Well, as you can tell from the date of my last post, I have not had much time to write lately. I actually still don't feel like I have much time right now either, but was inspired to write after reading a couple of posts by Geoffrey James on BNET. I like to read about marketing and get different perspectives and I sometimes like the articles on BNET - but this one got me going a bit. Since I had too much to say to post a reply on the BNET article, I thought it would be best to simply write my own post.
I will try to not be as self-serving and one-sided as Mr. James - as I post a different view of Sales and Marketing roles. By the way Mr. James - have you ever heard of a Product Manager or a Product Marketing Manager?

Here are a few of my picks for organizational dos and don'ts related to Marketing:
1. Sales and Marketing should always be under the same leadership

2. For any business with more than $5million or so in Sales, Sales and Marketing Departments should also have a Product Management function.

3. No matter what the 'experts' tell you - it is still important for someone to focus on the 4Ps of marketing - Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

4. In a perfect world, the Product Manager sets the rules on Pricing, determines, with Sales, the product mix and looks to Sales to determine the 'place'. Marketing takes care of the promotion piece.
BTW, if pricing is set by Sales, it will inevitably be too low. It is easier to sell things when you can beat competitors prices. Like it or not, it is a rare company that offers commissions based on margins.

5. Promotion can mean just about anything, but a good Marketer can figure out what is best based on the company goals, the product mix, the market being targeted and the demographics of the decision makers. Promotion does not mean booking a booth at a show or running an ad and walking away. A good Marketer can also craft a message correctly to help Sales. ALthough B2B selling is largely based on relationships and reputation, everyone needs to find new leads and provide messaging that will engage these propects.

6. Marketing should talk to Sales and Sales should talk to Marketing - regularly. It does not have to be an us vs. them situation.

7. Anyone in Marketing should have to go on a few sales calls and to a couple of trade shows. Talk to customers and look at competitors - figure out what everyone needs and does.

8. Anyone in charge of Marketing at a high tech company better know the products. If you do not have a technical background, get one. You have to be able to understand what your product does and why it is worth buying. There are few Marketing professionals who can market a product they don't understand.

9. Branding and Strategy are important elements to Marketing, but here is the problem - people get too caught up in trying to define and work out these elements until they are 'perfect'. The problem is - they are never going to be perfect to everyone - they are too subjective.

[Quick aside - a professional I know chose not to quote on a logo design project for one of my clients. He cited the difficulties in getting the logo right and stated that even $10,000 was probably not enough to make logo design worth the effort. WHAT? I'm sorry - I don't want to minimize the difficulties in coming up with a new company logo, but really? This is what I mean - it is not THAT important. Make sure it is nice and a good representation of your company and/or your products... and off we go.]

Anyway, to continue - 'Branding' comes when you develop a name for yourself - a reputation. Take enough time to make sure that your products and information all look like they come from your company so that everything you do builds your brand. But, don't get too worked up with the logo, font and color choices, tag lines and all that. Pick something appropriate and nice and stick to it. If you have something old or dated looking or just plain ugly, change it.  If you do everything else right, you will build a brand whether your logo is blue or red or...
As far as strategy goes, let's rename it 'planning'. Marketing planning is an essential function. Marketing strategy is too often confused with Strategic planning for the business. Marketing plans should be part of your business strategy - not vice verse.
Add Comment
 
 
I hate politics. So, when I was considering a post about politics and business, I stopped to think about this a bit. Did I really want to spend my time thinking about politics any more than I had to? Especially these days when it is all so ugly.

Then I read an article in the Boston Globe today about Governor Patrick and I just could not help relating many points to the business world. For those of you who are not up on Massachusetts politics, Governor Deval Patrick (D) was elected in 2006 and came from the private sector - never having held a political office before. WHAT? you say. Yeah, in a political machine like Boston, it was a crazy idea. But, just like Patrick, I have seen this happen in business many times - an outsider is brought in to lead a company or a business unit. Maybe for a good reason or maybe because he/she had the right connections - kind of like politics, right? 

In the article, that looks back on his first term, several statements really made me think of the business world. Speaking of Patrick in the early weeks in office, "...simply unaware of how to wield the influence of the corner office,... how to project an image as a strong leader." "He didn't understand how to corral his power,..."  Have you ever seen this in business? New company executives come in and don't understand the politics of being in charge. This politician did not understand the business of politics. 

Often, managers come into a new company and rub people the wrong way, are looked at suspiciously and may struggle to make the changes they want to see. Perhaps, like Governor Patrick, they need to learn the ropes first, observe and learn and then test the waters with new plans and decisions. Maybe they need to realize that they don't know everything relative to THIS organization and should take some time to figure out the who, what and why before laying down the new order. 

Patrick eventually got the hang of getting things done from the corner office. The article later states, "We are now seeing an experience, tough, seasoned political leader who has learned from some very painful experiences." I wonder if this is just the nature of being in charge. You need to come in and make a few mistakes. If you are smart enough to learn from these mistakes, listen and adjust, you are likely to make it after all - in politics or business.
Add Comment
 
 
I have been reading a lot of articles and blog posts lately. I’m not sure what I’m trying to learn or if this is worth doing, but I am doing it. We are so inundated with links to information – as we search for things, check our twitter, wander around facebook, stumble upon things, etc. It’s hard to resist clicking and looking and reading and then clicking a reference link … you know how this goes.
It seems to me that I am not reading much new stuff anymore. Maybe info about new technology that makes getting business info easier or is the new rage in Marketing – but whatever happened to good old fashioned business management talk. It may be out there, but it’s buried in a sea of social media thoughts and discussion.

So, I put together my thoughts. Here is my list of top things that a good business person should know – in no particular order:

1. Understand how to deal with people. Whether inside the company or out, good people skills mean good business.

2. Understand that Quality is a philosophy, not a department. If I need to explain this, you are not on board with this one.

3. Cash flow – understanding that cash is king. You can’t keep a business (especially a small one) afloat if you can’t pay the bills.

4. You cannot do it alone – but you especially can’t do it without good people. The emphasis here is on “good”. Do not tolerate inept or lazy employees – they can ruin everything you work hard to build. Hire good people.

5. Lead by example. You cannot demand that employees, or customers for that matter, do the right thing if you do not make decisions and support people who do the right thing – even when that gets hard.

6. Find your value proposition and build your story around that. Stay focused enough to move forward, but not so stuck in your ways that you can’t make adjustments as things change around you.

7. Communicate, communicate, communicate. People cannot achieve unknown goals or meet vague expectations. Praise good work and discuss how to improve anything that does not meet expectations.

8. Make decisions. Don’t be afraid to make the wrong one and don’t let things happen by default. You loose control when this happens. Gather information that you need, understand whose advice you can trust, weigh the options and decide. This is key to getting things done. If it turns out to be a bad decision, make a decision to try something else.

9. Lead with respect and others will follow.

10. Measure. Find useful ways to measure progress – of the business, of your employees and your own improvement.

Finally, always look to improve. Never sit back and feed off the status quo – this is the kiss of death. Everyone can improve upon something. Make it a mission.
Add Comment
 
 
I am really in the mood to write today, but have been struggling with choosing a topic. I was thinking about my job search and how unprofessional companies have become over the last few years. Then I was thinking about my oldest who was just fired from her job because her boss found out she had been accepted by Americorp for a year of service and they tried to make her quit now instead of in October (when her service starts) - some very slimy biz stuff going on there. Then I was playing around with the idea of writing a book about what NOT to do in business - things I have learned along the way. I thought I could play around with a few topics from that much too long list of lessons learned!

So, what will it be? I think today I will take a peek at the way companies treat people these days. (I know, that line just made me sound old - 'kids these days...') I have never considered myself an old fashioned gal or someone who gets too caught up in formalities - but I am professional and polite and like to think that I act that way in my work life. Something has happened in business over the last few years. People have forgotten their manners and basic courtesies.

When did we stop notifying candidates that they did not get the job after an interview? When did we not reply to a direct email asking for information that we were told we would receive? When did companies stop giving a #@! about people? When did companies start intimidating young employees and trying to take advantage of them?
Does anyone care about doing the right thing anymore? Are we really that busy? That cold? Are we afraid of something?

I'm not going to go on and on here. I just want to encourage everyone to stop for a moment and think about that person on the other side - the one being interviewed or going through a performance evaluation or phoning you with a question. Think about how you would want to be treated if you were on the other side. Do you deserve a reply? An update? An explanation? It only takes a few minutes and it can make a big difference to someone. It should make you feel good too - doing the right thing always does. Let's get back to a little professional courtesy - you never know when you will meet that person again!
Add Comment
 
 
I was thinking about marketing tonight. Actually, I think about marketing a lot of the time - but anyway...

I was thinking about how some companies really get it and some just don't. Some companies are lucky enough to be in a well defined space, where it is clear how to market your products, and some are in a new technology or in cross-over or emerging markets and just can't find the right message.

I am thinking about this because I applied for a job at a company that makes solar panels, and I was perusing their website to get more info about their products, markets, etc. After spending a little time navigating their site, I really hope they will talk to me about working there. I really think I could help. Really.

Maybe I have it all wrong. Maybe they are not interested in selling product - just telling people about how cool their technology is and how they make it well. Maybe that is enough to get people to buy these expensive solar panels. Maybe I'm in the minority to think that the best way to sell something like residential and commercial solar panels is to show how someone can be environmentally friendly while not spending their life savings or corporate profits. Perhaps I am alone in thinking that making a financial case to show home owners, contractors, businesses, etc. that it is actually a cost effective move, would be a good marketing strategy. What do I know?

Well, actually, I know quite a bit. I know that new technology, no matter how 'cool' it is, is hard to adopt when it is expensive and has long term implications. I know that even when you want to do the right thing for the environment, you are often only willing to spend a limited amount to do it. I also know that it is hard to buy something when you don't really understand how it works. So, if I were marketing solar panels, I would suggest including this kind of information on the website. Examples of energy cost savings and payback time for the initial outlay. Explanations of how solar ties into your home or business electrical system to keep you 'off grid' so to speak. I would educate and enlighten - and then pitch "now that you know you want it, buy from us because we make it better..."

Anyway, what do I know?!
Add Comment
 
 
I spent some time talking to several local retail business owners a while back. A small candy store, a store selling childrens' items from around the world, a wood/pellett stove store and a brand new restaurant, were among the businesses I visited. Each one had a really nice owner, a well maintained store and good inventory. Each one was struggling when I met them.

We met because I was looking for space to start a little business idea that I had at the time. When I put together my first pass at a business plan, I determined that I could not pay too much for rent - so I set out to talk to some local businesses to see how they got started, what rents were like in different areas and, in 2 cases, to see if someone might want to share a space and therefore really keep expenses down (my business idea was related to kids, so may have fit in with the toy or candy lady).

What I found through these discussions was that many of these business owners never really put together a plan. "WHAT?!" - you may gasp. "No business plan?" NOPE.
One woman told me "I wish I had done something like that before I signed this lease". Of course she did! She was actually leaving her space for something more affordable and going to pay both rents for a few months so as not to loose the opportunity to lease the cheaper space (off the beaten path). I heard the exact same story at the international toy store. The stove store owner was regreting his decision to expand to this second location and closed up shop shortly after we met. We had discussed the space next to his that was for lease (he told me to stay away from that building - lousy landlord and more expensive than it was worth). I already knew that - I had done the math.

So, believe it or not, people start businesses without a plan. They don't even put together some basic numbers to see if they are going to be capable of paying their bills. They didn't determine how many dozens of toys and books they would have to sell each day just to cover their costs. They did not make the simple calculations that would tell them how many thousands of chocolates would have to be sold each month just to pay the bills. The restaurant needed to have at least 40 people buy a meal every day, but did not have a plan on how to bring in that many people.

For every one of these, and several others that I have spoken with, a simple calculation would have told them not to sign those pricey leases, to find an alternative or at least think through plans more thoroughly.

As of now, the toy lady closed up shop and sells through homeschool networks. The candy shop is closed too, but sells mail-order. The restaurant is actually doing better, after a really tough couple of years. 

So, the lesson here... even if you self-finance and you are excited about your business and you just know you can make it work - do the numbers. Add up your monthly expenses - rent, utilities, insurance, payroll, advertising, etc. Then consider your product costs vs. selling price. Given just those basics, how many items will you have to sell to cover your costs every month? Then translate that to how many each day or week. Now, think about that number carefully - is it reasonable? Is it achievable?Chances are that you could get 10-20 customers to buy every day - but could you get 40? 50? If that is the magic number - re-think your plan. Oh, and don't sign that lease quite yet.
Add Comment
 
 
The customer is always right - right? Is this your customer service mantra or do you think this is an 'old fashioned' way to think? Has customer service changed over the last 10 years or so? Should it?

I have run a couple of Customer Service Departments over the years and I always stress that if you don't at least start with this basic assumption, things will often not go well. When a customer calls with a question or problem, you simply have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Customer Service personnel should understand that they have the ability to make or break the company's relationship with its customers. You can have the best product, good prices - even fast delivery - but if people don't like you, they will not buy and they certainly will not recommend you.

So, is the customer always right? Of course not. I have actually found that the customer is often not right. Maybe they have the wrong information or caused the problem themselves. Customers can call to complain that their order was really late, but they placed the order a week later than they remembered. Someone may call to return a product that is not working and is 'brand new', but when you look it up, the product is 6 months past its warranty period. Customers are human. We are all customers at some point. Have you ever had a 'senior moment' when ordering something? Maybe you forgot to get your credit card out or changed your mind while ordering because you suddenly realized you did not really need to spend money on this item? Customer Service needs to take all of this in stride, keep their tone positive and work through the issues with the customer. The goal is to make the customer feel satisfied when the conversation (or email trail) is complete - even if they don't end up getting what they asked for!

Years ago, we often saw 'yes' people dealing with customers. "Yes, sir", "Of course, Ma'am" ... Pushing back on the customer was probably more frowned upon than it is today. Modern customer service works just fine with a little push back - but it must be under the premise that the goal is still to make that customer happy. It's ok to say "I'm sorry, but my records indicate that this was ordered in 2009, not last month" - here is the key to diffusing this, continue with - "Could I be missing something or was this ordered by someone else?" When questioning the validily of a customer's issue, always provide them with an out of some sort. Show them you are open to the possibility that you have not found what is needed or that you understand how easy it is to not remember when something was purchased - time flies in our busy world.

Nothing diffuses anger more than someone who is trying to share the blame for a problem and genuinely sounds like they really want to help you. This does not mean the customer will get what they wanted, but they need to feel like they got what they deserved in the end - even if that is simply having been made to understand that there is not really a problem after all!
Add Comment
 
 
Image building, branding, messaging - all so important to your business, but one of the most vague marketing concepts in my book. There are so many ways to say something, so many ways to design a logo and a look for your business. What looks great to you may seem odd or out of date to me - or vice versa. How do you know if what you are doing is right?

You can look at a few things and ask a few key questions to make sure you are at least on the right path. So, first and foremost - do no harm! If you do only one thing - make sure your web site, company look, email campaigns, Social Media and anything else you put out there, do not make you look bad in anyone's eyes. Check that nothing you do could be considered inappropriate, insulting, or just plain sound stupid. Make sure you have good grammar, no typos and nothing that is just plain wrong.

Once you have done this, decide what your message is going to be and what company image you want to build. Everything you do should then revolve around these ideas. Check yourself often by asking if what you are doing fits into this message. For instance, are you trying to be a market leader, a low price solution, high quality/high price, the innovator - what is your value proposition? Then, what is your image (based, at least in part, on your target market)- modern/young, older and established, very corporate, kind of funky, artsy, on the cutting edge? Define your image with 2 or 3 adjectives and use those when evaluating design choices for your materials.

Now that you have determined your value proposition and your positioning, build your image around them. Start with your company name/logo and any tag line you may use. Do they fit the parameters you have just determined? Do they need to be adjusted? Will adding a tag line help? Is this a good time to design or re-design your logo? Choose colors for your logo that will extend into other areas like your website, printed materials, email marketing pieces, social media pages, etc.

Next, look at your web site. Does your home page tell the visitor what your value proposition is? Does it at least answer the question - "What does this company do?" in the first 5-8 seconds? Would you use your company "adjectives" to describe this site? Is it 'funky' or 'corporate' or 'young' looking? Is it visually appealing and does it look like your company? And, most of all, is it correct! Does everything link properly? Enough people will come and go, don't give them a reason (like poor design) to leave.

This is just the tip of the image building iceberg, but I hope this gives you something to think about.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
There are a lot of things that can kill a smaller sized business - cash flow issues, poor quality, supply issues and so much more. I think that one of the worse things that can happen to a small company is a bad case of indecision - perhaps accompanied with a side of wishy-washyness.

OK, a little word play fun, but seriously - if you can't make decisions and you keep re-visiting and adjusting everything, how can you ever move forward? I think this can lead to a slow and painful death.

So, let's examine the possible causes of these ailments. Why is it difficult for some people to make decisions? In many cases, it is the fear of being wrong. Sometimes it stems from trying to keep certain employees from getting upset (yes, this does happen). It often takes work to make a decision - collecting information in order to determine the right course of action. Those people are just lazy. Some like to avoid any conflict, some just procrastinate by nature, some are simply foolish.

I know I have written this before, but it is worth repeating. There is nothing worse (ok, there are some things that are worse, but you get the idea) than having things just happen through no conscious decision - just happening by chance. You lose all control when this happens and can't easily look back to determine what went wrong. A wrong decision is better than no decision.

The other piece that can wreak havoc is constantly changing your decisions. Of course it is important to regularly re-evaluate plans, review products, procedures, assignments, etc. and make adjustments along the way. But, that does not mean changing objectives, targets, assignments or strategy often is a good thing. Plans need to be given a little time to play out - see what happens. Measurement and review needs to collect enough information to provide a good basis for making changes and enough information to help guide what that change should be. Don't change your pricing scheme after 1 down sales month. Don't re-vamp your successful web site after 2 weeks of reduced site activity. Don't re-assign tasks or people because of 1 complaint.

Although the dinosaurs of old school business should be dead for SMB, and changes should not involve years of study and review, a little moderation and consideration in planning and decision making is an important  business concept.
Add Comment
 
 
As we approach 2010, I'm sure big plans are underway for businesses of all types. Sales goals are being doled out, cost reductions are under review, pricing strategies are being evaluated, cost of new development and expenses are being reconsidered, personnel is being looked at and on and on.
I get it. Times are tough out there. Business is slow, prices are falling, competition is crazy, ... You just want to get through this recession and come out the other side.
What a perfect time to take stock in how you do things and to make improvements. I'm talking about evaluating everything you do. What would happen if you made "improvement" a major goal for 2010? Would it help you succeed in this tough economy? Would it make you stronger on the other side? Is it worth spending precious resources on doing this now? I say yes, yes and definitely yes!
When I talk about improving things, I'm talking about processes, procedures - how everyone performs their piece of the business puzzle. Every single company out there can do something better - improving their efficiency, costs, customer service, product performance, yields, ... The things upon which we can improve are almost endless.
I have done this with clients when I did Quality Management work - as part of the journey toward ISO registrations. I worked with each department, meeting with people who understood the way things were currently being done and brainstormed about things that they thought went smoothly and things they thought needed improvement. Then I would bring in people who worked with that department and ask them what worked well and what might be improved upon. You see, no department works in a vacuum - they all interact and provide things for each other. When you do your job well, your department, your internal 'customers' and the company all benefit.
After this series of meetings and brainstorming sessions, we reviewed the practices and procedures followed in each department and made some changes. We documented what we were going to do and went over everything, including expectations, with each employee. We then let the updated system work for a while.
The key to true success with this type of plan is to have management buy-in, to support the implementation and time commitment needed for this. The other key thing is to do a follow-up. It is important to re-group some time after the new procedures have been in effect (6 months maybe) to go over the progress and tweak anything that is still not quite right. This also reaffirms that this is not a passing fad or a management whim. It is a real commitment to change and progress.
Although it is extremely helpful to bring someone in from the outside to facilitate this type of activity, it can be done with your own people. Someone from a different department could take the lead for each area - asking questions, being the 'moderator', noting the good things and the things that are not working well. This person would guide the department toward new objectives and focus on procedural updates that will make each department more effective and efficient.
Why not make IMPROVEMENT an objective for 2010?
Add Comment
 

Create a free website with Weebly

Product Management, Marketing Strategy, Social media