Category: Client Relations

How Will We Use Email in 2015

 

As smartphones have become increasingly common and many—particularly the millennial generation—have turned to texting as their go-to method of communication, some have questioned the future of email as a means of communication in both personal and professional settings.

I was asked recently by a reporter what I felt the future of email is and, particularly, how we are likely to use email in 2015. Will email go away? Will it remain relevant? These are very much the same questions that have been asked of other forms of communication: Will email replace “snail mail”? Will online chat replace phone calls? “Yes” and “yes” in some cases.

Generally, though, rather than reflecting a potential replacement, these new methodologies create new options and opportunities. Continue reading “How Will We Use Email in 2015”

Best Practices in Sending Holiday Greetings

This is the time of year when we reach out to friends, family members and business associates to share greetings of the season. But what was once a relatively straightforward practice has become increasingly complex both because of the growing awareness that not everyone celebrates the same holidays and because of the increasingly cluttered nature of both online and offline mailboxes.

How can you send a greeting that will be both received and relevant but will not inadvertently offend some segment of your audience? Continue reading “Best Practices in Sending Holiday Greetings”

The 3 Most Powerful Words to Boost Your Career

Humility is a powerful thing, but it’s rarely seen in action. This may be because, in order to rise to the top, leaders need to have a strong ego and self-confidence. They must be willing to take risks and move forward, even in the face of significant adversity. Too often, though, leaders may be unwilling to admit when they’re wrong. After all, admitting that they’re fallible may seem, on the surface, as an admission of weakness.

However, the opposite is true. Continue reading “The 3 Most Powerful Words to Boost Your Career”

Are You Giving Your All To Your Current Customers?

A number of years ago I was on a weekend outing with my husband and a group of his friends, including one guy who had recently gotten engaged to a “knockout.”  She was gorgeous–long, really long, blonde hair; perfect make-up; great  nails, dressed exceptionally.

The rest of the women (well, maybe I’m projecting my own thoughts on the others, but…) thought: “Wow! How do we compare to that!!?!” Fortunately, she was one of the many beautiful women (and men) that I’ve met over the years who wasn’t really that “full of themselves.” Over the course of the weekend after many conversations, and a few cocktails from time to time, we got to talking. I admitted my awe about how well put together she was and my wish that I could be as well put together.

She laughed and said: “You should have seen me last week!” “What do you mean?,” I asked.

Continue reading “Are You Giving Your All To Your Current Customers?”

Do you think your customers just “don’t get it”?

Every once in a while I hear someone make a comment about their customers like: “They just don’t get it.” Or, “what they don’t understand is…” The truth is, with any audience, when you hear yourself saying these words warning bells should start going off inside your head. Chances are, it’s not them, it’s you that doesn’t “get it.”

As I work with clients, or speak with prospective clients, it’s not uncommon for them to lament that their target audience just “doesn’t understand the value” of their products or services. That certainly can be a valid communication opportunity. But, in  my mind, the opportunity doesn’t lie in trying to come up with new and ever-more-creative ways to spin your messages to that audience. Instead, the real opportunity lies in  Continue reading “Do you think your customers just “don’t get it”?”

Word of Mouse—Consumer Sharing on Steroids!

It used to be that consumers shared opinions about products and services at the water cooler or over the backyard fence. While their word-of-mouth was (and is) valuable, the reach they could achieve in the “old days” was minimal. Today that’s not the case. Although there is still plenty of old-fashioned word-of-mouth taking place in break rooms and backyards around the country, the power of technology has amped up the ability to spread messages—for good and ill! Marketers need to be taking steps to address both sides of this issue. Continue reading “Word of Mouse—Consumer Sharing on Steroids!”

We All Have Something to Learn From Dairy Queen. What Impression Are You Making When You Think No One Is Watching?

I used to tell my son that the true test of a person’s character isn’t what they do when they know someone is watching, but what they do when they don’t think anyone is watching. I don’t know who originally said that; it wasn’t me. But, it’s a sentiment that has always really resonated with me. And, I’ve had opportunities to observe people (when they didn’t know they were being observed by me) who made both positive and negative impressions.
Continue reading “We All Have Something to Learn From Dairy Queen. What Impression Are You Making When You Think No One Is Watching?”

Developing Your Personal Brand – Yes, You Have One!

As someone who grew up in a family-owned business and then worked in the field of PR/corporate communications for a number of years I’ve long been well aware of how my actions, or inaction, impact not only my reputation, but the reputation of the organizations I serve. From the day long ago when my father chastised me for not returning a greeting from a classmate we ran into at a local department store to early training as a PR/media relations rep I’ve known that what I did — on or off the job — made an impression. While that knowledge, especially as a child, was sometimes burdensome, in hindsight it has served me well.

Some other early lessons: Continue reading “Developing Your Personal Brand – Yes, You Have One!”

Writing Your Elevator Speech: Individual Branding for Personal and Professional Success

I recently did a presentation for a group of Young Professionals that are part of a local Chamber of Commerce on how to create and deliver effective “elevator speeches.” Elevator speeches are those brief introductions that we’re all called upon to give from time to time, particularly in networking situations when we’re asked: “What do you do?”

For business owners, consultants and business leaders in any field, the opportunity to deliver an “elevator speech” is an opportunity to support your desired brand perception. We often fail to think of it that way, though–instead, we tend to think of it as simply a requirement to provide some general information about what it is we do.

Interestingly, as I worked on the presentation for this group it became very clear to me that just as when thinking about organizational brand impact, individually we have an opportunity to define and manage our personal brands. The steps are very similar to the steps I take when working with clients on branding-related issues. They are: Continue reading “Writing Your Elevator Speech: Individual Branding for Personal and Professional Success”

Landing Your First Client, Customer or Patient

For those in consultative roles, clients are everything. As consultants consider the launch of their businesses, obviously one of the first questions is: “where will my first client come from?” My answer, based on my own experience, as well as discussions with consultants in a variety of fields is: from those you know. Many consultants and freelancers have launched their businesses, initially, by reaching an agreement with a current employer to take on work on a contract basis and that can be a great starting point. If that isn’t possible, another channel to pursue Continue reading “Landing Your First Client, Customer or Patient”