Monthly Archives: July 2012

Marketing , , 1 Comment

Boost Social Media ROI

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Like nearly all Freelance consultants,   I engage in social media  (LinkedIn)  for professional reasons.   I have yet to obtain a client through social media interactions  (my business is nearly 100% referral,  since basically no one hires business strategists or marketing consultants without a personal endorsement),  but I must keep up appearances and so I keep my profile in good shape and post relevant updates to keep things fresh.

The experts say that like all marketing campaigns,  what and how you communicate through social media must appropriately reflect your brand and appeal to current and prospective clients.   To achieve the desired return on investment from social media,   it is imperative to deliver the right message to the right sites.  To accomplish that,  you must know the customer.   Who hires you and what type of social media might they trust and follow?

To help define which social media platforms to focus on,   begin with the age group of your prospects.   Are they under 35 years old? If so,  they are more likely to be very comfortable with a variety of social media.  They’re likely to  own a smart phone,  tablet and laptop.   They may very well create and copiously share online social media content in their personal and professional lives. 

Conversely,   if your typical clients are 40+ years old  (like mine),  they are less likely to be heavily involved in social media and much less likely to create  content.   They may own a smart phone,   are guaranteed to use a computer and may even own a tablet,   but should they decide to share content,   it was most likely created by someone else.  

Social media expert Judith Lewis  says that about 20%  of social media users are High Sharers and about 80%  Low Sharers.  High Sharers are almost three times as likely as Low Sharers to recommend  products or services to those in their network.   Therefore,   it is wise to create content that will appeal to the High Sharers,  who will do some  “e-legwork”  on your behalf and boost your social media ROI. 

Lewis has identified seven types of social media High Sharers and explains how their sharing style can be leveraged to target and engage clients and prospects.   Give the list a read and see how you might tweak your message and perhaps vary the sites you use:

Altruists

Altruists share content out of a desire to help those in their network.  They respond well to appeals made through email and Facebook.  Altruists make up the largest percentage of social media users.

Selectives

This group shares information if they feel it will be useful for a specific individual.  They usually use email to share information.   Selectives comprise the second largest percentage of social media users.

Passionates

Passionates share information with those who share their intense interest in a given topic,  cause,  band,  fashion designer or whatever.  This group uses Facebook most frequently.   Also,  they are big contributors to customer review sites.

Connectors

As their name describes,  this group likes bringing people together to socialize or perhaps do business.   Connectors tend to use several social media sites,  most notably LinkedIn,  Flickr,  Twitter and Facebook.

Trendspotters

This type uses social media sites to show the world that they are on the bleeding edge of the hottest trends.   Trendspotters are compelled to build their credibility and they are busy working many social media platforms.  YouTube,   Foursquare,  Delicious,  Twitter and Facebook are favorites.   Trendspotters can be very useful for B2C  ventures seeking to increase visibility and sales,   especially in fashion,  electronics and baby products.

Provocateurs

Bloggers often fall into this category  (but not your humble diarist).   Provocateurs like to do just that—be controversial,  cheeky and outrageous and get a rise out their readers.  In addition to their blog,  these folks tend to favor YouTube,  Delicious,  Flickr and Twitter.

Careerists

This group will use social media networking almost exclusively for business purposes.   They favor LinkedIn,  but will use Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube and Facebook as needed,  to effectively share information about their business enterprise or career.

As a postscript,   I will say that I don’t know any Freelancers who have successfully monetized their social media relationships.   From time to time I read and participate in LinkedIn Answers and there are those who swear that they get clients  (whom they have never met)  through LinkedIn.   I have my doubts.   Still,   creating some buzz will never hurt your business.  If you’re able to get on the radar screen of a High Sharer who will post a good recommendation for your services,   at the very least this may help convince someone who is on the fence to go ahead and offer you the contract.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Sales , , , 1 Comment

Smart Sales Call Questions

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Management guru Peter Drucker famously noted that in order to get the right answers,  it is first necessary to ask the right questions.  Whether the subject is love or money,  many of us do not ask direct clarifying questions because we are afraid of the answer.  It takes courage,  sometimes,  to hear the truth.  But in the end,  only the truth is useful. 

I recently found this list of sales call questions and they are a little scary because they cut right to the heart of a prospect’s motive and let you know what is real and what is not.   I vow to pose these questions in my next sales call because it is far better to know  what I’m dealing with.  Time is much too valuable to waste trying to wrestle an assignment out of a prospect who does not have the means or real motive to hire me.  Write these down and post them at eye level:

1.  In terms of time,  money and/or risk,  what business problem will working with me solve for your organization?

You’ll learn the reason the project is out for hire and assess your ability to do the job.  You’ll  learn whether or not there really is a project,  or if the prospect is merely checking out available talent.  Maybe the prospect only wants to compare the Freelancer they usually use to who else is out there?  If there is not a genuine problem to resolve with a timeline and budget attached,  then your prospect is only window-shopping and there is no contract here.

2.  How will you measure success 60 days after we begin working together?

The answer clarifies the goals and objectives you must meet if you win the assignment and also identifies the metrics that will be used to measure your progress as you work.  You’ll confirm that milestones and metrics have been set for the project and that it is real.  The prospect’s  seriousness and sincerity  (or lack thereof)  will be demonstrated in the response.  You will understand how you will approach the project and reconfirm whether you can meet expectations.

3.  How much better does my  “better”  have to be for you to bring me in on this project?

The prospect’s answer will reveal if he/she knows what they’re looking for in terms of whom to hire as a Freelancer.  Are the expectations reasonable in your opinion and do you have the wherewithal to meet them? Might you have to call in a subcontractor to meet a special demand or timeline?  You can assess the level of interest in your services and determine if you are a contender or merely filling out a list that must contain a certain number of names.

4.  How soon do you need to see progress or improvement for you to know that you’ve made the right decision in hiring me for the project?

Once again,  the prospect will show that he/she has thought things through,  has established clear and reasonable goals,  objectives,  timeline and metrics and recognizes success.  You’ll have another means to confirm that the project is real and there is something for you to pursue.

5.  What process will you follow in bringing me on as a provider of this service?

Process questions reveal how far ahead your prospect is thinking.  This question will demand that the prospect envision hiring you and think through what must be done to bring you on.  What budget is available and who else must sign off on your hire? If your prospect has only a fuzzy answer to this question,  then he/she may not have the authority to hire you.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , Leave a comment

Charisma and the Way You Say What You Say

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Is it my imagination,  or are people called upon to do much more public speaking now as compared to 20 years ago? I had a 15+ year career in sales and that kept me talking all day.   In addition to sales calls,  there were company meetings and I was frequently called upon to give presentations and participate in the whole give and take.   But  there was no need to be  “on”  and repping a brand 24/7.   In fact,  human beings didn’t consider themselves a  “brand”—we had reputations.   We had off hours, during which time we could relax without feeling anxious about it.   That was then.

Now I’ve got the Freelance consulting thing going on and demands to stand and deliver have about doubled.   Networking plays a major role in business development for the self-employed and business owners.   I do some teaching and occasionally speak to a local business group,  to demonstrate my credibility and promote visibility.

These days,  we’re all out there self-promoting and doing all that we can to attract new customers,  retain current clients,  obtain venture capital,  get a job or a promotion,  get our child into the  “right”  school and generally look like we are a valuable asset to those who are holding the goodies we desire.   For obvious reasons,  the ability to communicate well has never been more essential.  We need to learn how to inject some charisma into our presentations.

Charisma means a special gift in Greek and charismatic speakers have the unique and valuable gift of connecting with their audience and persuading them to grant the speaker their trust and loyalty.   Charismatic speakers are able to make their audience understand,  buy in to,  identify with,  get excited about and remember the cause and message that they addresses.   Charismatic speakers are adept at painting vivid word pictures by judiciously weaving stories and anecdotes,  humor and metaphors into their presentation in a way that causes the audience to align with them and their goals and opinions.

We all come by at least some of this naturally.   We all use metaphors,  rhetorical questions and other turns of phrase on a regular basis.  We can learn to become more conscious of our natural speaking style and ability by practicing speaking techniques when chatting with friends and family.   In time,  you’ll be able to comfortably inject some charisma when called upon to speak to a group.

Metaphors  are an excellent way to explain and illustrate a message and can persuade a skeptical audience to understand and embrace a new concept.   Martin Luther King, Jr.  displayed his mastery of the use of metaphor in his 1963  “I Have a Dream”  speech,  when he likened the US constitution to a  “promissory note”  that guaranteed the inalienable rights of life,  liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 Contrasts  often combine reason and passion.  They clarify the speaker’s position on the subject by comparing it to its opposite.  In his 1961 inaugural address,   President John F. Kennedy spoke the immortal words,  “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”  Benjamin Franklin noted that  “Content makes poor men rich;  discontent makes rich men poor.”  Similes  also compare and contrast,  as Muhammad Ali did when he famously announced that  “I’ll be  floating like a butterfly and stinging  like a bee.”

Then there is the use of story telling.   Stories can be where to use Analogy,  which points to the similarities between two things and on which a comparison can be based.   For example,  if your purpose is to build confidence and loyalty in a group and rally the members to face a difficult challenge,  the story you present may summarize when yourself or a group of people  (e.g. Londoners during the bombing in World War II)  pulled together,  kept their spirits up and faced the challenge with courage and resolve,  eventually prevailing.

Charismatic speakers are compelling and memorable.  Their skill is formidable,  but not entirely unattainable.   With practice,   we can learn to paint the picture for the audience,  frame the message,  influence priorities,  win confidence and portray ourselves as a leader.

Thanks for reading,

KIm

Professional Development , 5 Comments

Find the Leader Within

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This is the last post in the leadership series and I hope you’ve found it beneficial.   I hope that you were moved to recall key moments in your professional and personal life where you’ve stepped up and revealed yourself as a capable leader and also moments where you could have handled things a little better.   Some are born leaders,  but for most of us,   honing leadership skills is an ongoing process.   According to Katherine Tyler Scott,   Managing Principal of Ki ThoughtBridge leadership development specialists in Indianapolis, IN,   “All things being equal,   the best of the best leaders will have emotional intelligence,   self-awareness,   self-management,   social skills and motivation”.

They Are Change Agents

A Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation for 10 years,   Linetta Gilbert has doled out millions of dollars to worthy causes world-wide.   Primarily responsible for grantmaking in Gulf Coast states,   the 62-year-old New Orleans resident helped fund the reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Katrina and spent significant time listening to what grantees thought about change,   at times provoking them to higher ideals.

“Sometimes people are in positions of influence because they hold certain credentials or know the right person,   but they are not necessarily committed to the mission”,   Gilbert notes.  “I try to get inside their heads about their own leadership.   I expose them to opportunities to refine their skills,   recommending books,   conferences and training sessions.   I urge them to think about who they are,   what’s next and who in their organization is being groomed to keep the agenda going”.

As a grantmaker,   Gilbert understands that judgment is a quality of leadership that must be honed.   “You have to learn how to read reality truthfully”,   she says.  “It is not something people are born with.   You have to have opportunities to develop and ask yourself,  Is this real? Or is it only real from my perspective’?

In 2010,   Gilbert was invited to co-lead the newly formed Declaration Initiative at  The Ford Foundation,  which aims to eradicate deep  poverty in the United States within the next 15 years.   “I believe that leaders must have a higher power call upon,   some larger connection outside of work,”.   That source,   Gilbert says,   is her power.

They Begin With the End in Mind

Six months into her job as Executive Director at Safe Shores–The DC Children’s Advocacy Center,  a not-for-profit agency that works with abused children,  Michele Booth Cole was tasked with negotiating with the District of Columbia to acquire a new building for the agency.  “We wanted a space that would serve families and be more child-friendly”,  says the 46-year-old.  “The idea was to own the building”.

But when DC officials told her that owning a building was out of the question,  Cole had to reassess.    As she weighed her options,   she realized that her ultimate goal was to secure a larger space and decided to make a counter-offer.  Her organization would lease the new space from DC,  but Safe Shores would have to play a central role in its design.

Cole’s proposal was the turning point in the negotiations.  “Taking a flexible approach allowed the project to move forward and demonstrated a willingness to cooperate on our part”,   commented Cole.   “We had our eyes on the higher goal of serving children in a facility that was worthy of them”.   In 2011,   Safe Shores moved into a newly renovated 37,000 square foot building.

According to Katherine Tyler Scott,  Cole’s ability to focus on the agency’s mission was a key factor in using her power.   “A leader who is self-aware and knowledgeable of the organization’s core values can successfully guide key decisions and enable that organization to be prudent under pressure”.   Cole adds  “Power is about sharing leadership and cultivating others to get things done with a real sense of excellence”.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , Leave a comment

Leadership In Action

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What does it take to be an effective and respected leader?  You must be willing to embrace your strengths,   account for your weaknesses,   believe in yourself and your ideas,  be resourceful and be humble.  This leadership series showcases women,  but the lessons revealed are gender neutral.

They Reinvent Themselves

Sheila Brooks,  56,  grew up poor in Kansas City, MO.   Her parents instilled in her and her sister a value for education.   Brooks admits,  “I’m very demanding of myself.   I set a high standard of quality and excellence”.   After starting out as a news reporter,   she became an Emmy Award-winning news producer.    She then went on to found a video surveillance company in Maryland,   where she won contracts with local police departments and high-level security agencies.   In 10 years,   her business had 73 employees and annual revenues exceeded $1 million dollars.   Then September 11, 2001 happened.

Brooks lost 60%  of her business as demand evaporated.   Clearly,  it was time for a new strategy.   In response,   she created a board of advisers for her company and drew upon her experience in broadcasting to redirect the business to web casting,   media placement and  advertising services.   “Strategically figuring out where we needed to go took courage and determination.  You have to be a risk-taker”,   Brooks says.

Today,  Brooks is once again contemplating her next move.  “My goal is to sell the business in the next seven years.  We must always know when to reinvent ourselves.   We have to be willing to re-engineer”.

They Collaborate

In 2010 Danielle Torain,  then 27,  was both law student and full-time employee.   One week before exams,   she was asked to coordinate the citywide response in her hometown of Baltimore to a national grant competition designed to provide educational services to low-income neighborhoods.   The timing was lousy,   but Torain nevertheless met the challenge and sprang into action by contacting private,  not-for-profit,   government and philanthropic institutions.  “The goal was to bring together organizations that don’t normally interact to share wisdom and resources and plan the course of action”,  Torain says.

As a result of her efforts,   49 public and private agencies collaborated on a proposal that was submitted with 58 letters of support from city and Maryland state officials.  Ginny Clarke,  President and CEO of Talent Optimization Partners of Chicago,   applauds Torain and describes her as a leader who has  “the ability to empower others,  get the best out of them and give them what they need to be successful”.

They Are Servant Leaders

Whether it originates from spirituality or a belief in the social good,  there is power in recognizing a purpose greater than oneself.   Elizabeth Horsey,  54,  is a social worker at a Philadelphia children’s hospital.   Being a social worker in a medical setting requires both resiliency and authority.  “I have to think of words of encouragement to ease the pain of the children and parents I work with.   I’ve learned to advocate in the midst of those who disagree.   I am able to point out people’s strength when others see weakness”.

Leadership development expert Katherine Tyler Scott,  Managing Principle of Ki ThoughtBridge,  the Indianapolis, IN based leadership development company,   notes that while technical skill is important,   it is not the ultimate characteristic of a good leader.  “It takes personal security to be able to stand in that place of conflict,  where people differ,   and still be able to listen respectfully,   question yourself,   and still come out whole”,   Scott notes.   She continues,  “Such leaders have done enough inner work to make their outer work effective”.

Thanks for reading.  To those in the US,  have a happy and safe July 4.

Kim