14 minute read
Sales
Sales and marketing are like the chicken and egg MARKETING IS THE CHICKEN. OR IS IT THE EGG?
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Dictionary.com defines
Dmarketing as, "the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising." That definition is confusing because it is essentially saying that marketing is selling, but sales is selling, right? We prefer the Hubspot explanation: “Sales and marketing are two business functions within an organization. They both impact lead generation and revenue. The term ‘sales’ refers to all activities that lead to the selling of goods and services. Marketing is the process of getting people interested in the goods and services being sold.”
In other words, sales and marketing work together to get more products and services sold. How that is done today is so much different from how it was done in the past. Many of you may remember door-to-door salespeople who explained why you need to purchase their encyclopedias/vacuums/Bibles/ Tupperware. In the late ‘60s and ‘70s, those door-to-door salespeople were replaced with more efficient “traditional media” including radio, television, magazines and outdoor signs.
Fast forward to 2021…
Companies create content and hire influencers to convince consumers to ‘click now’ to purchase and receive free shipping; they post on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok; they stage live installations and create engaging promotions. And yet, consumers still watch TV, listen to the radio and read magazines (like you are now). However, they also are talking to Alexa, scrolling on their phone and checking alerts on their watch--all at the same time.
According to Statista, in 2020 consumers spent an average of 7 hours and 50 minutes per day engaging with traditional and digital media.
It is more difficult than ever to capture and keep the attention of your multi-tasking audience, so companies need to create the right messages for the right media and serve those at the right time. Yes, that is plural because no single tactic is enough to reach and convince an audience why they need your product or service.
In this Sales and Marketing section, you will find out how to make your logo shine, how to promote effectively and even when and how to hire professionals to help. ■
FIVE WAYS TO STAND OUT ON
VERSION 2.0
Here it is. Social Media. It’s everywhere you look. H And I hate to tell you this, but it’s here to stay. Many businesses mistake social media for just being “social.” Social media has in fact completely re-shaped the way we engage, connect, do business and spend our valuable time. We now spend countless hours scrolling, clicking, and watching mega influencers tell us how and where to spend our money.
How do we as businesses (that don’t have multi-million-dollar Amazon-type budgets) understand the ever-changing and much-feared “algorithm,” learn all of the Tic Tok dances, compete with the big dogs that started ages ago, hold onto some modicum of dignity and still get the elusive “Golden Ticket”? How do we avoid the “Social Scaries,” known by many as those times that we stare aimlessly at our screen wondering what to post?
How do you and your business stand out in a sea of businesses competing for the same set of eyeballs without having to don a pair of yoga pants? Because let’s face it, the market is saturated and there are a million other businesses out there peddling their wares that just so happen to be the same as yours.
There are a variety of strategies, but at the core of every one of them it’s showing up consistently, telling your brand’s story in a visually appealing way, connecting with your audience, and adding value. As consumers, we want to be entertained and know what’s in it for us. Truth! What we don’t want is to feel like we are watching QVC every time we launch into a platform. Below are five ways you can tell better stories to stand out in a sea of competition on social media:
1. Plan, strategize and execute.
Look, you gotta have a plan. Consider your social media plan, aka content marketing plan, your GPS coordinates to successful social media. No GPS, no destination. Show up and post content regularly. Plan your content, curate your content and show up and post regularly and diversely.
Use the tools at your disposal. Yes, there are tools! You can get feedback on what was a hit and what was a flop. Sometimes it’s harsh and you will be surprised. You just need to check your analytics for the raw truth of what your followers want to see more of.
K.I.S.S.
Social media doesn't have to be complicated but it does require some forethought and strong imagery because the picture sells the story.
Learn more about
SPROUT CONNECTORS
at sproutconnectors.com.
In Instagram, for example, you can post in your feed, stories, IGTV, Live, or Reels. Within Stories you can actually poll your audience and get your own feedback on what they are interested in. Never has it been easier.
There are apps to help you plan and schedule a week’s worth of posts to your multiple media platforms in one sitting. Planoly is a good one (No affiliate link payments being sent my way, sadly). And there is a plethora of other apps to help less-than-Vogue-quality images look better. Just take it easy on some of those filters, please, or we will be forced to call in an intervention.
Don’t be afraid to show up and pull back the covers and engage. People love some behind the scenes. How do you make those scented candles? Why did you choose to put those two scents together? Ask for feedback and opinions from your followers and engage. Strike up conversations. Collaborate.
2. Always try to provide value and assistance in whatever way you can.
Become an invaluable resource. Solve problems. Let people know WHY you love what you do and how you do it better and differently than other companies doing exactly the same thing. Think about your business, your industry, and/or niche when crafting posts and post from the perspective of entertaining, solving a problem, or presenting yourself as a subject matter expert on your topic of choice. Never be pushy, never sell. Offer value. Give. Give. Give.
3. Get personal and go behind the scenes.
Part of the algorithm on social media is to remind your followers you are just like them. Human, social and relatable. Let them see that part of you that others might be curious about. Be creative, think outside your box. Imagine if you met one of your followers in person, how might you interact with them?
4. Entertain, inform and be helpful.
Be informative, show your fans you are a force to be reckoned with, or at least someone who’s worth following. Consider your assets and develop a comprehensive guide to show and share these assets with your fans and potential fans. This can come in a variety of forms. Don’t be set in stone and rigid. Use your assets strategically and aesthetically.
5. ALWAYS respond to comments.
This really should be Rule #1. Don’t be anti-social. If someone takes the time to comment on your post, take the time to thoughtfully comment back with real words not just emojis. To further entice you, increased engagement gets more eyeballs on your post. That’s the “E” word we all want. Now that’s motivating.
Remember: Don’t overcomplicate social media. Have a plan. Use compelling and entertaining content. Show up. Be consistent. Be genuine. Serve others. Engage. Follow these basic tenets and you will start to grow your brand on social media and, in the process, you might find out a thing or two about yourself. ■
Five easy ways to jumpstart your creativity
BY HANNAH MASSEN
After weeks of team meetings and client A calls, you have a new creative project on your hands. Something big. You sit down at the computer, eager to dazzle your entire office with your industry-defining ideas. But nothing happens. You spend hours writing and rewriting sentences, scribbling ideas on sticky notes, and getting up to see if anything new has materialized in the snack room – again. Sound familiar?
Don’t be discouraged if inspiration doesn’t strike right away. Creativity isn’t a tap that can be turned on and off, but there are exercises that can help you generate ideas. 1. Brainstorm. Brainstorming is a classic exercise in divergent thinking, a thought process that considers many possible solutions. Concentrating on quantity over quality of ideas in the early stages of your planning process allows your brand to think beyond the obvious. Keep asking “what else?” rather than “would this work?” Once you have a list of possible directions, narrow down your options until you settle on an idea.
2. Make a mind map. Still not seeing the vision? Take your brainstorming process up a notch by creating a mind map. Write down central words or topics on a piece of paper, then link them with related terms or ideas. This can help you visualize how different aspects of your project are connected while providing a unique perspective on your subject.
4. Switch up your medium. It’s easy to fall into a creative rut if you’re not trying anything new. Break out of your comfort zone by switching up your medium. If you’re a graphic designer, try writing. If you’re a writer, try sketching out your ideas. You might even discover a new skill that you can bring back to your team. 3. Move. The brain requires roughly 20 percent of the body’s total energy, so if you’ve been sitting at your desk for hours on end, you’re more likely to go into the zone. If you’re not able to hit the gym or take a run, stretching your legs over your lunch break might be all that it takes to feel refreshed and refocused.
5. Collaborate. Speaking of your team, it can make a great springboard to bounce ideas off of. Bringing fresh perspectives to the table can help you consider solutions you wouldn’t have before or catch potential pitfalls. ■
MEL SAVAGE is an executive coach and founder of The Career Reset, specializing in career and business planning. She has 25-plus years of corporate experience working in senior management with McDonald’s Corporation and in partnership with Coca-Cola, Kraft, Ford, General Motors, the NHL and the IOC. She is also the host of The Career Reset podcast. You can find out more at thecareerreset.com.
Creating critical thinkers
10 QUESTIONS THAT HELP YOUR TEAM SOLVE PROBLEMS (SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO)
BY MEL SAVAGE
PROBLEM SOLVING
LATTERAL THINKING
CONFIDENCE
The role of great managers is not to “make sure
Tthings get done,” but rather to “help people get things done.” This little nuance is the difference between telling people what to do and helping people figure out what to do.
Helping people think for themselves is how you build a high-performing team of critical thinkers who solve problems and move your business forward.
But where do you start? How do you teach people to solve problems and think for themselves?
When one of your people presents a problem, the instinct of most leaders is to either tell people how to solve the problem or ask them what they want to do about it.
Both of those tactics are not ideal.
When you tell people how to solve the problem you might get a short-term result, but your people are not learning to think for themselves.
And while asking people “what do you think you should do” sounds more nurturing, it’s still not overly effective.
I used to do it all the time. I’d say “don’t come to me with a problem unless you have a solution.” And then you know what would happen? They stopped coming to me with problems. I know that sounds like a good thing. But it wasn’t.
The problems were still happening, but my people didn’t see any value in coming to me because all I would say is “what do you want to do about it?”
Your job as a leader is not to tell people what to do, nor leave them out on their own. Your job is to help them figure it out.
As a leader, when someone comes to you with a problem, your role is to FOCUS ON CURIOSITY THEM, not on the problem.
When you focus on the problem, you stop focusing on the person. And as a manager, your job is to focus on the person and let the PERSON focus on solving the problem.
How do you do that? CRITICAL THINKING That’s easy. • Care about the person more
than the problem. You already know how to care about people. You do it all the time.
Tap into that nature and do it with your team. OPEN MINDEDNESS • Get curious. Curiosity means you have no preconceived judgments or ideas about the person or the situation. Just be open to what’s being served up to you without making assumptions. • Help them think it through. Here are 10 questions you can ask to help your people solve problems. 1. What help do you need thinking this through?
Do you just need a sounding board, or are you really stuck? I like to ask this question so I understand what people need from me. 2. What’s the overall objective/goal? Ground them in the big picture. 3. What are you trying to achieve here? 4. What’s getting in your way? 5. What are the possible solutions? Help them brainstorm. If they say they don’t know, don’t let them off the hook. Reassure them it’s a safe environment and ask them to guess. Or tell them to come back in 10 minutes with a few options. 6. What do you want to do next? Which of those options aligns with your goal? 7. What are the possible outcomes if you do that?
How will you handle those outcomes? 8. Who do you need to help you with this solution? 9. How will you engage them? 10. What help do you need from me to make this happen?
You may not need all these questions in every situation. The more you work through this with your team, the faster the process will go.
The big benefit over the long term is you have a high-performing team that needs you less and values you more. ■
The rumor of its death was greatly exaggerated
QR codes, or Quick Response Codes, were created in 1994 by a Toyota subsidiary to help in the manufacturing process to help track vehicles and parts. In the early 2000’s marketers dreamed of ways to use the QR code to build brands and drive business but QR codes were a solution in search of a problem, and there were barriers to use. Until recently, consumers had to download a QR code app and then remember to use it. Marketers also had a difficult time finding a motivating reason for consumers to use the QR code. Fast forward to the late 2020 and it’s hard to not see or use a QR code. So what happened? Covid removed two of the main barriers to adoption, technology and consumer need. Most cell phones easily scan a code with the native camera and businesses use the code to provide information in a contact-free way. Here are some ways to use QR codes: n Menus or instructions – if you hand something out and take it back, make it a QR code. Customers scan to read the information on their phones. n Hours – if your business has changing hours and you can’t get back to keep the sign on the door updated, put up a QR code and keep your webpage or Google Business updated from where ever you are n Payment – Paypal and other payment services offer a QR code for customers to scan and pay online n Promotions – Customers can scan to coupons, exclusive offers or your social media page
Try it!
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