time at that event? Public relations is a cost-effective way to promote your participation at any conference or trade show. When married with your in-person presence, you can make the most of your participation in 2009.

Here are three ways to maximize your participation:

Research speaking opportunities at the conference
Speaking at a conference is a great way to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. While securing your exhibit space or sponsorship, ask about speaking opportunities – either as part of your participation or how to submit a topic for consideration.

In the case the conference has a speaker proposal process (a call for speakers or proposals), the key to securing a speaking opportunity depends on relevancy, timeliness and educational value of your proposal. Research key issues within your industry or consider inviting a customer to present with you at the conference. Also highlight the top three or five action items that attendees will learn from hearing your presentation.

After submitting the proposal for consideration, continue following up with the organizer to inquire about the status and get feedback about your proposal. Through these conversations, you may be able to amend your proposal accordingly or uncover additional opportunities that you were previously unaware of.

Unfortunately, organizers receive about 10 proposals for each speaking opportunity. While you proposal may not be accepted initially, don’t assume that concludes your efforts with the organizer.

Due to family emergencies, illness or urgent business meetings, speakers do cancel occasionally. Check in with the organizer about 1 month before the conference to inquire about cancellations. Or due to your conversations with the organizer, you may get a call the day before the conference to step in for a speaker!

Write and distribute a press release
An event based press release highlights the what, when and where of your participation. By posting the release on a free or paid newswire, you increase your online presence as a newswire can distribute your release to an average of 12 – 20 online websites.

Due to the distribution of the release, you also have to consider the search engine optimization impact of the release. Evaluate which keywords drive traffic to your website or are frequently search terms for your industry.

To increase the relevancy of your release in search engine searches, incorporate these 5-10 keywords in your press release. Furthermore, hyperlink key phrases to related pages on your website. Like keyword relevancy, search engines also look at the number of external links pointing to your website.

Besides posting the release on your website, the press release is also a great opportunity to connect with your customers or prospects. While they may not be able to attend in person, this provides an excellent way to stay top of mind when they are ready to purchase your solutions and services.

Connect with media and bloggers
While you’re inquiring about speaking opportunities, ask about previous or anticipated media attendees at the event. Since these reporters (I include bloggers as reporters) are taking time to attend the event, you know that they are interested in the event’s content.

In case the organizer doesn’t have a media list, then reach out to local media about the upcoming event or do a quick search on Alltop.com, a website that lists the top blogs on specific topics, to find a short list of bloggers writing on your industry.

Before contacting each reporter directly, first research what she has written on in the past. Does she look at products only or does she write trend pieces? She may have also included pointers on how to contact her such as likes and dislikes. By arming yourself with this information, you can send a targeted email introducing your company, why she would be interested in your company and invite her to meet at the conference.

While I don’t suggest attaching any press releases or photos, I do recommend including a link to a relevant press release or offer to provide photos to enhance the article visually.

Conclusion
I don’t believe that physical events will disappear as marketers reevaluate their budgets. Rather, it’s how can you do more with less. Public relations is an inexpensive way for you to get the most out of your event participation.

Cece Lee is the author of PR Meets Marketing blog and senior marketing communications manager with ON24. While not writing posts for her blog or working, Cece enjoy taking care of the newest addition to the family – Snowy, a white goffin. Note: The thoughts expressed in this posting are not representative of ON24 and are personal views of the author.

Every Friday is "grab the mic" day. Want to grab the mic and be a guest blogger on Drew’s Marketing Minute? Shoot me an e-mail.

Remember this as you walk into that next meeting…

November 13, 2008

Big egos have little ears.

~ Robert Schuller

Are your eyes bigger than your budget?

November 11, 2008

You know that feeling you sometimes get after Thanksgiving dinner? That, "I want to lay on the floor and bemoan the second helping of turkey, stuffing and the extra roll?"

Your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you always pay the price.

The same thing happens when you’re buying media (new or traditional). You try to stretch that budget too far. Which means you take on more than your budget can comfortably handle.

One more radio station. That great buy in the trade pub. A couple more sites for the banner ad.

Push the plate back and walk away from the table. When you’re buying media, you are always better off to not overdo. Buy a good strong schedule and if you have money left over….go back and buy more of what you’ve already bought.

For a media mix to be effective, each element in the mix must be substantial enough to establish retention. Too often, people sacrifice repetition for the sake of reach.

By the way….the same logic holds true for marketing tactics. Don’t try to do too much. Better to do fewer things more often and better.

Thank you.

November 10, 2008

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