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Surviving Change You Didn’t Ask For (MJ Ryan)

June 5, 2009

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…MJ Ryan.  Again. Enjoy!

Have you ever encountered that “life stress” list that rates changes such as moving, death of a spouse, getting married, etc.?

The folks who created that list in the sixties estimate that life is 44% more stressful now than it was 50 years ago, and they came up with that estimate before the 2008 global meltdown. I’m not sure we even want to know the new number!

Chances are you’re confronting some change you never asked for—perhaps a loss of job. Or some dream. Maybe you have to have to learn to work in new ways or find a new place to live.  I’m sorry if it’s difficult.

None of us knows what the future holds. But there is something we can do right now—develop the ability to adapt. As far as I can tell, it’s the key indicator of success in these turbulent times. AdaptAbility is the capacity to be flexible and resourceful in the face of ever-changing conditions. To respond in a resilient and productive manner when change is required. Some of us already know how to easily do this. The rest of us need to learn–quickly.

Resisting change wears down our bodies, taxes our minds and deflates our spirits. We keep doing the things that have always worked before with depressingly diminishing results. We expend precious energy looking around for someone to blame—ourselves, another person, or the world. We worry obsessively. We get stuck in the past, lost in bitterness or anger. Or we fall into denial–everything’s fine, I don’t have to do anything different. Or magical thinking–something or someone will come along to rescue me from having to change.

We don’t want to leave the cozy comfort of the known and familiar for the scary wilderness of that which we’ve never experienced. And so we rail against it and stay stuck.

Fortunately, once you become conscious of how to adapt, you can face future changes with greater confidence and swiftness.

Want further incentive to learn? Experts in mind-body medicine have shown that people who are master adapters live longer and healthier lives than others. How come? Because they counterbalance the stress hormones that wear down our bodies with positive attitudes and behaviors that release feel good hormones which restore balance to our cells, organs, and tissue. That’s why many health experts define health itself as AdaptAbility.

When the environment changes and we must therefore too, it’s appropriate to complain, to take, in the words of Dr. Pamela Peeke, the BMW (Bitch, Moan and Whine) out for a little spin. But soon it’s time to put it back in the driveway and get down to business. We are all being called on to stretch mentally, emotionally, and spiritually into the future. We can do it!

MJ Ryan is an inspirational author and coach; internationally recognized as a leading change expert. Dubbed “an expert in human fulfillment,” she specializes in coaching high performance executives, entrepreneurs, individuals, and leadership teams around the world. Her work is based on a combination of positive psychology, strengths-based coaching, the wisdom traditions, and cutting edge brain research.

Her new book, titled “AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn't Ask For” was recently released published by Random House’s Broadway Books.  She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and daughter.

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.

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A little grasshopper told me

June 2, 2009

Thanks to the blog, I get some interesting mail.  But I have to say, chocolate covered grasshoppers might just top the list.

When I got it, here's what happened:

1. It came in a FedEx package, so no one screened it.  It actually got to my desk.
2. I didn't recognize the return address, so my curiosity had me open it right away.
3. Once I realized that it really was chocolate covered grasshoppers, I started showing my co-workers.
4. We visited the website on the card to see what the mailing was all about.
5. We took photos, because I knew sooner or later I'd blog about it.
6. We're going to have a "who will eat one of these" contest at work.  I'll let you know who wins!

Bottom line — it worked.  3-D mailings may cost a little more money — but they deliver big results when they are done well.

The folks at Grasshopper.com decided to send out 5,000 of the attention-hopping packages to entrepreneurs, bloggers, celebrities, journalists and customers.  They spent 3 months assembling the list and made sure the packaging and cross promotion (Twitter, YouTube, bloggers, their website, etc.) were all in order.

This was a very well thought out and executed campaign.  Bravo to the Grasshopper gang. 

P.S.  Grasshopper.com is actually an integrated virtual phone system for your company that includes toll free numbers, forwarding capabilities to home, mobile, office… and even online voice mail to email capabilities. Costs range depending on the package you would like – but they start at $9.95 per month and range up to $199 per month.

The URL on the package sent us to this video about the power and potential of being an entrepreneur.

 

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What are they expecting?

June 1, 2009

One of the most common customer service axioms is:  exceed their expectations.  We've all heard it.  But have you ever really thought about how it applies to your business.

Do you really know what their expectations are?  How can you exceed them if you don't?  Let me give you an example.

As you probably know, I walk Maggie the mostly lab along a park's bike path.  We walk for a couple miles and along the walk, there aren't any trash cans or dog waste receptacles except at the very start of the path. 

Should you be walking your dog and about a mile into the walk, the dog does their business, as a good dog owner you have to pick up the waste.  And then carry it for the next mile.   Not so great.

One Sunday, after having that exact experience, I sent an e-mail to the "contact us" button on the park and recs page.  I suggested a couple spots along the path that would easily accommodate a trash can. I didn't have high expectations.  After all, we're talking city government. 

So I was blown away on Monday morning when I had an e-mail back from the Director of Parks and Rec, saying it was a good suggestion and they'd get the cans out there soon.  I was even more blown away when the cans actually appeared within the week.

They totally and completely exceeded my expectations simply by answering my e-mail and listening.

But, had they decided to conduct a trash can usage survey, ignored my e-mail all together or put it on the next city council's agenda — my expectations would not have been exceeded.  They would have been met.  And I expected them to disappoint me.

Before you give your troops the "exceed their expectations" speech — why not figure out exactly what that means so you can not only give them the speech but also give them the road map on how to get it done.

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Write for SEO success

May 31, 2009

One of the most common questions I get asked is…how do I get more people to my site/blog?

Assuming you're writing good, valuable content and you don't have a big budget to buy your traffic, the answer is:  write in a way that makes the search engines love you.

This is where Jon Wuebben’s new book, Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web comes in.

I have to admit, when I got the review copy of the book in the mail I sort of gritted my teeth.  This did not look like fun reading.

But I'm happy to report that I was wrong.  Wuebben's writing style is engaging and accessible.  Even an absolute novice will be able to follow his train of thought and examples.

The book is written in three parts;

• Part 1 covers the basics of SEO copywriting and lays the groundwork of what search engine optimization copy is, how the web analyzes content and basic keyword analysis tools.
• Part 2 gives you all the options you have on the web from basic web sites, to wikis, newsletters, press releases, blogs, etc.
• Part 3 offers real life examples of SEO copywriting that you can use as templates and guides as you create your own pieces.

Whether you want to be an SEO copywriter by trade or you just want to attract more visitors to your site — this book is worth the read.  There are some excellent case studies and plenty of pointers to put into immediate play.

This is a very practical and pragmatic book.  Lots more how to than theory — which is how it should be.

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What’s your defining sentence?

May 29, 2009

It was excellent — 100+ people showed up and mingled.  A good time was had by all and I'm hoping some new connections were made.

But, as I watched the room I got to thinking.  If each of these people only had one sentence they could utter…what would they say?  Would they fall into the rut of describing their job.  "Hi, I'm Bob and I'm a financial planner."  Or would they have a sentence at the ready to tell us how they're different from all the others in the crowd?

The goal is to pique someone's interest.  To get them to say "tell me more" or to ask a question.

As you might know — my self-intro would be:  "Hi, I'm Drew.  We help businesses create authentic love affairs with their customers."

What would your sentence be?

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How to burn a reporter and a bridge

May 26, 2009

If you have a story to pitch to the media, choose the reporter or media outlet that is best suited for the story. But don’t pitch the same story to competing media or more than reporter at the same media outlet.

Even if you score the story in two places…it will cost you in credibility. And the next time you pick up the phone with a hot lead – the reporter you burned will never bother returning your call.

If you have a story or event that you think is worthy of everyone’s attention – then at least give each station or paper a different angle to cover, so that they all get to report a fresh story.  

Just like any relationship – a relationship with a reporter will quickly sour if you lie or make them look stupid. Remember, the more you help them do their job, the more they can help you do yours.

P.S.  You can substitute the word blogger for reporter and voila, a bit of your blogger outreach program!

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How will you be remembered?

May 25, 2009

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance.  Not just remembering the person but remembering their legacy, their gifts to the world, their community, their family.  We tell stories.  We look at pictures.  We are touched again by these people who have gone before us.

There are moments in time,  like Memorial Day, my 40th birthday, a visit to ground zero in NYC that give me pause.  I get off the merry-go-round long enough to wonder if I am making the right choices and how I will be remembered.

The 9-11 tragedy and the images that now surround ground zero should give us all pause.  The people who died that day started off their morning thinking it was just another day.  Just like we do, every day.

I found myself wondering what they would have done or said differently.  All the things that at the moment mattered — really didn't.

What if it had been you?

• Would you have shouted at the driver who cut you off?
• Would you be at the office and miss saying good night to your son or daughter?
• Would you worry about those five extra pounds?
• Would you panic at this quarter's sales numbers?
• Would you cling to that grudge?
• Would you worry about your blog's ranking?

Who would you think about? What would you do?  What would you say?  Why don't you say it today?

Here's my question for myself this Memorial Day.  And for you. 

How do you want your life to be measured?  What if today was the day?

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
Measure a year?

In daylights – in sunsets
In midnights – in cups of coffee
In inches – in miles
In laughter – in strife

In – five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?

How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Seasons of love
Seasons of love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried
In bridges he burned
Or the way that she died

It's time now – to sing out
Tho' the story never ends
Let's celebrate
Remember a year
In the life of friends

Remember the love
Remember the love
Remember the love
Measure in love

Measure
Measure your life in love
Seasons of love
Seasons of love

Note:  I took all of these photos on Memorial Day '07.  The 5th, 6th & 8th photos are of pictures that hang in the memorial area. (So they are my photos of someone else's photos) The rest are of artifacts in the area.  One of the most striking realizations as you walk around the site is the deep hunger people have to leave notes or messages.  They've written on signage, walls and anywhere they think their voice might be able to linger. 

It's not graffiti, it's grief.

The photos are mine, the lyrics belong to Jonathan Larson from the musical RENT.

 

 

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Five Sales Pitch Fundamentals That Win Business in a Recession (Joey Asher)

May 22, 2009

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…Joey Asher.  Again. Enjoy!

I attended many high school parties where there weren’t enough girls. Competition for dance partners was fierce.  That’s what the marketplace looks like in today’s recession.   New business is scarce. And competition is fierce.

Just as when there aren’t enough dance partners, when business is scarce you need to hone your pitch. In your next sales presentation, focus on five fundamentals to separate yourself from your competition.

Fundamental #1. Present a solution and nothing else.  Many of your competitors start presentations by talking about themselves. “Before we start, let me tell you about how our company began . . .”  Blah. Blah. Blah. Who cares? Your prospect only cares about is how you can save them money, grow their revenues, or reduce their risk. Detail your plan to help your prospect and tell stories about how the plan has worked for others.

Fundamental # 2. Keep it simple.  I watched three construction firms pitch to build a new school. No presentation had less than 10 points. None of the messages were memorable. Instead, you should hammer at three messages. “We’ll build your project on time. We’ll meet your budget. We’ll deliver quality work.” Simplicity separates you from the competition.

Fundamental # 3. Speak with passion. If you’re one of three firms competing, you know that your competition can do a great job. Personal style can be the separator. “When it’s close, many of the decisions just come down to who connects with us best,” one CEO told me.  Passion in the voice helps you connect.

Fundamental #4. Leave half of your time for questions. Questions address your prospect’s hot buttons. Your competition often makes Q&A an afterthought. Avoid that mistake.

Fundamental #5. Rehearse. “I can always tell who has rehearsed,” said one CEO who has heard hundreds of sales presentations. Most people don’t rehearse much. Practicing sets you apart.

In a recession, the pool of new business is small. Focus on fundamentals to grab your share.

Joey Asher is Joey Asher is President of Speechworks, a communication and selling skills coaching firm that has been helping business people communicate more effectively for over 20 years. This post is adapted from Joey Asher’s new book “How to Win a Pitch: The Five Fundamentals that Will Distinguish You from the Competition.  You can also read Joey's blog at Talking Points.

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.

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Word of mouth: Who are your talkers?

May 20, 2009

In Andy Sernovitz's new book on Word of Mouth Marketing (and in his old book too) he talks about the 5 T's of Word of Mouth.  I thought it might be useful for us to dig into each of them over the next week or two.

If you've been wanting to get a bit more viral and work on your word of mouth efforts — you'll be able to use these posts as a guide to drafting a simple WOM marketing action plan.  (download the planning chart)

The first T is Talkers.  Talkers are people who spread the gospel about your product or service.  They're going to tell their friends, co-workers, and other people about you.

The trick is identifying who your talkers really are.  Most people assume it would naturally be their biggest, best customers.  But that's not always the case.  You need to think about your customers and who has a natural tendency to share their experiences with others.

One of the things I really found myself nodding at was when Andy debunked the myth that talkers had to be "influencers" ala Malcom Gladwell's theories in the Tipping Point.  Anyone can be a talker.  Ever had your hair cut?  Man, are those people plugged into what's going on.   Don't think movers and shakers — think natural talkers!

Who might be your talkers?  Don't take this list as gospel — but more of a jump start.

• Employees
• Vendors
• Happy customers
• Reporters
• Bloggers
• Social Networkers
• Passive "free" customers (like the ones who subscribe to your e-newsletter)
• Neighbors
• Active networkers (they have to connect their peeps to someone!)

So what do you think….who are your talkers?

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Logo contest – first drafts of logo submissions

May 18, 2009

As you will recall, thanks to an offer from LogoInn, I was able to offer one lucky reader/company a free logo.  After accepting entries for about a week, we eventually selected Colfax Main Street as our winner.

We're going to go through the entire process here on the blog, so everyone can learn along.  Here's what's happened so far.

• We talked about 5 tips for designing a new logo
• Announced the contest and gave the rules
• Shared a creative brief, with questions you should ask yourself before you start a new logo process
• Colfax Main Street responded to the creative brief…and we shared their answers

So today, we're going to take a look at LogoInn's first round of logo options.  I'm going to reserve my comments for a day or so, to see what you think. 

A reminder — critiquing and asking questions is perfectly fine.  Being rude and getting personal…not so much.  Please be honest, objective and share your opinion.  But be respectful.

Okay….remembering that the entire town was built around their history of supplying mineral water to many bottling companies and visitors — let's see what LogoInn has done.

You can click on the images to see them a little larger.

What do you think?  Remember, these need to reduce down to business cards, lapel pins and who knows what else.  They also need to blow up to outdoor signage, vehicle designs and work in all media from the web to traditional print.

Once we get the final logo design done/selected — we'll delve into color.

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