Search Engine Marketing and Digital Media

| October 8, 2015

I had a great meeting this past week with two sales professionals.  One was from a local radio station I buy and the other seller was a partner with that broadcast company that specializes in Search Engine Marketing in Madison.  Actually she works all across the U.S. for her company Smart Reach Digital.  We’re partnering on SEM.  I need quality partners who spend all day working on digital media.  I’m not going to kid you.  Digital can be confusing.  There are a lot of moving parts.  And the technology that drives things like Live Chat, Display Ads, Geo-Targeting, Geo-Fencing, Demographic Targeting, Contextual Targeting, Search Re-Targeting, Site Re-Targeting and Station Audience Mirroring are all digital applications that require learning and understanding in order to invest in them strategically so you don’t waste your ad/marketing dollars.  With click through rates as low as .01% I advise my clients to be careful and understand what they are buying.  Digital Marketing is not always about direct response and “look at the leads I’m getting from my website!”  It’s about branding, establishing your style guide, positioning your business where your customers are spending time online and it’s about driving up awareness for both your online website and social media presence.  Get in the game.  Allocate a portion of your 2016 ad budget to digital.  According to Yvonne Genovese, managing vice president at Gartner  “Marketing leaders are securing bigger budgets to define markets, develop offerings, and attract, acquire and retain customers. Digital marketing is taking an increasing share of the marketing budget with annual digital marketing operating budgets totaling 3.1 percent of a company’s revenue in 2013, as compared with 2.6 percent in 2012, representing a 20 percent increase.”  Digital marketing budgets are increasing even more in 2016. Start small and don’t quit.  I’ll be launching my own digital marketing campaign before year end.  I’ll keep you posted on the outcome as the experience unfolds.

Preparing for 2016

| October 8, 2015

Every year we get to October and the focus is on completing pending and existing projects that have been in process or are just ramping up as 4th quarter projects.  This is the time of year we should begin planning for the next year.  This is also the time of year when our commitment to our jobs, our passion and our clients should be increasing to the highest levels of the year.  Finish strong is not just a cliche’.  It means just that.  Push to the finish line.  Innovate.  Pursue new ideas.  I reminded one of my sales training clients this past week that when your stuck and can’t seem to connect with existing clients or prospects, the best way forward is to dig deeper into the industry your client is in and discover new trends, ideas and opportunities that maybe your prospect hasn’t considered.  Challenge your client’s to think ahead and consider new ideas.  I learned once that the only way to create a change in behavior in your prospects is to present them with something new for them to consider.  New ideas = new consideration.  You’ll be amazed when you look at things from your client’s perspective what you will see.  Dig deep, finish strong and start preparing for the new year.

Old Friend, Great Memories, Real Mentor

| March 3, 2015
Business Coaching

Every now and then when I’m between meetings I’ll pull open my file cabinet and clean out old files.  Today I purged some old stuff.  I also found something that I can’t throw away.  Something I’ll treasure forever perhaps.  This past year one of my business associates passed away quickly from a deadly cancer.

Bob Morris was my friend.  He was  my professor in college.  He was  my business partner.  He was also my client.  He was everything I look for in a consultant.  Brilliant, caring, passionate, dedicated, professional…I could go on and on.  In fact I haven’t been able to process my feelings since Bob passed last year.  The healing process never ends.  But when we lose someone close to us, we try to heal a little bit at a time.  Writing helps me process these feelings of loss.  Here are the notes from my meeting with him back in 2008 when I was starting my company.  These notes are written on a “Speed Memo”.

1.  Cost contain

2.  Don’t blink or you’ll be gone

3.  Predictions are even more problematic in consulting; always be ready to be surprised

4.  Cost contain

 

He was doing his best to sheperd me away from failure.  He said, “are you sufficiently focused to maximize your resources?”  “Do you have the level of collaboration and interaction to produce the results you are trying to achieve or do you have too many silos in conflict?”  “Do you have sufficient bench strength when you reach the next level?”  Bob was well respected and commanded significant consulting fees for his sage advice.  I’ll keep these notes and file them back away so the next time I go to clean out my file drawers I’ll find his kind words of wisdom.  I’ll read them again and again and will always cherish his words.  They continue to guide me today.

Strategic Sales Strategy Planning for 2016

| March 3, 2015
Business Coaching

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As we approach the 4th quarter, planning begins to push to reach the goals set for this year and start thinking about how you’ll innovate, develop new products and services, and set goals for 2016.  Starting now will help you have your plan in place and in motion by mid-December so you’ll be in full swing by January 1st.  This is the times to identify internal issues that need fixing and to review your resources to make sure you’re in position for growth.  Recruiting talent should be a top priority.  Ensuring that everyone on your team understands the customer service mission and how to handle various customer experiences is also key right now.  Everyone needs to communicate to your customers that no one cares more than you do.

What do you want your customer experience to be?  Train your staff to meet them where they are mentally, physically and professionally.

Even though it’s often ignored, developing a strategic plan for sales training should be a critical component for your action plan in the first quarter.

Everyone inside your company is involved in sales or customer engagement in some way.  People want to be lead.  They want to buy into your vision.  The only way they can be passionate about your business and your customers experience is if you help them see your vision.  Outline your action plan for the new year and share it with your staff.  Don’t make the mistake of overlooking sales training.

What does sales training look like inside your company?  Not just for your sales people but for your entire organization?  Take the first step.  Call me to schedule a phone conference to determine if The Business Source LLC can assist you in developing a cost effective sales training initiative.