Persistence is an important trait for leaders to cultivate, but it has its downside. Remember that the best leaders know when to pull the plug on a project or process. Sometimes it takes more courage to back down and admit you're not going to succeed than to keep charging ahead in futility, wasting time and money on initiatives that have little chance of success.
Don't let your passion -- or your ego -- prevent you from knowing when to cut your losses. Brave leaders quit when they see it's time to move forward in a different direction.
Source: Applicant Web site in Leading for Business
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Stick to your guns when communicating during tenuous economic times
The state of the economy is still uncertain, but your responsibility to provide steady leadership to your workforce is never in doubt. use thee guidelines to communicate the right message to your employees.
1. Remain consistent. Don't shift direction according to the day's news, good or bad. Whether you're announcing successes or setbacks, use your message to reinforce your organizations's vision and values.
2. Be positive but honest. Don't ignore real problems when communicating to your workforce. Employees can usually sense insincerity or waffling -- they follow the news too. Give them the proper context for whatever bad news you have to shire, and trust that they can take the truth like adults.
3. Don't overact to circumstance. Thought it's difficult to stay calm when things go wrong, lashing our blindly will sink employee's confidence in your leadership. You don;t have to respond to every problem with an instant solution. Take the time to assess the situation, and choose your words and actions carefully.
4. Stay involved with your people. A crisis is the wrong time to pull back and grow detached from the lives of your workforce,. Yes, you ay be tempted to withdraw and spare yourself the pain of delivering bad news to people you care about, but they'll pick up in your reticence and may start withholding their energy and support in response.
Source: Leading for Results, Adapted from the CareerBuilder Web site
1. Remain consistent. Don't shift direction according to the day's news, good or bad. Whether you're announcing successes or setbacks, use your message to reinforce your organizations's vision and values.
2. Be positive but honest. Don't ignore real problems when communicating to your workforce. Employees can usually sense insincerity or waffling -- they follow the news too. Give them the proper context for whatever bad news you have to shire, and trust that they can take the truth like adults.
3. Don't overact to circumstance. Thought it's difficult to stay calm when things go wrong, lashing our blindly will sink employee's confidence in your leadership. You don;t have to respond to every problem with an instant solution. Take the time to assess the situation, and choose your words and actions carefully.
4. Stay involved with your people. A crisis is the wrong time to pull back and grow detached from the lives of your workforce,. Yes, you ay be tempted to withdraw and spare yourself the pain of delivering bad news to people you care about, but they'll pick up in your reticence and may start withholding their energy and support in response.
Source: Leading for Results, Adapted from the CareerBuilder Web site
Friday, December 11, 2009
Survive a Recession and Build Your Sales
Work on a plan of attack -- as if you were a great general leading your forces into battle, remember: Wars are won in tents. Write down your goals and prepare a written action plan.
Source: The resources dwelling within them -- Richard E. Byrd
Source: The resources dwelling within them -- Richard E. Byrd
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Top 20 Countdown of Miscellaneous Thoughts…
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. (AMEN!)
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever..
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
Source: Hal Williams, Dahlonega, Georgia
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. (AMEN!)
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever..
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste
17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?
19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..
20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
Source: Hal Williams, Dahlonega, Georgia
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Twitter for E-mail Marketers
Earlier this year, Google CEO Eric Schmidt referred to Twitter as the "poor man's e-mail system." So, what does Twitter have in common with e-mail, and how can e-mail marketers use it?
Like e-mail, Twitter is a messaging system that allows you to reach customers directly and gives them the ability to reply or forward (retweet) your message to others. Twitter is permission based. People follow, unfollow, or block you (similar to subscribing for e-mail).
What's different: Twitter messages are (mostly) in public view, not personalized and limited to 140 characters. It's also fleeting. I haven't seen studies, but my attention span is much shorter with Twitter than e-mail. I think time will show that Twitter can have great reach (especially retweets to reach prospects), but not have the same relationship building depth as e-mail.
Use Twitter for Community, Brand, and Business
Two clients that provide good examples of business tweeting are Whole Foods Market and Southwest Airlines.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods uses social media to make its brand feel more local. In addition to its corporate Twitter account with nearly 1.5 million followers, it also has a slew of local Twitter pages. The company also indexes these local pages on its Web site. These create a much more personalized experience, as these tweets from my local store show:
Suffer from Inflammation? Know someone that does? Join us in our Cafe at 7pm for a FREE Health Talk on Nutrition for Inflammation!
Fall is here! And our Fuji Apples are on sale for $1.99/lb! Try this amazing recipe for Pumpkin Apple Pie! http://tinyurl.com/pumpapple
Looking for a new friend? Friends of the Oakland Animal Shelter has some cute & furry pals lookin' for a home at our store today! 11-2pm!
We're running out of our Millenium Kombucha! Today it's buy 1, get 1 FREE! Same goes for full cases! Hurry on down!
Local tweet topics include store events, fresh produce that is seasonal by region, limited inventory items, and local charities. Being local is about product and community.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest stays true to its brand with the various Southwest associates who post on behalf of the company on Twitter. The land of the free drink ticket keeps it fun with contests like these tweets:
To celebrate our new in-flight wine selection, tell us why "You'd Rather Be Drinking Wine than Working" #wineswa http://bit.ly/4sGoz0 8:12 AM from CoTweet
Let's start Monday off right! Who's ready to win a trip to Napa, courtesy of Southwest and @napamarriott? http://bit.ly/4sGoz0 #wineswa 8:09 AM from CoTweet
Twitter Versus Facebook
In the ClickZ column "Twitter Surpasses Facebook as Top Link in E-mail", Bill McCloskey cited a Wet Paint study showing that companies with the highest social media activity increased revenue by 18 percent in the last 12 months, while least-active companies saw a 6 percent drop in sales.
I found this correlation between company growth and adoption of social media when comparing airlines' social media activities. The fastest-growing airlines (Southwest and JetBlue) are the ones with strong social presence on Facebook and Twitter.
In the column, "To-Do List for Facebook and E-mail Integration," I explained how to integrate Facebook with e-mail. Twitter is a different animal to integrate. Its 140-character limit and low-barrier application make it a more mobile phenomenon. Eighty percent of Twitter usage occurs on mobile devices.
Twitter for Business: Your Quick-Start Guide
Register your name. Beware of squatters, just like domains in the '90s. I registered twitter.com/GapMaternity in less than 30 seconds. If you registered a URL, then register the Twitter username. (If you work at the Gap, contact me. I'll turn it over. Everyone else, don't let this happen to you.)
Learn. Monitor how leading companies like Dell, Zappos, and SouthwestAir are using Twitter.
Listen to what Tweeters are saying about you. Many third-party Twitter readers, such as TweetDeck, will highlight Tweets that include your Twitter handle (example: @SouthwestAir), but you can also keeping a running search page open at Twitter Search. Refresh it periodically.
Plan for success. Define your goals and objectives. Dedicate one or more staffers to monitor and participate in conversations. Once customers find you on Twitter, many will use it for questions or comments. Think of staffing the way you do for inbound e-mail, but with an advantage: because questions are mostly public, you answer once for all like a forum. For marketing tweets, set up conversion tracking like you would for e-mail.
Create "shareworthy" content. What content could be exclusive to your Twitter channel? Understand what's useful, entertaining, or has perceived value. Make it easy to share or follow.
Integrate your Twitter efforts with marketing efforts in other channels, including e-mail. Promote your Twitter URL on your Web site, in e-mail messages, and other marketing materials. Explain the benefits of following you (such as insider info, special deals, advance sale notice, or flight delays). Promote this page just like you would an e-mail signup page.
Encourage subscribers to share your e-mail messages with their networks ("Share with your network," or SWYN). Explain what's in it for them. Don't just post links in an e-mail message. Make it easy to tweet and retweet.
Use customer tweets in your e-mail program, just as you would use some customer reviews.
Twitter Can Humanize Your Brand
When Twitter co-founder Biz Stone was asked about Eric Schmidt's comments, he replied that Twitter has some similarities to e-mail products but is really for discovering and sharing what is happening right now.
"We think it's important to introduce the power of a real-time network to even the weakest of signals around the world - as Twitter grows, we realize it's not about the triumph of technology, it's about the triumph of humanity," he said.
Use that insight in your Twitter program, your e-mail program and every other cross-channel program you have. Time to humanize your brand!
Source: Multibrief -- By Ed Henrich, ClickZ, Oct 15, 2009
Like e-mail, Twitter is a messaging system that allows you to reach customers directly and gives them the ability to reply or forward (retweet) your message to others. Twitter is permission based. People follow, unfollow, or block you (similar to subscribing for e-mail).
What's different: Twitter messages are (mostly) in public view, not personalized and limited to 140 characters. It's also fleeting. I haven't seen studies, but my attention span is much shorter with Twitter than e-mail. I think time will show that Twitter can have great reach (especially retweets to reach prospects), but not have the same relationship building depth as e-mail.
Use Twitter for Community, Brand, and Business
Two clients that provide good examples of business tweeting are Whole Foods Market and Southwest Airlines.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods uses social media to make its brand feel more local. In addition to its corporate Twitter account with nearly 1.5 million followers, it also has a slew of local Twitter pages. The company also indexes these local pages on its Web site. These create a much more personalized experience, as these tweets from my local store show:
Suffer from Inflammation? Know someone that does? Join us in our Cafe at 7pm for a FREE Health Talk on Nutrition for Inflammation!
Fall is here! And our Fuji Apples are on sale for $1.99/lb! Try this amazing recipe for Pumpkin Apple Pie! http://tinyurl.com/pumpapple
Looking for a new friend? Friends of the Oakland Animal Shelter has some cute & furry pals lookin' for a home at our store today! 11-2pm!
We're running out of our Millenium Kombucha! Today it's buy 1, get 1 FREE! Same goes for full cases! Hurry on down!
Local tweet topics include store events, fresh produce that is seasonal by region, limited inventory items, and local charities. Being local is about product and community.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest stays true to its brand with the various Southwest associates who post on behalf of the company on Twitter. The land of the free drink ticket keeps it fun with contests like these tweets:
To celebrate our new in-flight wine selection, tell us why "You'd Rather Be Drinking Wine than Working" #wineswa http://bit.ly/4sGoz0 8:12 AM from CoTweet
Let's start Monday off right! Who's ready to win a trip to Napa, courtesy of Southwest and @napamarriott? http://bit.ly/4sGoz0 #wineswa 8:09 AM from CoTweet
Twitter Versus Facebook
In the ClickZ column "Twitter Surpasses Facebook as Top Link in E-mail", Bill McCloskey cited a Wet Paint study showing that companies with the highest social media activity increased revenue by 18 percent in the last 12 months, while least-active companies saw a 6 percent drop in sales.
I found this correlation between company growth and adoption of social media when comparing airlines' social media activities. The fastest-growing airlines (Southwest and JetBlue) are the ones with strong social presence on Facebook and Twitter.
In the column, "To-Do List for Facebook and E-mail Integration," I explained how to integrate Facebook with e-mail. Twitter is a different animal to integrate. Its 140-character limit and low-barrier application make it a more mobile phenomenon. Eighty percent of Twitter usage occurs on mobile devices.
Twitter for Business: Your Quick-Start Guide
Register your name. Beware of squatters, just like domains in the '90s. I registered twitter.com/GapMaternity in less than 30 seconds. If you registered a URL, then register the Twitter username. (If you work at the Gap, contact me. I'll turn it over. Everyone else, don't let this happen to you.)
Learn. Monitor how leading companies like Dell, Zappos, and SouthwestAir are using Twitter.
Listen to what Tweeters are saying about you. Many third-party Twitter readers, such as TweetDeck, will highlight Tweets that include your Twitter handle (example: @SouthwestAir), but you can also keeping a running search page open at Twitter Search. Refresh it periodically.
Plan for success. Define your goals and objectives. Dedicate one or more staffers to monitor and participate in conversations. Once customers find you on Twitter, many will use it for questions or comments. Think of staffing the way you do for inbound e-mail, but with an advantage: because questions are mostly public, you answer once for all like a forum. For marketing tweets, set up conversion tracking like you would for e-mail.
Create "shareworthy" content. What content could be exclusive to your Twitter channel? Understand what's useful, entertaining, or has perceived value. Make it easy to share or follow.
Integrate your Twitter efforts with marketing efforts in other channels, including e-mail. Promote your Twitter URL on your Web site, in e-mail messages, and other marketing materials. Explain the benefits of following you (such as insider info, special deals, advance sale notice, or flight delays). Promote this page just like you would an e-mail signup page.
Encourage subscribers to share your e-mail messages with their networks ("Share with your network," or SWYN). Explain what's in it for them. Don't just post links in an e-mail message. Make it easy to tweet and retweet.
Use customer tweets in your e-mail program, just as you would use some customer reviews.
Twitter Can Humanize Your Brand
When Twitter co-founder Biz Stone was asked about Eric Schmidt's comments, he replied that Twitter has some similarities to e-mail products but is really for discovering and sharing what is happening right now.
"We think it's important to introduce the power of a real-time network to even the weakest of signals around the world - as Twitter grows, we realize it's not about the triumph of technology, it's about the triumph of humanity," he said.
Use that insight in your Twitter program, your e-mail program and every other cross-channel program you have. Time to humanize your brand!
Source: Multibrief -- By Ed Henrich, ClickZ, Oct 15, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Survive a Recession and Build Your Sales
Believe there is an answer -- be convinced that other have won in all kinds of difficult situation and are still winning, You can too.
Source: 16 Ways to Survive a Recession and Build Your Sales by Toni Harkins
Source: 16 Ways to Survive a Recession and Build Your Sales by Toni Harkins
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Are you recession proof?
59% of Americans say the recession has affected their 2009 vacation plans. 31% are cutting back on the number of hotel nights; 27% plan to cut out airfare.
Source: Bigresearch.com
Source: Bigresearch.com
Friday, September 25, 2009
Five E-mail Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
Not paying enough attention to your e-mail marketing effort can lose you customers and compromise selling opportunities. While e-mail marketing is a great way to stay in contact with your customers, if handled badly it also has the power to ruin the relationship. You’ll respect your customers and get the most out of your e-mail marketing efforts by avoiding these five critical mistakes:
1. No Opt-out Clause
The U.S. CAN-SPAM Act 2003 requires that your commercial e-mails contain an unsubscribe link making it easy for a list member to unsubscribe from your e-mails. It also makes good business sense.
To avoid your e-mail being perceived as spam, make sure that every outgoing e-mail contains an opt-out link that the recipient can click to unsubscribe from the list. Make sure that the link works and make sure that the system is in place for managing the process effectively. Respecting your list members by doing this is a way of saying that you care about your business and your relationship with your customers.
2. Make Subscribing Too Difficult
Don't just make it easy to unsubscribe - make it easy to subscribe, too. If you don’t absolutely need certain information from subscribers, then don't ask for it. I have bypassed signing up for many an e-mail list because it required me to provide information I’m not comfortable providing just for the privilege of receiving a marketing e-mail, and I’m not alone.
You need to find a balance between the information that you ask subscribers to provide (knowing that the more that you ask for, the less likely it is that they will sign up) with your desire to build a quality list that not only helps you market your business but also, over time, develops into a valuable business asset.
3. E-mail Too Much or Not Enough
This is a Catch 22 problem. If you e-mail too often you run the risk of being perceived as a nuisance by your subscribers, and people may unsubscribe because there’s simply too much e-mail from you.
On the other hand, if you do not e-mail your subscribers often enough there’s a chance that they will forget that they subscribed to the list, and you may find yourself fielding questions as to why you’re sending them e-mails.
Whatever you do in terms of frequency of e-mailing always honor any statement that you made to the person when they signed up for your list. If you promised monthly e-mails then you should send out e-mails each month, not every two weeks.
If you’re going to increase the frequency of your e-mails, create a second list for new signups and only e-mail at the new frequency to the new list participants. Offer existing subscribers a means to move to the new lists but don't change how you e-mail them without their permission to do so.
4. No Feedback
If you don’t know what your list generates in the way of business, then you really have no way of knowing if your e-mails are a total waste of your time – for both you and your subscribers.
Good e-mail lists have tracking built into them so that you can analyze the response to your e-mail messages. At a minimum you should know how many people received your e-mail, how many e-mails bounced back, how many were actually opened and which links were clicked and how often.
Analyzing this information lets you target your e-mails better in future. For example, if no one clicks on a particular link, perhaps that link is in the wrong place in the e-mail or perhaps it just isn't interesting enough. Consider moving the content elsewhere or rewording the link and see if that gives better results. Analyzing your e-mail success helps you create e-mails that are more likely to sell.
5. No Added Value
If you’re reading this article, it’s a fair bet that you have an e-commerce site. But that doesn’t mean that all your efforts should be toward selling to your customer in a direct way. Your e-mail newsletter should be informative as well as a selling vehicle. Use your e-mails to inform your customers about your products, how to use them and how to maximize their use as well as to advise customers about special offers or new products.
An e-mail newsletter that combines information and a sales pitch is more likely to be opened and read on a regular basis than one that contains only the sales pitch.
Remember too that you don’t have to provide all the content in your e-mail message. You can include a few descriptive sentences and then place the rest of the article or story on your Web site or blog and link to that. This will help you get feedback as to how attractive these informative elements are to your readership as you can track who clicks the links.
Everyone who signed up to receive your e-mail newsletter has made a commitment to you and your business. They’ve said they want to receive information from you, and they trust you to provide it to them the way you said you would when they signed up.
Make sure that you honor the agreement. Provide your list subscribers with regular, informative content as well as offers that are relevant to them. Make sure to respect the relationship you have with your customers, and use your e-mail list to build a quality, long-term relationship with your customers.
Source -- MultiView, Helen Bradley is a respected international journalist writing regularly for small business and computer publications in the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK and Australia. You can learn more about her at her Web site, HelenBradley.com
1. No Opt-out Clause
The U.S. CAN-SPAM Act 2003 requires that your commercial e-mails contain an unsubscribe link making it easy for a list member to unsubscribe from your e-mails. It also makes good business sense.
To avoid your e-mail being perceived as spam, make sure that every outgoing e-mail contains an opt-out link that the recipient can click to unsubscribe from the list. Make sure that the link works and make sure that the system is in place for managing the process effectively. Respecting your list members by doing this is a way of saying that you care about your business and your relationship with your customers.
2. Make Subscribing Too Difficult
Don't just make it easy to unsubscribe - make it easy to subscribe, too. If you don’t absolutely need certain information from subscribers, then don't ask for it. I have bypassed signing up for many an e-mail list because it required me to provide information I’m not comfortable providing just for the privilege of receiving a marketing e-mail, and I’m not alone.
You need to find a balance between the information that you ask subscribers to provide (knowing that the more that you ask for, the less likely it is that they will sign up) with your desire to build a quality list that not only helps you market your business but also, over time, develops into a valuable business asset.
3. E-mail Too Much or Not Enough
This is a Catch 22 problem. If you e-mail too often you run the risk of being perceived as a nuisance by your subscribers, and people may unsubscribe because there’s simply too much e-mail from you.
On the other hand, if you do not e-mail your subscribers often enough there’s a chance that they will forget that they subscribed to the list, and you may find yourself fielding questions as to why you’re sending them e-mails.
Whatever you do in terms of frequency of e-mailing always honor any statement that you made to the person when they signed up for your list. If you promised monthly e-mails then you should send out e-mails each month, not every two weeks.
If you’re going to increase the frequency of your e-mails, create a second list for new signups and only e-mail at the new frequency to the new list participants. Offer existing subscribers a means to move to the new lists but don't change how you e-mail them without their permission to do so.
4. No Feedback
If you don’t know what your list generates in the way of business, then you really have no way of knowing if your e-mails are a total waste of your time – for both you and your subscribers.
Good e-mail lists have tracking built into them so that you can analyze the response to your e-mail messages. At a minimum you should know how many people received your e-mail, how many e-mails bounced back, how many were actually opened and which links were clicked and how often.
Analyzing this information lets you target your e-mails better in future. For example, if no one clicks on a particular link, perhaps that link is in the wrong place in the e-mail or perhaps it just isn't interesting enough. Consider moving the content elsewhere or rewording the link and see if that gives better results. Analyzing your e-mail success helps you create e-mails that are more likely to sell.
5. No Added Value
If you’re reading this article, it’s a fair bet that you have an e-commerce site. But that doesn’t mean that all your efforts should be toward selling to your customer in a direct way. Your e-mail newsletter should be informative as well as a selling vehicle. Use your e-mails to inform your customers about your products, how to use them and how to maximize their use as well as to advise customers about special offers or new products.
An e-mail newsletter that combines information and a sales pitch is more likely to be opened and read on a regular basis than one that contains only the sales pitch.
Remember too that you don’t have to provide all the content in your e-mail message. You can include a few descriptive sentences and then place the rest of the article or story on your Web site or blog and link to that. This will help you get feedback as to how attractive these informative elements are to your readership as you can track who clicks the links.
Everyone who signed up to receive your e-mail newsletter has made a commitment to you and your business. They’ve said they want to receive information from you, and they trust you to provide it to them the way you said you would when they signed up.
Make sure that you honor the agreement. Provide your list subscribers with regular, informative content as well as offers that are relevant to them. Make sure to respect the relationship you have with your customers, and use your e-mail list to build a quality, long-term relationship with your customers.
Source -- MultiView, Helen Bradley is a respected international journalist writing regularly for small business and computer publications in the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK and Australia. You can learn more about her at her Web site, HelenBradley.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
How to Mange with Questions
The art of management often involves asking questions. Lots of them. Here's a list of ten questions to ask as you travel throughout your organization. If you ask these questions as part of your routine, you'll teach your people that their opinions matter.
1. What made you mad today?
2. What took too long?
3. What caused complaints today?
4. What was misunderstoofd today?
5. What cost too much?
6. What was wasted?
7. What was too complicated?
8. What was just plain silly?
9. What job involved too many pople?
10. What job involved too many actions?
Source: The Manager's Intelligence Adapted from TeleProfessional
1. What made you mad today?
2. What took too long?
3. What caused complaints today?
4. What was misunderstoofd today?
5. What cost too much?
6. What was wasted?
7. What was too complicated?
8. What was just plain silly?
9. What job involved too many pople?
10. What job involved too many actions?
Source: The Manager's Intelligence Adapted from TeleProfessional
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Travel with Grandparents
And, 54% of the 70 Million are under age 65 according to Grandparents.com. They will spend $2 trillion in 2009 including $52 billion spent on their grandchildren. They will also spend $77 billion on travel.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
What People Are Saying
It's critical to know what people are saying about your hotel, attraction, restaurant, destination, etc. A good resource is to use Google Alert. Daily emails give you a snapshot of both good and bad. It's critical to respond to negative news to help correct problems. Otherwise it could snowball.
-- Post From My iPhone
-- Post From My iPhone
Friday, August 21, 2009
PUT THE "F" BACK INTO SOCIAL MEDIA AND FACEBOOK
BOSTON — “What is social media?” was simply a working title for Jim Delaney of Activate Sports during his recent presentation on the complex web of Facebook friend requests and Twitter status updates.
A more appropriate title, according to Delaney, would place a certain four-letter word in front of the phrase “social media,” prefaced with the preposition “the.” That title is too brash for these pages, but it does reflect the confusion many marketers face trying to make sure their social networking efforts are actually, ummm, working.
These days, those just coming on to the social networking scene are one step behind. Those just figuring out how to create a fan page or the meaning of ‘retweet’ have to play catch up with marketers who are working to develop a coherent strategy. The days of simply doing it, just for the sake of doing it, are so 2008.
“Throwing up a Facebook and Twitter page with posts from the office intern is not social media marketing,” said Delaney, contradicting the advice many marketers were giving out just one or two years back. The strategy, Delaney advised, is not to try and be everywhere at once. Instead, decide what social media sites best fit your customer demographic, develop a cohesive social networking strategy and then give it everything you’ve got.
Below are Delaney’s top 10 recommendations for developing a coherent social networking strategy.
1) IF NOTHING ELSE, GET IN THE GAME EARLY TO PROTECT YOUR BRAND
Delaney recommends registering your company’s trademarked name on as many social networking sites as possible. It’s common for ticket scalpers and other miscreants to register venues and artist names as a means to divert traffic onto resale sites. Delaney said sites like namechk.com allow users to check for name availability across a broad spectrum of social networking sites.
2) BUILD YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FORTS
“Make sure you have a solid structure and plan in place to dedicate the proper resources to correctly develop a social networking strategy,” Delaney said. Once you know what resources you have at your disposal, begin strengthening the outlets you have in place.
3) GET A SCOUT IF YOU’RE LOST
IAAM and groups like the Event and Arena Marketing Conference are increasingly developing new educational tools for event professionals. Sites like mashable.com are great news sources for all things Twitter and Facebook.
4) BE READY FOR THE PARTY BEFORE INVITING ANYONE OVER
Before you start inviting people to follow you on Facebook or Twitter, make sure your profiles have a custom look and personality. Also, make sure you know the unique language of each social realm... before you start speaking.
5) GET SOCIAL AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO START CONVERSATIONS
A common misnomer regarding social media is that sites like Twitter are simply a means of broadcasting one’s thoughts to the world. Incorrect, Delaney said. Sites like Twitter and Facebook are for communicating directly with the customer, and an opportunity to build a free database of passionate fans.
6) OBAMA-FY YOUR MARKETING
President Barack Obama attributes much of his electoral success to his early use of multiple social networking platforms, and much has been written about his use of technology. Just as military generals study Sun Tzu’s “Art of War,” serious social marketers should bone up on their 2008 Presidential Election case studies.
7) DON’T BURY THE LEAD
Make sure to promote your social media links prominently on your website and via in-venue assets. Remember: You need to invite people to your party.
8) MONITOR THE CONVERSATIONS
Utilize free analytics tools such as Google Alerts, TweetReach and others to listen to what fans are saying about your venue and artists. Seek out new opportunities to connect.
9) REMEMBER — IT’S OK TO RESPOND
“People are talking about you, so don’t be afraid to talk back,” said Delaney, who recalled the bobblehead-gate episode that unfolded for Boston Red Sox owner John Henry.
Shortly after his wedding at Fenway Park, rumors began to swirl that Henry had given out tacky-looking bobbleheads to his wedding guests. The story got picked up by the Boston Herald gossip column, and made its way around the sports community.
Henry had little recourse to dispel the rumors, his staff assumed. After all, he was on his honeymoon in South Africa, and couldn’t be bothered with such triviality. But in between safaris and a meeting with Nelson Mandela, Henry managed to post an update on his Twitter page dispelling the rumors with a bit of good humor. CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell retweeted Henry’s dispatch, and found a good story for his daily blog, effectively dispelling the rumor.
“The story went around the world and back in less than an hour and no one spoke directly to each other,” Delaney said.
10) ENGAGE YOUR FANS
Have contests, giveaways — anything you can do to get people to interact with your social media site. The KISS Demand-It promotion with Eventful is an oft-cited example of the power of social networks, but Delaney said many venues are finding ways to boost involvement without the help of superstar acts.
Matt Johnson from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., has helped the facility start its own broadcast channel on YouTube, posting videos of floor changes, load-ins and even the circus elephant parade. Venues have plenty of content – the key is finding a way to deliver it your audience. — Dave Brooks
Source: THE BEAT MARKETING, Jim Delaney of Activate Sports.
A more appropriate title, according to Delaney, would place a certain four-letter word in front of the phrase “social media,” prefaced with the preposition “the.” That title is too brash for these pages, but it does reflect the confusion many marketers face trying to make sure their social networking efforts are actually, ummm, working.
These days, those just coming on to the social networking scene are one step behind. Those just figuring out how to create a fan page or the meaning of ‘retweet’ have to play catch up with marketers who are working to develop a coherent strategy. The days of simply doing it, just for the sake of doing it, are so 2008.
“Throwing up a Facebook and Twitter page with posts from the office intern is not social media marketing,” said Delaney, contradicting the advice many marketers were giving out just one or two years back. The strategy, Delaney advised, is not to try and be everywhere at once. Instead, decide what social media sites best fit your customer demographic, develop a cohesive social networking strategy and then give it everything you’ve got.
Below are Delaney’s top 10 recommendations for developing a coherent social networking strategy.
1) IF NOTHING ELSE, GET IN THE GAME EARLY TO PROTECT YOUR BRAND
Delaney recommends registering your company’s trademarked name on as many social networking sites as possible. It’s common for ticket scalpers and other miscreants to register venues and artist names as a means to divert traffic onto resale sites. Delaney said sites like namechk.com allow users to check for name availability across a broad spectrum of social networking sites.
2) BUILD YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FORTS
“Make sure you have a solid structure and plan in place to dedicate the proper resources to correctly develop a social networking strategy,” Delaney said. Once you know what resources you have at your disposal, begin strengthening the outlets you have in place.
3) GET A SCOUT IF YOU’RE LOST
IAAM and groups like the Event and Arena Marketing Conference are increasingly developing new educational tools for event professionals. Sites like mashable.com are great news sources for all things Twitter and Facebook.
4) BE READY FOR THE PARTY BEFORE INVITING ANYONE OVER
Before you start inviting people to follow you on Facebook or Twitter, make sure your profiles have a custom look and personality. Also, make sure you know the unique language of each social realm... before you start speaking.
5) GET SOCIAL AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO START CONVERSATIONS
A common misnomer regarding social media is that sites like Twitter are simply a means of broadcasting one’s thoughts to the world. Incorrect, Delaney said. Sites like Twitter and Facebook are for communicating directly with the customer, and an opportunity to build a free database of passionate fans.
6) OBAMA-FY YOUR MARKETING
President Barack Obama attributes much of his electoral success to his early use of multiple social networking platforms, and much has been written about his use of technology. Just as military generals study Sun Tzu’s “Art of War,” serious social marketers should bone up on their 2008 Presidential Election case studies.
7) DON’T BURY THE LEAD
Make sure to promote your social media links prominently on your website and via in-venue assets. Remember: You need to invite people to your party.
8) MONITOR THE CONVERSATIONS
Utilize free analytics tools such as Google Alerts, TweetReach and others to listen to what fans are saying about your venue and artists. Seek out new opportunities to connect.
9) REMEMBER — IT’S OK TO RESPOND
“People are talking about you, so don’t be afraid to talk back,” said Delaney, who recalled the bobblehead-gate episode that unfolded for Boston Red Sox owner John Henry.
Shortly after his wedding at Fenway Park, rumors began to swirl that Henry had given out tacky-looking bobbleheads to his wedding guests. The story got picked up by the Boston Herald gossip column, and made its way around the sports community.
Henry had little recourse to dispel the rumors, his staff assumed. After all, he was on his honeymoon in South Africa, and couldn’t be bothered with such triviality. But in between safaris and a meeting with Nelson Mandela, Henry managed to post an update on his Twitter page dispelling the rumors with a bit of good humor. CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell retweeted Henry’s dispatch, and found a good story for his daily blog, effectively dispelling the rumor.
“The story went around the world and back in less than an hour and no one spoke directly to each other,” Delaney said.
10) ENGAGE YOUR FANS
Have contests, giveaways — anything you can do to get people to interact with your social media site. The KISS Demand-It promotion with Eventful is an oft-cited example of the power of social networks, but Delaney said many venues are finding ways to boost involvement without the help of superstar acts.
Matt Johnson from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., has helped the facility start its own broadcast channel on YouTube, posting videos of floor changes, load-ins and even the circus elephant parade. Venues have plenty of content – the key is finding a way to deliver it your audience. — Dave Brooks
Source: THE BEAT MARKETING, Jim Delaney of Activate Sports.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Be Your Own Captain
No matter what your job, there are always ways to do something better than your predecessor. That's why you were hired.
You realize your failures weren't even failures. You just weren't as good as you thought you'd be.
Responsibility is only what you place on yourself.
Source: Mens Health Magazine Interview with Chris Pine
You realize your failures weren't even failures. You just weren't as good as you thought you'd be.
Responsibility is only what you place on yourself.
Source: Mens Health Magazine Interview with Chris Pine
Friday, July 31, 2009
Making a Great First Impression!
It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed.
With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person’s impression of you is formed. These first impression can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making those first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for the all the relationships that follows.
So, whether they are in your career or social life, it’s important to know how to create a good first impression. This article provides some useful tips to help you do this.
Be on Time
The person you are meeting for the first time is not interested in your “good excuse” for running late. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. And allow flexibility for possible delays in traffic or taking a wrong turn. Arriving early is much better that arriving late, hands down, and is the first step in creating a great first impression.
Be Yourself, Be at Ease
If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person ill at ease and that’s a sure way to create the wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, and so have a solid foundation for making that first impression a good one.
Present Yourself Appropriately
Of course physical appearance matters. The person you are meeting for the first time does not know you and your appearance is usually the first clue he or she has to go on.
But it certainly does not mean you need to look like a model to create a strong and positive first impression. (Unless you are interviewing with your local model agency, of course!)
No. The key to a good impression is to present yourself appropriately.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so the “picture” you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. Is your appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression?
Start with the way you dress. What is the appropriate dress for the meeting or occasion? In a business setting, what is the appropriate business attire? Suit, blazer, casual? And ask yourself what the person you'll be meeting is likely to wear - if your contact is in advertising or the music industry, a pinstripe business suit may not strike the right note!
For business and social meetings, appropriate dress also varies between countries and cultures, so it’s something that you should pay particular attention to when in an unfamiliar setting or country. Make sure you know the traditions and norms.
And what about your personal grooming? Clean and tidy appearance is appropriate for most business and social occasions. A good haircut or shave. Clean and tidy clothes. Neat and tidy make up. Make sure your grooming is appropriate and helps make you feel “the part”.
Appropriate dressing and grooming help make a good first impression and also help you feel “the part”, and so feel more calm and confident. Add all of this up and you are well on your way to creating a good first impression.
A Word about Individuality
The good news is you can usually create a good impression without total conformity or losing your individuality. Yes, to make a good first impression you do need to “fit in” to some degree. But it all goes back to being appropriate for the situation. If in a business setting, wear appropriate business attire. If at a formal evening social event, wear appropriate evening attire. And express your individuality appropriately within that context.
A Winning Smile!
“Smile and the world smiles too.”* So there’s nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. So smiling is a winner when it comes to great first impressions. But don't go overboard with this - people who take this too far can seem insincere and smarmy, or can be seen to be "lightweights".
(*Author Unknown)
Be Open and Confident
When it comes to making the first impression, body language as well as appearance speaks much louder than words.
Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile (of course), make eye contact, greet with a firm handshake. All of this will help you project confidence and encourage both you and the other person feel better at ease.
Almost everyone gets a little nervous when meeting someone for the first time, which can lead to nervous habits or sweaty palms. By being aware of your nervous habits, you can try to keep them in check. And controlling a nervous jitter or a nervous laugh will give you confidence and help the other person feel at ease.
Small Talk Goes a Long Way…
Conversations are based on verbal give and take. It may help you to prepare questions you have for the person you are meeting for the first time beforehand. Or, take a few minutes to learn something about the person you meet for the first time before you get together. For instance, does he play golf? Does she work with a local charitable foundation?
Is there anything that you know of that you have in common with the person you are meeting? If so, this can be a great way to open the conversation and to keep it flowing.
Be Positive
Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or in the case of nervousness. Strive to learn from your meeting and to contribute appropriately, maintaining an upbeat manner and a smile.
Be Courteous And Attentive
It goes without saying that good manners and polite, attentive and courteous behavior help make a good first impression. In fact, anything less can ruin the one chance you have at making that first impression. So be on your best behavior!
One modern manner worth mentioning is “turn off your mobile phone”. What first impression will you create if you are already speaking to someone other than the person you are meeting for the first time? Your new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. Anything less and you’ll create a less than good first impression.
Key Points
You have just a few seconds to make a good first impression and it’s almost impossible ever to change it. So it’s worth giving each new encounter your best shot. Much of what you need to do to make a good impression is common sense. But with a little extra thought and preparation, you can hone your intuitive style and make every first impression not just good but great.
Source: MindTools.com
With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person’s impression of you is formed. These first impression can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making those first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for the all the relationships that follows.
So, whether they are in your career or social life, it’s important to know how to create a good first impression. This article provides some useful tips to help you do this.
Be on Time
The person you are meeting for the first time is not interested in your “good excuse” for running late. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. And allow flexibility for possible delays in traffic or taking a wrong turn. Arriving early is much better that arriving late, hands down, and is the first step in creating a great first impression.
Be Yourself, Be at Ease
If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person ill at ease and that’s a sure way to create the wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, and so have a solid foundation for making that first impression a good one.
Present Yourself Appropriately
Of course physical appearance matters. The person you are meeting for the first time does not know you and your appearance is usually the first clue he or she has to go on.
But it certainly does not mean you need to look like a model to create a strong and positive first impression. (Unless you are interviewing with your local model agency, of course!)
No. The key to a good impression is to present yourself appropriately.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so the “picture” you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. Is your appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression?
Start with the way you dress. What is the appropriate dress for the meeting or occasion? In a business setting, what is the appropriate business attire? Suit, blazer, casual? And ask yourself what the person you'll be meeting is likely to wear - if your contact is in advertising or the music industry, a pinstripe business suit may not strike the right note!
For business and social meetings, appropriate dress also varies between countries and cultures, so it’s something that you should pay particular attention to when in an unfamiliar setting or country. Make sure you know the traditions and norms.
And what about your personal grooming? Clean and tidy appearance is appropriate for most business and social occasions. A good haircut or shave. Clean and tidy clothes. Neat and tidy make up. Make sure your grooming is appropriate and helps make you feel “the part”.
Appropriate dressing and grooming help make a good first impression and also help you feel “the part”, and so feel more calm and confident. Add all of this up and you are well on your way to creating a good first impression.
A Word about Individuality
The good news is you can usually create a good impression without total conformity or losing your individuality. Yes, to make a good first impression you do need to “fit in” to some degree. But it all goes back to being appropriate for the situation. If in a business setting, wear appropriate business attire. If at a formal evening social event, wear appropriate evening attire. And express your individuality appropriately within that context.
A Winning Smile!
“Smile and the world smiles too.”* So there’s nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. So smiling is a winner when it comes to great first impressions. But don't go overboard with this - people who take this too far can seem insincere and smarmy, or can be seen to be "lightweights".
(*Author Unknown)
Be Open and Confident
When it comes to making the first impression, body language as well as appearance speaks much louder than words.
Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile (of course), make eye contact, greet with a firm handshake. All of this will help you project confidence and encourage both you and the other person feel better at ease.
Almost everyone gets a little nervous when meeting someone for the first time, which can lead to nervous habits or sweaty palms. By being aware of your nervous habits, you can try to keep them in check. And controlling a nervous jitter or a nervous laugh will give you confidence and help the other person feel at ease.
Small Talk Goes a Long Way…
Conversations are based on verbal give and take. It may help you to prepare questions you have for the person you are meeting for the first time beforehand. Or, take a few minutes to learn something about the person you meet for the first time before you get together. For instance, does he play golf? Does she work with a local charitable foundation?
Is there anything that you know of that you have in common with the person you are meeting? If so, this can be a great way to open the conversation and to keep it flowing.
Be Positive
Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or in the case of nervousness. Strive to learn from your meeting and to contribute appropriately, maintaining an upbeat manner and a smile.
Be Courteous And Attentive
It goes without saying that good manners and polite, attentive and courteous behavior help make a good first impression. In fact, anything less can ruin the one chance you have at making that first impression. So be on your best behavior!
One modern manner worth mentioning is “turn off your mobile phone”. What first impression will you create if you are already speaking to someone other than the person you are meeting for the first time? Your new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. Anything less and you’ll create a less than good first impression.
Key Points
You have just a few seconds to make a good first impression and it’s almost impossible ever to change it. So it’s worth giving each new encounter your best shot. Much of what you need to do to make a good impression is common sense. But with a little extra thought and preparation, you can hone your intuitive style and make every first impression not just good but great.
Source: MindTools.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
6 best tips to online cost effective marketing
Is your business experiencing stagnation with the Recession? If so, continue reading.
Five years ago, did you see this economic recession coming? Perhaps, you did to a lesser extent, but you didn’t really think it was going to be this bad, right? With that said, companies have to gain leverage and position themselves to their markets by becoming the number one choice to consumers through cost effective marketing.
However, with traditional advertising costs through the roof, companies need to find more effective ways to target their markets, specifically through online media outlets – public relations, banner advertising, SEO, blogging, and branding.
Here some low cost ways of effective advertising:
1. Research and understand the goals, values, and behaviors of your market. Once you have a thorough understanding of your market, you will know how to deliver messages effectively.
2. If you decide to hire an agency to manage your advertising, make sure you are the only account they are managing in your market. If the company manages any competitors, look elsewhere.
3. Tell your market what your USP is and why you are better than all the rest of your competition. A USP is the Unique Selling Proposition, the one element that makes your business better than everyone else’s business (superior customer service, late hours, 24 hour customer service, best prices, or highest quality).
4. Use the right places to advertise online. There is nothing worse then placing an advertisement in a food e-magazine (that has little or no relevance to your market) when you are trying to sell cosmetics, which should be placed in a fashion e-magazine or some other complementary publication.
5. Create an irresistible offer. You want to attract prospects and make them contact you immediately. Offer a discount for first time buyers; offer an introductory period, or a gift that has a high perceived value.
6. Diversify your marketing efforts. Use online advertising, blogging, social media marketing with branding and public relations to get the best results. You should also determine where your marketing dollars are generating the best ROI to prevent careless spending.
Source: Kristin Marquet is an Examiner from New York
Five years ago, did you see this economic recession coming? Perhaps, you did to a lesser extent, but you didn’t really think it was going to be this bad, right? With that said, companies have to gain leverage and position themselves to their markets by becoming the number one choice to consumers through cost effective marketing.
However, with traditional advertising costs through the roof, companies need to find more effective ways to target their markets, specifically through online media outlets – public relations, banner advertising, SEO, blogging, and branding.
Here some low cost ways of effective advertising:
1. Research and understand the goals, values, and behaviors of your market. Once you have a thorough understanding of your market, you will know how to deliver messages effectively.
2. If you decide to hire an agency to manage your advertising, make sure you are the only account they are managing in your market. If the company manages any competitors, look elsewhere.
3. Tell your market what your USP is and why you are better than all the rest of your competition. A USP is the Unique Selling Proposition, the one element that makes your business better than everyone else’s business (superior customer service, late hours, 24 hour customer service, best prices, or highest quality).
4. Use the right places to advertise online. There is nothing worse then placing an advertisement in a food e-magazine (that has little or no relevance to your market) when you are trying to sell cosmetics, which should be placed in a fashion e-magazine or some other complementary publication.
5. Create an irresistible offer. You want to attract prospects and make them contact you immediately. Offer a discount for first time buyers; offer an introductory period, or a gift that has a high perceived value.
6. Diversify your marketing efforts. Use online advertising, blogging, social media marketing with branding and public relations to get the best results. You should also determine where your marketing dollars are generating the best ROI to prevent careless spending.
Source: Kristin Marquet is an Examiner from New York
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Marketers and Exhibition Management Increasingly Blend Live and Digital Media for Greater Performance
Marketers and Exhibition Management Increasingly Blend Live and Digital Media for Greater Performance
10.) 40% of respondents consider digital marketing to be a vital component in the execution of live event; 17% consider it a lead tactic.
9.) 49% of respondents use digital marketing to extend the reach of their event promotion efforts with digital marketing most often used in pre-event outreach (87%).
8.) E-mail marketing is the digital marketing tactic most used by exhibition production (95%) and corporate brand marketers (87%).
7.) 40% of corporate brand marketers and 31% of exhibition production marketers report using virtual events; 71% of respondents use virtual events to accommodate geographically widespread workforces and customers.
6.) The webinar (81%) is the most commonly used virtual event type among respondents.
5.) 51% of exhibition production respondents report always integrating digital marketing tactics in the promotion of events; 37% of corporate brand marketers characterize their use of digital marketing as frequent.
4.) Respondents dedicate 10% of their exhibition production budget to digital marketing sponsorship tactics.
3.) 46% of respondents measure the effectiveness of their digital marketing efforts; 50% of respondents measure ROI for virtual events.
2.) Event activity sponsorship (16%) and speaking opportunities (16%), followed by e-mail marketing/advertising (14%) are the exhibition sponsorship options respondents perceive as providing the greatest ROI.
1.) 72% of respondents feel that the integration of digital marketing into the promotion of exhibition programs increases the effectiveness of the overall effort.
Source: Center for Exhibition Industry Research
10.) 40% of respondents consider digital marketing to be a vital component in the execution of live event; 17% consider it a lead tactic.
9.) 49% of respondents use digital marketing to extend the reach of their event promotion efforts with digital marketing most often used in pre-event outreach (87%).
8.) E-mail marketing is the digital marketing tactic most used by exhibition production (95%) and corporate brand marketers (87%).
7.) 40% of corporate brand marketers and 31% of exhibition production marketers report using virtual events; 71% of respondents use virtual events to accommodate geographically widespread workforces and customers.
6.) The webinar (81%) is the most commonly used virtual event type among respondents.
5.) 51% of exhibition production respondents report always integrating digital marketing tactics in the promotion of events; 37% of corporate brand marketers characterize their use of digital marketing as frequent.
4.) Respondents dedicate 10% of their exhibition production budget to digital marketing sponsorship tactics.
3.) 46% of respondents measure the effectiveness of their digital marketing efforts; 50% of respondents measure ROI for virtual events.
2.) Event activity sponsorship (16%) and speaking opportunities (16%), followed by e-mail marketing/advertising (14%) are the exhibition sponsorship options respondents perceive as providing the greatest ROI.
1.) 72% of respondents feel that the integration of digital marketing into the promotion of exhibition programs increases the effectiveness of the overall effort.
Source: Center for Exhibition Industry Research
Monday, July 6, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Taking a Second Look at E-Mail
When I started to write this column, I ran into a problem. I couldn't think of anything exciting in e-mail to write about. Call it e-mail marketer writer's block. This got me thinking: Has e-mail marketing gotten to a point where we have nothing new to talk about? Has this industry matured enough that we now just need to focus on the tried-and-true acquire, convert, retain principals?
Then it hit me.
The e-mail marketing industry could never land in this type of rut. As the backbone of all other digital media, our e-mail efforts will keep growing and evolving as new technologies do. For those of us who choose to ignore the power that e-mail marketing can have as an influencer for other channels (like social and mobile), e-mail will remain a fairly cut-and-dried direct marketing practice. The rest of us, though, have reason to celebrate.
Here's a list of some newer aspects of e-mail you should be aware of. If you haven't considered these as part of your strategy, what are you waiting for?
Acquisition-focused upgrades:
1. Tiered performance pricing for prospecting
2. E-mail as a branding tool
3. E-mail to feed into social networks
4. Mobile e-mail
Conversion:
1. Social/micro-messaging options
2. Channel/source optimization
3. Preference center enhancements
4. Win-back advancements
Retainment:
1. Partner-oriented value add
2. Inventory management
3. Co-op marketing
4. Social influencing
5. Video in e-mail
Out of all of these new initiatives, my recent favorite is partner oriented-value add. This is where customer e-mail programs include some type of unanticipated reward for reading the e-mail. Unanticipated rewards have been around a long time in marketing but have rarely been used in e-mail. That's because e-mail marketing was historically such a high conversion channel that this tactic was rarely needed. But in today's world of inbox overload and channel integration, e-mail needs a little sweetener. Including a valuable, unanticipated reward packs a one-two punch. Here's how:
In a recent column, I wrote about a new segment in our e-mail lists: the social influencers. These people aren't always your best click-and-buy people, but they are the best people to share, post, and talk about your recent e-mail effort (which results in even more sales than if they bought themselves).
When these people receive an e-mail from you that contains an unanticipated reward, something that they enjoy, you'll increase their level of loyalty to your brand. That's important. Equally important, or even more so, these people will share that great news and your generosity with others through social networks and online water-cooler conversations.
This opens up a whole new world of opportunity for you to attract new customers and increase revenues simply by adding unexpected value into your messaging.
Yes, the world of e-mail is nowhere near tired and old just yet. As new developments and trends rise, e-mail is right there to help maximize exposure and monetize results.
I love being a part of the e-mail industry. Don't you?
Source: Jeanniey Mullen, ClickZ, Jun 22, 2009, Sponsored by Responsys
Then it hit me.
The e-mail marketing industry could never land in this type of rut. As the backbone of all other digital media, our e-mail efforts will keep growing and evolving as new technologies do. For those of us who choose to ignore the power that e-mail marketing can have as an influencer for other channels (like social and mobile), e-mail will remain a fairly cut-and-dried direct marketing practice. The rest of us, though, have reason to celebrate.
Here's a list of some newer aspects of e-mail you should be aware of. If you haven't considered these as part of your strategy, what are you waiting for?
Acquisition-focused upgrades:
1. Tiered performance pricing for prospecting
2. E-mail as a branding tool
3. E-mail to feed into social networks
4. Mobile e-mail
Conversion:
1. Social/micro-messaging options
2. Channel/source optimization
3. Preference center enhancements
4. Win-back advancements
Retainment:
1. Partner-oriented value add
2. Inventory management
3. Co-op marketing
4. Social influencing
5. Video in e-mail
Out of all of these new initiatives, my recent favorite is partner oriented-value add. This is where customer e-mail programs include some type of unanticipated reward for reading the e-mail. Unanticipated rewards have been around a long time in marketing but have rarely been used in e-mail. That's because e-mail marketing was historically such a high conversion channel that this tactic was rarely needed. But in today's world of inbox overload and channel integration, e-mail needs a little sweetener. Including a valuable, unanticipated reward packs a one-two punch. Here's how:
In a recent column, I wrote about a new segment in our e-mail lists: the social influencers. These people aren't always your best click-and-buy people, but they are the best people to share, post, and talk about your recent e-mail effort (which results in even more sales than if they bought themselves).
When these people receive an e-mail from you that contains an unanticipated reward, something that they enjoy, you'll increase their level of loyalty to your brand. That's important. Equally important, or even more so, these people will share that great news and your generosity with others through social networks and online water-cooler conversations.
This opens up a whole new world of opportunity for you to attract new customers and increase revenues simply by adding unexpected value into your messaging.
Yes, the world of e-mail is nowhere near tired and old just yet. As new developments and trends rise, e-mail is right there to help maximize exposure and monetize results.
I love being a part of the e-mail industry. Don't you?
Source: Jeanniey Mullen, ClickZ, Jun 22, 2009, Sponsored by Responsys
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Develop a Balanced Media Mix
The tools that drive the Internet are the tried and true print, radio, and television formats. The challenge lies in developing a balanced media mix.
Source: Bob Walker, Media Analyst Preprint Publishing
Source: Bob Walker, Media Analyst Preprint Publishing
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Three Buckets of Courage
TRY -- the courage of action and pioneering "first attempts."
Associated with having initiative and leading. Requires overcoming inertia. Risks are your actions may harm others.
TRUST -- the courage of relying on the actions of others.
Associated with being receptive and open and following. Requires letting go of control. Risks are other people's actions may harm you.
TELL -- the courage of "voice" and truth telling
Associated with truth telling and asserting one's opinions. Requires conviction. Risks are exposing your opinions may cause you to be cast out of the group.
Source: Giant Leap Consulting
Associated with having initiative and leading. Requires overcoming inertia. Risks are your actions may harm others.
TRUST -- the courage of relying on the actions of others.
Associated with being receptive and open and following. Requires letting go of control. Risks are other people's actions may harm you.
TELL -- the courage of "voice" and truth telling
Associated with truth telling and asserting one's opinions. Requires conviction. Risks are exposing your opinions may cause you to be cast out of the group.
Source: Giant Leap Consulting
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