Employees Archives - Page 5 of 11 - McLellan Marketing Group

Is employee communication really a 2-way street?

April 11, 2009

Your employees are an absolutely critical audience for your organization. No brand promise gets delivered, no customer is delighted and no customer feedback flows back to you — if your employees are not inspired and feel like a vital part of the team.

So how do you make sure all of that happens? Talk to them.

It's human nature to want to be in the know. it eases worry and keeps you from making up stories in your head. Typically most employees believe that their boss could do a better job in the communication department.

Ironically, if you ask the management team (boss, owner) they'll tell you they are huge communicators and the employees know everything they could possibly want to know.

So where lies the truth?

According to a recent survey I read about on MarketingCharts.com, nearly three-fourths (71%) of US communications and human resources professionals in a recent survey say are getting the right amount of information about the current state of their company during the recession, but many would like more opportunities to use social media and have face-to-face communications with company leaders. (all data according to a survey by Heyman Associates Executive Search.)

The survey, which was conducted to gauge the effectiveness of corporate communications in today’s tough economic climate amidst repeated company failures and layoffs, found that 85% of survey respondents say their CEO, among other managers, is communicating with them, though 65% would still like more informal, in-person communication.

CEOs Stepping Up

When asked who in their company is speaking with them about the current state of affairs, respondents overwhelmingly cited their CEO:

85% said their CEO was speaking with them
43% cited their department head
35% cited their direct manager
30% mentioned the CFO
15% cited a human resources representative
5% said no one communicated with them

Among those who say nobody in the company communicates information, some have found out information about their own company in the newspaper, while others tap the grapevine, which they acknowledge is not always reliable.

Need for In-Person Communication, Social Media

Though many respondents are already receiving a large number of electronic and mass communications within their company, the survey uncovered an important need for more in-person communications.

When asked how they would improve the way they receive information about their company, a majority of professionals responded that they would like increased, informal, face-to-face communication. Out of 452 responses:

65% want increased informal in-person communication
50% want increased formal in-person meetings
31% want increased formal written materials

The responses also indicate a desire for more social media because of its interactive nature. Some respondents suggest that an increased mix of in-person communication and social media will create and repeat frequent and trustworthy messages, while others want the communications to better explain how any given situation affects them personally.

So…what do you think? How does your company communicate with you? or if you're the leader — how would you rate your information flow?

What's the most effective method of communicating company news, in your opinion?

Who really owns your social media persona?

March 17, 2009

One of the uncomfortable truths that social media is hoisting upon us is that the clear separation between our personal and professional lives that most of our parents enjoyed during their careers is now nothing more than an illusion, if we even try to keep up the facade.

When I look at my Facebook updates, my Tweets and even my LinkedIn account (not to mention all the other social media hot spots) I see a blend of my old high school friends, my family, my marketing peers and MMG clients.

So when I tweet about my never-ending cough or my daughter's latest role in the school play…my clients see it. And when I have my most recent blog post or a link to a marketing article appear on my Facebook newsfeed…my high school friend the chef sees it. There's no way to keep the two apart.

For me, because I own my agency, that reality is pretty comfortable. I'm mindful of it, but it doesn't change all that much for me. After all, people are going to associate me, Drew, with McLellan Marketing Group no matter what.

But here's what I am wondering. If you are employed by someone else — do they in essence own a part of your social media persona? Aren't you (despite any disclaimer language) representing your employer just as much as you the person when you tweet, blog or update a status?

Does your boss want you posting weekend party pictures to your Flickr account?
Should you be playing "Pimp Fight" on Facebook when you know that some of your friends are also "friends" of your company?
Do your blog posts (again, regardless of the disclaimer) reflect on your boss or company as much as on you?
When you drop an F bomb in a Tweet, do you think your boss has the right to wince?

What do you think?

Do you think employee manuals of the future will have "social media guidelines?" Do you think your boss has a right to censor your social media activity? Do you think you have an obligation to do so?

Interesting stuff, eh?

Update: Check out this post from Phil Gerbyshak about employers watching what employees are saying.

Which customer service example are you?

February 6, 2009

When I was a kid, I loved Highlights Magazine. My favorite feature was Goofus and Gallant.

If you're over 30, you remember that it was a side by side comparison of two boys and their behavior. So it might say….

Goofus gets up from the dinner table and goes into his room to listen to the radio. Gallant helps his mom clear the table before pursuing his hobbies. (remember, I was a kid a long, long time ago).

I had my own grown-up Goofus and Gallant experience this week.

Goofus: As part of a mystery shopping exercise for our regional bank client, I went into a local bank (not our client's) to open a checking account. I was in business attire, it was the middle of the afternoon and there were no other customers in the bank. I walked in and looked around for a brochure rack, so I could figure out what checking account to open. I'd been in the lobby a good 3-4 minutes before one of the bankers said hello.

I approached her and said I wanted to open a checking account. She handed me a form on a clipboard (like the doctor's office does) and told me to fill it out. (I was told to sit in the lobby) When I was done, I brought it back and she led me into her office. We spent the next 10-15 minutes with the printer popping out forms and me signing docs. During that time, she did not:

Ask my name
Introduce herself
Give me her business card
Tell me about the other features of the bank
Ask about my other banking needs
Get my e-mail address so they could stay in touch
Appear to give a rat's rear end about me, my business, my family or my finances

She did however, mention how much she hates the cold weather and was tired.

On the flip side of the coin…..

Gallant: I am volunteering for a local charity telethon in a couple weeks. I should have ordered the team t-shirts weeks ago but of course, I hadn't. The team I'm leading always wants screaming bright t-shirts, so I did a Google search and found CustomInk. I went to their site…found some vivid purple shirts, uploaded the charity's logo (paid for rush shipping because I am a moron for waiting so long) and voila, my order was done.

I got a call in the morning (of course, I ordered the shirts in the middle of the night) from one of their production artists, asking if we had the logo in a different format because they thought it would reproduce better. If not, they'd try to re-create it for us. (At no charge) I sent him the new format and thought we were all set.

Then, later that same day, I receive an e-mail from a one of their customer service folks (Laney) who says…"it looks like you have designed shirts for a charity event. If that's the case, CustomInk would love to make a small donation to your team or charity on your behalf."

Holy cow. I spent less than $200 on shirts and they want to make a donation? I sent her an e-mail to say thank you and shared the link so she could read about the telethon. Next thing I know…Laney's picked up the phone, spoken to one of the charity's employees and made a $20 donation. The e-mail telling me she'd done that…referenced the charity staff by name and was a bit apologetic that they could only donate $20. And, she shared with me a program where they'll take fifty cents off each shirt, if they can put their logo on the back of the shirt as a sponsor for any future orders we might have.

Wow.

If I had said to you…which business could profit more from me, over time, you'd guess the bank, true? If we'd guess who received more on the job training, odds are we'd guess the bank employee. If we wondered which business should be more prone to great customer service — the local bank or the online t-shirt shop, I'm guessing we'd have said the bank.

Guess which business just got a raving fan and who is going to make a lot of money from me over time?

I wouldn't guess the bank, would you?

If you had to guess how a brand new customer would be treated by your staff — would you think they're a Goofus or a Gallant? Are you sure?

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.

What are your employees trained to watch for?

November 3, 2008

I’m in LA for a conference. So naturally, I went to Disneyland over the weekend.

I was waiting for the parade to start and I was standing next to a couple in their mid-50’s, Bill and Ellen. (It’s amazing what you learn when you evesdrop a little!) It was Bill’s birthday and he was wearing a button (provided by Disney) that announced the fact.

I had positioned myself along the parade route in one of the spots where the floats stop and do little mini shows. Once the parade started, I witnessed an amazing thing.

If you’ve ever been to a Disney parade, you know that the cast members go out of their way to interact with the street crowd, especially the kids. They wave, point, smile, etc. It’s a rare person in the parade crowd that does not feel acknowledged.

The first float in the parade was carrying the Peter Pan crowd. Peter was "driving" and he noticed Bill’s button – waved and mouthed…"happy birthday." I thought…wow, impressive.

By the time the parade was done, Bill had been wished a happy birthday by at least 10 parade entertainers. Whether they were a dancer in the Lion King, Peter Pan himself, Belle, or one of the dwarves…Bill had to feel as though the parade was in reality a birthday celebration for him.

Do you suppose that happened by accident? Hardly. Those cast members were trained to look for those buttons and make the wearer feel special. That’s one of the details that brings the Disney brand to life.

How about your brand? What are your employees trained to look for? It doesn’t have to be a physical sign, like a button. Maybe it’s a customer who seems frustrated. Or a change in an ordering pattern. Or perhaps they express a concern repeatedly.

The point is….what have you trained them to watch for? And how have you trained them to react to that?

Build your brand: First Day rituals

October 26, 2008

There are many stress filled days on the job. But for many people, their first day at the new gig ranks right up there. Why not take the opportunity to really seed your company’s brand with the new employee from day one?

Sure, they need to fill out the paperwork and do all the normal HR stuff. But that doesn’t mean you can’t communicate your brand loud and clear, above the din of payroll forms!

At McLellan Marketing Group, we’ve created an entire system for welcoming a new employee. But my favorite part of the process is that every new employee receives a copy of Steve Farber’s book Radical Leap – with a personal note from me inside.

The book is about Extreme Leadership – a leadership fable that celebrates love, energy and being audacious in the workplace. It is about how we try to live at MMG.

I can’t think of a better way to accent that first day and to communicate – this is a different sort of place. We’re glad you’re going to be a part of it.

How about you? What on boarding ritual could you weave into your new employee’s experience? What message would you want to send?

5 marketing musts during a recession (with tactics included!)

October 15, 2008

I understand the lure of just hunkering down and waiting out the economic lull. And I know you’re probably tired of hearing this….but if you are smart — this is a huge opportunity for you to capture market share and solidify your position in the marketplace.

Please do not sit this one out. And I’m not even going to tell you not to cut prices or cut your budget, because we’ve beat that horse to death!

110% consistency: The buyers are already jumpy. Don’t give them any reason to mistrust or doubt you. Live and breathe your brand integrity. Don’t do or say anything that contradicts your brand.

Tactics:

Review your brand values with each and every employee
Refresh your website to put your brand promise front and center
Ask your employees for ideas on how to bring your brand to life. Pay $50 for every idea used. Make that very public knowledge.

Love on your current customers: They’re the most likely to buy again and they are also most likely the audience you’ve ignored. Now is the time to appreciate them, remind them why they trusted you in the first place and over service them.

Tactics:

Do a customer only mailing, spotlighting some of your best offerings at their best prices
Hold a customer appreciation party and say "thank you" repeatedly
Offer a pre-payment discount (you get cash up front and their commitment to follow through)

Give it away: Demonstrate to the world that you believe in abundance by giving away some of your product or services to a worthy non-profit. But don’t do a drive by. Partner with them for the long haul and work your PR magic.

Tactics:

Give your employees a voice in which charity you partner with
Be smart – choose a charity that has an influential board of directors and make a point of being at those meetings to share your expertise
Trade your products or services for an event sponsorship so you get publicity for your efforts

Listen, respond, repeat: Now is not the time to be ignoring the marketplace. You need to be listening to your customers, your competitor’s customers and anyone else who is out there talking about your industry.

Tactics:

Do a customer survey (while you are at it, do a past customer survey)
Set up Google alerts
Jump into conversations about your industry and offer value

Use content marketing: You’re good at what you do. You want your prospects and customers to be successful. Why not position yourself as the expert by sharing your expertise?

Tactics:

Create an e-newsletter (don’t start it if you aren’t going to consistently create/deliver it)
Build a robust How To series for your website
Launch a business blog (again…don’t start it if you aren’t serious about keeping at it)

What do you think? Most of these tactics will not cost you an arm or even a leg. And I’ll let you in on a little secret — they’re pretty effective, even when we’re not facing snug times.

What can you add to the list? What’s working for you that you can share with the rest of us?

Who is turning off your customers? (a marketing lesson from Maggie the mostly lab)

October 13, 2008

There's a new member of the McLellan family. Maggie the mostly lab puppy. When you get a new baby, you need to take her to the doctor, right?

Our old vet is great, but 20 minutes away. And the last time I was there, we had to put our 13 year old lab to sleep. So, I thought maybe it was time to try someone new.

I got a reference from a co-worker. Word of mouth — check. This was going to work out perfectly.

I walk in to the clinic and I am acknowledged by Michael. It wasn't really a greeting. More like a non verbal sigh. So Michael leads Maggie and me into one of the exam rooms and begins to run through the intake questions.

We were in the room together for about 10 minutes, with Maggie sitting on the exam table. Michael never stopped to pet her or even greet her. He didn't say she was cute or sweet or even how lucky she was to be rescued from a shelter. It was like she wasn't even there. And if you've been around an 8 week old puppy — they're a little tough to miss. I don't know anyone who can resist a puppy. But do I want the guy who can providing care for my dog?

Total turn off. I called the old vet from the exam room as soon as he left.

When we got to the old vet's and the front desk tech (who I did not recognize or know) squealed "look at the adorable puppy!" I knew I'd made the right call. I didn't just want a competent vet. I wanted a clinic where they'll love her. Or at least scratch her behind the ears a bit.

Do your employees squeal when they see a prospect walk in the door? Do they give them a good scratch?

Do you actually have any idea what happens when your customer or prospect walks in your front door? Or calls? Or e-mails? Do you have an employee who doesn't share your passion or vision? Do your employees know how you want your clients to be greeted or welcomed?

Do you know if they're turning off your customers?

Need to boost sales?

September 4, 2008

I hope you’ll forgive me because on the surface this seems incredibly obvious. But I’ve found that the more obvious something is, often times the more often we ignore it completely.

Are you frustrated with your sales results? Feeling dazed from repeatedly running into the same brick wall over and over?

What are you measuring?

1) Are you creating a daily sales plan? Do you know who you’re going to call/contact when you walk in the door in the morning? My good friend Cory Garrison says if not, you might as well head back to the coffee shop for another cup.

2) Are you taking the time to only pursue those potential customers who would be a perfect (or near perfect) fit with your company?

3) Are you setting and posting in a very public way, your sales goals for the month? I have to say, I resisted this one for years. It felt money-centric and somehow I had it in my head that it was incongruent with our client-centric focus. But the minute we defined specific sales numbers by month, we paid more attention, sped up our internal billing process and increased our average month’s revenue. All because we paid attention.

What’s that expression? You get what you measure.

Are you measuring your sales every day via a daily plan
Are you measuring who/what the perfect customer is for you and carefully aiming for them?
Are you measuring monthly sales goals?

How did measuring what matters to you change your sales cycle?

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