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…
Social Media and Brand Engagement
In today’s business landscape real branding has been replaced with slide shows of social media billboards (posts) that are expected to deliver the results of a real brand experience.
I was reading an article titled “The Rules of Engagement: How Social Media has Changed the Landscape” by Sandra Lewis. In it, Lewis makes a similar point stating that companies get caught up in sending out messages and forgetting the importance of real, true engagement.
She feels that social media should play a large …
I was reading an article titled “The Rules of Engagement: How Social Media has Changed the Landscape” by Sandra Lewis. In it, Lewis makes a similar point stating that companies get caught up in sending out messages and forgetting the importance of real, true engagement.
She feels that social media should play a large …
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 …
I Need an Army to Manage My Social Media Presence!
Have you ever felt that way? I hear it all the time and that is one of the first hurdles that I have to overcome whenever I give a social media presentation.I’ll admit that there are times when I too feel that way…or at least that I need help to keep up with my social media presence. But let’s put social media interaction into perspective:
- You don’t have to go anywhere to do it—it’s accessible from any device that has an internet connection! So it actually does comes to you!
- You don’t have …
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.