Three Ways to Improve Communication

Recently, I’ve focused articles on processes for improving your sales funnel conversion, defining your brand, and beating your competition. All of these areas focus on enhancing your business. None of these topics would be successful without clearly defining your needs (or problems) at your company.  So how can you rapidly identify areas for improvement? It may be as simple as going back to school. 

A client recently hired me to teach some members in Beijing, and Wednesday night’s discussion rapidly got “off topic.”  The materials being reviewed were so far removed from their sphere of operation that it made me appreciate several aspects of routine business.

1. Your words (spoken or written) frame perspective.  
2. Trendy language relays (and replays) a moment in time.
3. Without context, content (as well as message) becomes irrelevant.

Perspective

Some of the learning materials had intentional typographical errors, with the intention to convey a different social class or points of diversity, with the ultimate goal of discovering how to partner better regardless of education level, economic status, cultural impressions or work experience. Instead, the struggle became improving on a perceived team-members faults that would bring disharmony to the team and reality of how others saw or would see their team.

To resolve the laser-focus attention to the ways their Kaizen or Six Sigma processes could improve the “product” they were reviewing, I needed to reverse direction, establish historical context that was extraordinarily (but not surprisingly) absent, and then could help them identify as well as appreciate the framework as the tool; it wasn’t the project itself, but the way to get them engaged. 

Result - The pause in the process was well-worth the extra time as the group was able to better focus.

Time

In our session yesterday, it was readily apparent that the domestic approach to business was not as easily translatable as the hiring client had expected.  Rather than continuing on the fixed path, flexibility required explaining in their terms today what happened in some examples decades ago in order for them to appreciate the scenarios presented. The discussion would not have been as robust or self-illuminating, but now they applied the new information (originally not seen as relevant) to their own situation and rapidly moved ahead of the intended agenda.

Last month in an article, I referenced how industry jargon can only work if directly affected large game-changing practices—it was a direct action using correlation to time.  If your client base is not “up to speed” on the latest technology or the process improvement techniques, for example, all of your accolades are meaningless as there is no comprehension of your impact to their problems.

Result - Tying expectation to reality improves a self-guided team’s organizational performance.

Context 

To provide materials prior to the session for training was thought to be an efficiency to increase learning for the client’s needs (and frankly, to reduce costs).  However, with essentially blind delivery of their pre-selected materials for discussion, it created “avenues for creativity,” meaning each person in the group identified a unique message that applied to his or her own situation—truly fabulous, except when none of their ideas were in line with the mission of the training.

There are times when employers wish they could embolden staff and stimulate creativity, yet invariably there are situations that “prompt” it when least expected.  When we share ideas or develop an expectation for team members, it shows fallacy on the part of the manager when frameworks or “why” something is needed is not explained.  People are much more willing to help solve problems when they understand the rationale behind the request.

Result - By providing clear process, creativity can be harnessed for improved business outcomes.

Communication success depends on its thoughtfulness and inclusiveness; context and timeframe influence perspectives through all areas of business (as well as government).  It’s not only a smart global business framework, but one that can be used to improve all levels of an organization. 

Confusion reduced allows for productivity increased.

Be certain that you are reaching your intended audience appropriately by thinking more about others and less about yourself.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Get It Right and Satisfy Customers, Not Satisfice a Situation for the Sale

Recently, I’ve written about two aspects of the sales funnel that are typically overlooked though they directly contributing to revenue.  However, you’ll never reach the right customers without a successful branding process and you won’t be able to sell products (or services) if you don’t understand your competition from a shifted perspective.

Now that you know what your potential purchases aren’t getting from the marketplace and have identified who your company truly serves, the next best step is to capture how you can satisfy the right customers.

There are all sorts of acronyms for the sales funnel.  TOFU, MOFU, BOFU… AIDA… ARC… SPIN — you get the point (even if you don’t get all the acronyms).

A robust sales funnel has six stages:

• Awareness -  this opportunity may be achieved through organic or paid email marketing, search engine placement or social media messaging where you are identifying prospective consumers out of the entire client opportunity
• Consideration - once the connection has moved to interest, consumers begin searching for information to evaluate how they can meet their identified needs through website research and eCommerce reviews
• Preference - this stage cultivates relationships and can influence perceptions on the value of your solution, where informed consumers make a well-timed decision for the best product or service for their situation
• Purchase - once the conversion has been made for the consumer to become your customer, using a systemized follow-up methodology that doesn’t rely on human memory improves opportunities for touch points and increased positive interaction
• Loyalty - repeat business is essential, though if ‘forced’ or achieved via lack-of-choices, your business is contingent on satisficing needs
• Advocacy - leading to increased revenue, the best funnel is supported by word-of-mouth endorsement

Wait.  What’s that word satisficing? It happens after sales, after all the interaction and research, so you must have done things right, right?

Wrong.

If you’ve put the wrong effort into getting any sale, then you aren’t satisfying anyone (except maybe a short-sighted sales manager).  What you’ve been doing is throwing spaghetti on a wall to see what sticks and gets you to your target number.

That’s satisficing — it’s taking a “sales suspect” and giving them most of what they want rather than fulfilling all that they need with your solution.

Here’s an example.  You sell two microwaves (one at 1100 cubic inches at 700 kw power and the other at 900 cubic inches and 1000 kw power).  A consumer needs a microwave, and he likes to reheat leftovers quickly.  This means a higher power machine.

Mr. Consumer comes to your website and sees the two options. But the higher power microwave won’t fit his current leftover dishes.  So he will either have to shop for new dishes after buying your smaller cubic inch microwave or he will have to wait longer to heat his meal evenly.

This is satisficing — it makes the consumer pick something he doesn't want to get an option he does want, where he is not being totally satisfied with the process or prospects even if he purchases from you.

While easiest to describe in the purchase and post-purchase phase as its easier to quantify, this may occur in every and any phase of the funnel.  

This is when you could be satisficing:

• Awareness satisficing -  providing a limited opportunity for learning about your products or (perhaps worse) giving the right message on the wrong channel where your future loyal customers don’t listen 
• Consideration satisficing - having inventory available immediately, though it doesn’t meet the specifications the future loyal customer wants (this is a needs-based miss), or having gaps in your communications strategy for web research
• Preference satisficing - frequently involving delayed or delinquent responses to inquiries, or involving a top-heavy sales pitch without reliable facts and outside endorsements
• Purchase satisficing - shoddy packaging, generic (or absent) thank you messaging, or not having the right suggested complementary purchases that exceed expectation stop your sales funnel dead in the water
• Loyalty satisficing - a one-time customer will not return to your company for future needs 
• Advocacy satisficing - the only impact here is negative if you’ve failed in any previous step

Strong strategic branding addresses the first three errors, which is why you spend time before pushing a product to answer the right questions.  Beating the competition before you get started addresses the last three errors thereby avoiding quicksand.

Don’t just set the target numbers and hope to make monthly sales, or you won’t have very many months to make sales. Fix it.  Do the right thing at the right time by identifying what people want and then giving them more.

Remember, there is a human behind the curtain even in the new “fake news” filters, a future topic in these articles where we’ll discuss the importance of real reviews versus the rumor mill affecting your business.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Four Steps to Beating Your Competition

The economy is growing, so logically there are more people doing business.  More competition is still competition (even if it’s bad competition) — you end up distracted by figments instead of attracted to substance.

In this new year, on this day of “manifesting the best” in each of us, we should each focus on revelations that make us better.  Today’s topic is competition.

This isn’t a B-school SWOT analysis or a social media storyboard.  It’s a fundamental shift in your approach.  Buzzwords like schema, perception, analysis are great only when you take these small details and incorporate them into large game-changing practice.  See the trend about you and your application of knowledge rather than checkboxes or scorecards.

It’s day six of the new year (the fourth business day), and here are the four things you should have already done this week:

• Make sure you understand the industry tomorrow.  There are direct, indirect and substitute types of competitors, but that’s only looking at what exists today.  Don’t look at the gorilla in your sector; instead, look at the tiger cubs.  There are resources focused on VC recipients and patent registrations - use them.  Don't be shocked when a truck you didn’t see overtakes market leaders.  Look beyond the easy answers (like Silicon Valley players falling to hype) to those with a hunger to get ahead (like Syrian girls in new industries).

• Learn how language is shifting, both at companies and by consumers. Though you may read a lot, if you aren’t in the trenches at some point on a regular basis you will lose your communication edge.  Don’t leave it to an agency to tell you what keywords matter!  You should be defining the topics that will resonate in the market that position your brand as the solution.  Trends don’t matter in and of themselves; trending topics occur because there are people looking for solutions to problems. 

• The Internet of Things is still a function of human design.  The electronic web is still fueled for growth by people making decisions.  While cars may drive themselves, they are not free from human monitoring, programming or intervention.  Design is attractive and what draws business.  Consumers may be irrational, but if you figure out a new way to use the box or build a better mousetrap, connecting via the internet remains a tool for consumers rather than a limited decision tool.  Figure out how you use what you know in the next 18 months. 

• Scope and scale are critical to success.  Like the introductory paragraph notes, your business isn’t competing with everything; it’s only taking on those organizations which you identify as worthy of effort.  Typically, this is the big pitfall of new managers and established leaders — emotional decisions to protect turf override common sense.  This isn’t saying ignore a “gut feeling.” Don’t confuse an ocean with loyal customers’ purchasing habits; know who you are before you pick fights with insignificant non-competitors.

It was 2016 when we were reminded to understand who you are before you decided where you are going.  As you finish with the fourth business day of the new year, if you haven’t truthfully considered your strengths and direction, complete a cram session this weekend so you don’t miss out on next week’s deliverables.  

The next few weeks of articles will address core topics for improvements to focus time efficiently and sort through the noise  — stay tuned for more ways to improve the things in your world.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Dog Days

Global warming studies by a variety of sources say we are having the hottest summers ever recorded.  Proof of the lyrical "Dog Days of Summer" that have just passed us by with the beginning of fall.  The saying 'dog days' was originated by the Greek poets, who noted that the constellation with Sirius - the brightest star - was always prominent in the Mediterranean skies during the hottest points of the year.  Homer eloquently wrote in The Iliad:

Sirius rises late in the dark, liquid sky

On summer nights, star of stars,

Orion's Dog they call it, brightest

of all, but an evil portent, bringing heat

And fevers to suffering humanity.

The suffering references pestilence, plaque, fever and then ravages of war that would occur during these same days of summer.  Not lazy days, as the spring had troop movements and attacks could easily be cast during summer and early harvest season (when food would be plentiful) prior to returning to their homelands and the onset of winter.

Dogs on the Earth (as opposed to the heavens above) are in more than 36% of American households according to statistics posted on the American Veterinarian Medical Association website (yes, cats are second at 30%).  Between heaven and earth, our four legged friends remind us about unconditional love, friendship, loyalty - and a host of worthy attributes for any kind of friends.

But remember - if you aren't in the northern hemisphere, the throws of winter are upon you during the Greek's dog days of summer.  Then, dogs are trying to keep warm along with their owners.

It's all about perspective, isn't it?  That's the way it is with everything... including walking your dog or someone else's well-loved pup or with projects and relationships with others.  Think about the perspective of others (including your poochie) before you take actions that will make others think twice about walking with you.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/the-dog-walking-economy/407971/

When Your Message Isn't Getting Through

Have you ever felt like you are telling clients – or potential clients – something over and over and over? Feels like you are almost a broken record, doesn’t it?

We work hard and use our skills to develop concise messages, informative content, and interesting visuals.  How can you be sure to be heard?

Perhaps you need to change the delivery of the message or location.  In marketing and strategy, there are a few “Ps” we always consider – and placement is definitely one of them.  Even one of the most well-loved bands of all times needed some placement adjustments to get heard.  If The Beatles needed to make a change, you should consider changes, too.

Marc Cenedella (Chairman of The Ladders) notes that at the height of their career (1969), there were some issues with the group – after they had their argument, went away, and came back together,  they could make music: and did it on a rooftop in London for 42 minutes!!!

There were some unhappy people caught in the video, ones that didn’t like the change or didn’t appreciate the commotion and disruption of their schedules. There will always be negative comments, even for The Beatles.  But that didn’t stop them.

Don’t let some disruptions on your team or negative feedback push you off your path to success.  The second song they play is “Don’t Get Me Down” – don’t let yourself down.

Listen to that 42 minutes of greatness as The Beatles are belting it from the rooftops - get inspired!

https://vimeo.com/95681569#t=0m60s

Pony Express

A project running full steam ahead that takes twelve years to get to market?, with no taste-test requires? Do you remember what you were doing twelve years go? Did you live in the same place twelve years ago? While the end result is "nice", not many companies could afford an R&D effort of such elongated duration. When everyone else (but the government, apparently, in this case) develops a plan, real attention is given to schedules and customer markets.Sometimes, you really do need to be more lucky than good (and have a deep bank account) - and then the fruits of labor flourish. If you can work a project for twelve years without results, more power to you; however, smart planning leads to increasing efficiency and gives you better returns for your investment. I actually bought a book of them yesterday because I had something to mail... but this design didn't push me to be a collector or buy 1,000 of them.  Wonder how many people have changed behavior because of the watermelon?


http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/07/usps-stamp-design-summer-harvest/398657/

How do you show your love?

The old business adage is pretty clear - it takes less money to keep a customer than find a new one. But bosses don't typically consider their employees as customers and the same funding formula applies to them, too. Rather than focusing on the negative, how can you bring the positive out of people, assign project where staff can excel, and how can you enhance your internal reputation (cuz you know the internal folks talk and can burn or build your external reputation)?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/07/07/fascinating-photos-show-how-our-offices-have-evolved-over-the-decades/?tid=HP_more?tid=HP_more