Articles
Executive Personal Branding
Customer Service Then and Customer Experience Now
Do you remember the days of customer service before social media? For many companies, it seemed like they had a goal of breaking down the customer, hoping to frustrate them out of wanting to be helped at all. Their attitude was, “Wow, you sure seem mad. But what are you going to do about it?” And they were right, there wasn’t much a customer could do…then!Along came social media, and suddenly customers could actually could do something about it. Customers could demand proper service and help. Th…
The CEO Challenge: To Be or Not To Be Social
It feels like this conversation has been going on forever! "Should the C-suite use social media? Do they need a presence? If so, on what tool? How often should they post or interact?"
The two sides seem to argue the same points over and over, as if making their points again will make a difference this time. Perhaps it will, or perhaps it will just continue to fall on deaf ears.
Those in favor say:
The two sides seem to argue the same points over and over, as if making their points again will make a difference this time. Perhaps it will, or perhaps it will just continue to fall on deaf ears.
Those in favor say:
- It shows transparency and accountability.
- Millennials will demand it.
- It will put a human face to…
Are You Unintentionally Putting Yourself At Risk to Personalize Your Marketing
A common complaint that I hear is “with everything being digital, nothing is personal.” In many ways that is true. Technology has given us the ability to make everything look perfect—even in its imperfection, it still looks perfect. It’s easy to copy, share, and distribute in many different formats all with a few clicks of the mouse. I am noticing that the trend is returning to incorporate personal signatures into marketing materials. Nothing is more personalized than your own signature—it’s you…
What Does "Professional" Mean?
Buzz words here, there, and everywhere! Some think they make us sound smart. Others think they are overused and really mean nothing. Regardless of where you are on that spectrum, buzzwords are a reality that are here to stay though the meaning of them may change over time.
Having worked with businesses from all sectors and nonprofits in developing their brand, re-branding, or expanding their brand, I hear the word "professional" an awful lot! But what does it mean?
It could mean "showing the marke…
Saying Good-by to CIOs, Hello CMO!
Business structure is changing. Priorities today demand a new way of thinking about business, operations, marketing, and communication as a whole.
I was reading the Accenture report, "The CMO-CIO Disconnect: Bridging the Gap to Seize the Digital Opportunity" (http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/accenture-report-how-cmos-and-cios-can-play-nice-together-022230.php.) According to this report, by 2017 CMOs will spend more time with technology and analytics than CIOs. This trend has been wo…
I was reading the Accenture report, "The CMO-CIO Disconnect: Bridging the Gap to Seize the Digital Opportunity" (http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/accenture-report-how-cmos-and-cios-can-play-nice-together-022230.php.) According to this report, by 2017 CMOs will spend more time with technology and analytics than CIOs. This trend has been wo…
The Blame Game
Is it the sales department’s fault or the economy’s?
You have probably already formed an opinion, either blame or excuse. No I am not naive as to what is going on in the world. I simply asked a generic question and you most likely have already formed an opinion. Let’s look at some details about the particular situation I have in mind then we can see if your answer is still the same.
I recently met with a company who wants to grow their service department and they have high turnover in their sales …
You have probably already formed an opinion, either blame or excuse. No I am not naive as to what is going on in the world. I simply asked a generic question and you most likely have already formed an opinion. Let’s look at some details about the particular situation I have in mind then we can see if your answer is still the same.
I recently met with a company who wants to grow their service department and they have high turnover in their sales …
Your Business is Like a Rubik's Cube
Think of your business as a Rubik’s Cube. Each side corresponds to an aspect of your business: products and services, systems and processes, your employees, financials, clients, and marketing and sales. While each area can be broken down into great detail, those are the primary areas that a business will focus on. As with a Rubik’s Cube, no one side of your business is better or more important than the other. Instead, they all appear to be the same.You can look at a Rubik’s Cube in one of two wa…
It’s All About the Women! Ultimate Decision-Makers
Sorry men, I guess we don’t need you anymore!Have you noticed lately that a vast majority of studies are coming out with the conclusion that “women are the ultimate decision-maker” for pretty much everything? In fact, I can’t think of any new study that has reached a different conclusion. Do you know of any?
Women in today’s market are king and men are often presented as incompetent or unable to make decisions. I find these results interesting and find myself questioning them.
Are decisions reall…
You Don’t Create Marketing Results
There is a myth out there—that you as a company or a marketing department create marketing results. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s simply not true.
I wrote a post a while back about the emerging trend of redefining CMO from “Chief Marketing Officer” to “Chief Metric Officer”. In that post I also addressed how the tenure of the majority of CMOs is around 18 months. The reason for this is many companies, boards and stakeholders are under the misconception that CMOs get burned out so t…
I wrote a post a while back about the emerging trend of redefining CMO from “Chief Marketing Officer” to “Chief Metric Officer”. In that post I also addressed how the tenure of the majority of CMOs is around 18 months. The reason for this is many companies, boards and stakeholders are under the misconception that CMOs get burned out so t…
Is it Possible to Run a Business & Volunteer in the Community?
Getting involved in your local community and leverage the benefits are not as straightforward as you may think. Here are a few things to think about when making community outreach apart of your company.
- To have the best and most productive employees, work needs to be about more than just work. It is no secret that work and personal lives blend. What can be a secret is leveraging it. Employees like to feel that they personally make a difference, because of this when introducing a community out…