Marketing Wisdom

As you expand your office/operations into the United States and parts of the “West”, you have to hire a staff that can accomplish your goals and objectives.

Sadly, as social media continues to grow and shape American culture, it is also affecting how your staff interacts with outside market forces.

It is important that you and your staff understand the value of social media marketing, from putting out daily tweets to posting weekly blogs, as this will allow you to communicate to your market and achieve your objectives; but, those same tools that help you dominate your market also affect how your staff interacts with others and their professionalism.

What I’m saying is this: in America today, your staff is and will be better at communicating with a promoter or advertiser or analyst better and easier by texting them then by meeting with them. As America and American’s continue to withdraw into themselves and their homes, the only way to communicate with them IS through social and television media. But on those rare occasions that your market wanders outside the home or away from their phone, they have to communicate using their voice and facial/body expressions.

This “art” of being able to speak is quickly being lost in the Western world, and it WILL affect you and your staff directly. Be it from your receptionist picking up the phone to your new sales person making a call on a business.

Be aware that communicating effectively without the use of a phone or computer is being lost in American society and that more emphasis needs to be placed on this during the hiring process.

As your deal starts to fall apart, it is better to have someone that can step in and save the deal with the correct word here and the polite gesture there – something that can’t be done over a phone or with a tweet. Be sure to interview for a skill-set that was taken for granted in the past – the capability to be friendly and helpful and capable of speaking to accomplish your goals.

Let’s refresh everyones thinking on managing your direct reports.

1) Anyone can manage others. Through fear, through intimidation, through reward, through favoritism, or, the best way, through leadership.

2) You are not the only one who manages your team. Every individual that they come in contact with affects their performance, their judgment, and their desire to finish/accomplish their (and your) goal.

3) Leadership by example will drive your staff forward. Do as I say AND as I do is the best way to manage – through example.

4) It is not necessary to have the largest or most direct reports to get a promotion. Promotions come with delivery – on time and on cost.

5) Surrounding yourself with a staff that “fills” your weakness’ is the smartest and fastest way to get a job done. Of course, learn from what they can teach you – knowledge is a strength, not a weakness.

6) Include them in as many decision making process’ as possible; not necessarily making a decision, but, seeing how it is done, what the end goals are, and what objectives and dates are important. If everyone buys in to the decision AND the goal, you are half way there to accomplishing it.

I’m sure there are more that you can add. Please fill free.

I must apologize but Toyota’s recall is constantly in my face so I have to comment again.

Anybody see the Toyota TV commercials lately? About fixing the problem, about fixing over 1 millions cars so far, about how families still love and trust Toyota?

Very well done campaign – very informative and simple. They don’t say what the problem is – they just say that we are fixing everything. Very positive. They don’t throw themselves on a sword (American’s wouldn’t understand that anyway).

The question that you must ask is – how long will this campaign run? Will they overrun it, causing everyone to say “okay, we know you screwed up and are fixing everything, just do it and go away” – which, of course, does not help your brand. Of course, if they end it today, will it be too short – should they do it longer?

Personally, I would run the ads one more week and that’s it. America forgets so fast, don’t keep reminding them.

I may have mentioned or spoken about this previously, but, again, it came up recently in a meeting that I had with a client.

The client was telling me how the staff that he had was not accomplishing all the tasks that he was assigning, that they were complaining about being “over worked”, and that he wished he had employee’s like me – who he thought would be able to accomplish all the tasks assigned. As a side note, he and two other guys worked together for many years and only recently (the last three years) did they start to grow their company (where they now have 40 employee’s).

I asked him what those tasks were – which I promptly numbered and put on a dry erase board. I then asked him to write on a piece of paper how long he thought the tasks should take to be accomplished and I would do the same (even though I did not have the full understanding of what the tasks entailed, I could and would probably come within 10-20% of the true time that would need to be committed).

One last caveat that I got from him – I wanted him to choose two employee’s, one that was his brightest star (meaning almost accomplished every task assigned) and one that stated that they were overworked and didn’t have enough time.

Here is just one example of a task.

Pull together a spreadsheet listing all the companies competitors, their products, their pricing, and the best analysis (guess) of their profit per product. Because the company was very focused in nature, the competitors didn’t number more then three companies and no more then 10 competitive products.

His answer was four hours.

Mine was 16 hours.

His “brightest star” answered 12 hours.

His “complainer” answered 20 hours.

After this was done, my client and I then discussed why there was such a difference of time between him and the rest of us. The three of us were at least 300% more to 500% more in need of time.

1) Was your answer of four hours because you have been in the business for 20 years and know the information, where, like any company, most employee’s have been in the position from one to two years and don’t have the same knowledge?

2) Was your answer because you expect everyone to be like you and have that same knowledge?

3) Was your answer unrealistic? (which didn’t go over to well with him.)

I asked him to step back and put himself in the position of his employee’s. This really didn’t work (as most CEO’s and Presidents think that they are the best and everyone else is out to milk them for money and not work).

So, I then took a different tact – picture yourself in the tool manufacturing business that makes hand tools. You only make hammers, screw drivers, wrenches, and pliers. How much time, based on the same assignment that you gave your employee’s, would it take for you to accomplish said task?

After alot of stuttering and stumbling, he said he could probably do it within 20 hours. I asked him to rethink the answer after working for the company for a year? and then for three years? Would the time change?

Of course he said it would, because knowledge would be gained and understanding on what the “boss” (i.e. me in this case) wanted would be better understood.

I then completed the loop and said “what difference is there between what you did to your employee’s and what I did to you?” He said there was none – and of course, you could see the light go off over his head.

I learned this the same way that he did, through years of management, that not everyone thinks like you do, nor do they approach the same task in the same way.

When I had employee’s (or staff), there was a golden rule that I lived by and expected my employee’s to live by also.

Do the best that you can in the time that you have.

I always expected my staff to work a minimum of eight hours a day, 40 hours a week. If they were willing to work more, then, I would assign tasks until I knew they were on the edge of “going under”. This isn’t bad, this is being a manager.

But, back to my statement above, I would assign tasks that I knew my staff could accomplish, and with their total buy-in on accomplishing that task in the time they needed.

For example – if you ever had work done on your house by a contractor, they, when bidding, would say “I can do this in three months”, and living in the Northeast, you knew that it would be accomplished in six months.

Same with your staff. Ask them how long it would take for them to accomplish the task. They may say – 40 hours. You think that it can be done in eight. STATE THIS to them. Then, renegotiate again. They will probably say 32 hours this time. You may relax and think 16 hours. Agree to their number of 32 hours (NOTE: This would be done with a new employee.) Then, see how they spend their time and how long it took and, of course, how well it was done. You may be surprised – you may get something that you didn’t expect – i.e. a finished assignment that not only does the three things you asked for, but, another 20 items that you didn’t think about (wow, you just discovered an employee who can be a help to you and the company and not a hindrance). And, of course, you can also, in the future, set the boundaries for what you need, so that the time being negotiated is more in tune with what you expect, not what they expect.

Remember something, they also may not go about the task the same way you do.

I always have said to my employee’s – “Do the best you can in the time you have – AND – I want “Z”, (with “Z” being the definition of the finished task). How you get from A – Z is up to you. But, I want “Z” on the date or hour that you committed to.”

This gives them the freedom to do the task, at their pace, and, ON THEIR TIME. You will be surprised how many of your staffers will work at home, think about it on the train, work through lunches, etc. Because you empowered them to finish the task their way, not instilled a framework and set “rules” on how they must accomplish it.

One last point. And this relates back to my statement – if you assign a task, are you the type of “boss” that, if it can’t be accomplished (or isn’t), that you would prefer nothing compared to something that is 80% finished?

Do the BEST that you can, in the time that you have.

I would appreciate the 80% and also learn about the capabilities of my staffer.

There was an article in the Harvard Business Review about insubordination and entrepreneurship (in a company) and how it a fine line (or gray area).

As most of you know, I have had the pleasure of working for some great technology companies, all of them at the beginning of their life, all of them in “start-up” mode, and all of them incredibly successful (or quickly became).

Throughout my career, if you spoke to my previous supervisors (from directors, to CEO’s), I have been insubordinate – because I believed in my cause/case so strongly, that I strongly voiced (over and over) what I believed. I would figure that 90% of the time, I was correct (and they would agree to this also).

The basis was that we had and were working in an entrepreneurial atmosphere. Because of this, we had to act and work like entrepreneurs. Meaning, we had to think of unorthodox marketing strategies – not your basic Marketing 101 strategies and plans.

Because of this, I helped all of these companies be successful – because I worked and thought like an entrepreneur, bringing new and innovative thinking to their marketing plans. I didn’t invent a physical product - I don’t have that great of a mind – but, the same entrepreneurs that invented the product, needed the same thinking that went into the product, and innovative marketing approach.

What am I trying to say? Just that, if you are involved with an incredible product, that you KNOW will be hugely successful, and you have a strategy to bring the product to market that you KNOW will succeed, then, stand up for what you want, don’t “fold” easily. Don’t give in. Even when I was an Asst. Marketing Manager, I stood up and stated what I believed.  If it fell on deaf ears, then, I said it again, until it was heard. After I knew that it was heard, and they still said “no”, then, I backed off.

Stand up for what you believe in, even if it comes to that fine line of insubordination. I’m NOT saying to sabotage the product or company (come on – then you SHOULD be fired!!!), but, make sure that your voice is heard. There are so many people out there who have incredible marketing idea’s, and don’t speak up, or speak up once and don’t do it again. Don’t be shy – your product may succeed more then you can imagine if you speak up.

A lot of us have interviewed someone at some time. Possibly a few times because they were going to work WITH you, sometimes because they were going to work FOR you, and sometimes because they were going to be YOUR boss (I always liked those interviews – knowing you don’t have a final say in the hiring, just if you should update your resume or not).

In the past 10 years, as I finally matured from a beginning level manager (or very wet behind the ears) to a senior level executive, my future staff (the people I interviewed and hired) started to say things about my “interviewing skills” that were rarely ever heard in a corporate or organizational environment.

“That was the most unusual/strange/weird/etc. interview I ever had.”

Why? Why did my future employee’s say this (by the way, I also would do this when inheriting a staff).

I can only think of a few things as to why they would say this.

1) Because I spoke the majority of the time. I am a firm believer during the first interview that a future member of my staff understand who they are going to work for, the ethics and morals that I practice, and the management style that I use. Watching and listening to their comments on my “style” told me if we could work together or not. (A grimace can tell you a lot of things about this future hire.)

2) I explained what it took to get promoted (or a raise and/or bonus) and what it took to get fired.

3) I did not ask them about their experience – instead, I described what I expected and what tasks/projects they would do and IF they could, HOW would they accomplish them.

4) And lastly, I explained how I manage and that I am not an easy person to get along with – that I demand excellence and a work ethic that may have never been asked of them before.

A brief comment on #2 – on how and what it took for me to fire them. I picked up something many many years ago (from the U.S. Federal Government) that I incorporated (with a twist) into the management of my team.

I use the three strikes and you’re out rule with my team. The first time you make a mistake, I will do everything in my power to help you not make that same mistake again – training, schooling, access to information, etc.

The second time that the SAME mistake is made, I will not be happy and my staff member knows it. The first time, okay, but, to commit the same mistake for a second time – “shame on you”. The third time – they’re fired. To commit the same mistake, three times, is unacceptable to me.  Did the person not learn the first time? Or the second? As a mentor said to me – if on the third mistake, then, I am not firing them, they are firing themselves.

There is a big difference between Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction.

One is “being there” to answer questions, take orders, and help, if they can. The other is a the same thing, but, the customer walks away from the “service” with satisfaction, or, “above and beyond” the call of duty.

Every company has some form of Customer Service – and it can be as small as a “contact us” page on a website, or as large as thousands of people throughout the world answering phone calls.

Do they satisfy us? It depends.  Do they help? Do they provide a solution? Customer Service plays by pretty much the same rules with any product. Each company has different “beliefs” on how much they want to “help” a customers, but, most companies play by the same rules – returns (do we take or not), shipping (do we pay or not), you name it, there is an answer to almost every question or issue that a customer brings.

Why all this rambling? Recently, a family member of mine went through a very stressful situation with the loss of her child.

A mom and dad went to a mall with their 2 year old son.  In that mall there was a Nordstroms, which they went to to do their shopping.

Gathering some clothes (for the dad), they both went to the dressing room with their 2 yr old.  Dad went in and started trying on clothes and the mom and child waited in front of the room.

Dad said “hey, can you get me xxx size in these same pants”, throwing over the pants to the mom.

Mom grabbed them and ran out to get the new pants.

Mom came back with the new pants, passed them over to dad, and asked “do you have 2 yr old?”

“No.”

Mom dropped to the ground and took a quick scan under all the dressing room doors, but, no sign of the 2 yr old.

Jumping up, Mom ran out into the department, yelling the 2 yr olds name (and of course, dropping to the ground and quickly looking around).

Seeing a store employee, Mom ran over and said “Hi, I have lost my child. He is 2 yrs old, his name is xxx, he is wearing xxx. Can you help me?”

“Absolutely”, he said, as Mom started to run down the aisles yelling and looking for her son.

Less then a minute after speaking with the store employee, Mom hears over the stores speakers “Attention shoppers, there is a lost 2 yr old child wearing xxx.  If you see him, please notify a store employee. Thank you.”

It was now 10 minutes and the 2 yr old still had not been found. Mom ran out into the mall, looking down the hallways.  Running back into Nordstrom’s, she noticed a man leaning against the wall at the entrance of Nordstroms.

Running down another aisle inside Nordstroms, Mom ran out into the mall from another entrance/exit of Nordstrom’s.

Looking up and down the hallway, Mom ran back into Nordstroms, again noticing a woman standing in the entrance.

Running over to her, Mom asked “Hi, are you with Nordstroms?”

“Yes I am”, said the lady from Nordstroms.

“You are here to catch the 2 yr old from leaving the store?” asked Mom.

“Yes we are, every exit is being covered”, the Nordtrom lady responded, understanding that she was speaking to the 2 yr olds mother.

Running back into the store, the mom – now RELIEVED knowing that the child was not going to get out of the store – heard over the stores speakers  ”Attention mother of the 2 yr old, your child has been found, please come to the jewelry section”.

Mom and son (and dad) hooked up and learned a lesson in life.

But, more importantly, Nordstroms gained customers for life. And, as usual, Mom told 10 people, and they told 10 people, and so on.

So, was this just good customer service, or did it go to the next level of customer satisfaction?

Yes, Nordstroms takes all returns with no questions asked (which made me a customer for life), but, they went above and beyond – making sure that a current customer has the best experience possible – in ALL regards, even in area’s that most customers don’t even think about.

This is what makes satisfied customers. Which keeps revenue and profits around, for a long time.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of building some great teams (and of course inheriting horrible teams when starting a new business or being hired to take over a division).

A couple of things I have learned over the years that may help you with your team(s) and keeping your employee’s and/or agencies working hard for you.  These are not in any particular order, but, should help the inexperienced manager realize the value of a team and what it has to offer.

• Control – Over the years, I learned to train my team to do my job. Wow, pretty unique huh? Most managers won’t do this, because they think that they will work themselves out of a job.  And they may be right – but probably 5% -10% of the time. The rest of the time, the manager gets promoted to the next higher job, because he/she is not irreplaceable. Give up “control” and let your team learn. Or, delegate, delegate, delegate.
• Most employee’s want to grow and be challenged.  Don’t think, for a second, that employee’s want to stay in the same job the rest of their lives – like you, they have aspirations and goals; help them achieve them.  Work with your employee’s to accomplish what they want.  And yes, they may want to be a musician or in HR, when they are currently in advertising or sales.  Why not spend the money to help them train to become what they want? If you funded their training in advertising (let’s say), it would take two to four years (if they go to college or take night classes, etc.).  During that time, they have to work for you, and, have to work hard for you, since they want to get their degree (or training) and not lose their job in the mean-time. You have a hardworking employee who, yes, one day in the future, MAY leave you to go in another career direction, but, take for example the employee that wants to learn advertising, why not “re-hire” them in the advertising division of your company.  They understand the company and what it is doing – the advertising department doesn’t need to train a new employee on a product or company philosophy, etc. And, you get to keep a happy employee (if they weren’t happy and productive, they wouldn’t still be working at your company, right?)
• Mentor – Be a mentor of your employee’s.  If they want to learn your job, teach them. Don’t keep them pigeon-holed – they will leave you after a short time.  Many times, I have mentored staff members (who wanted to be mentored) who turned out to work twice as hard, because they saw what it takes to get to be in my position. One hour a week of mentoring will pay off huge dividends for you, your staff, and your company. (By the way, this also helps in a way that is fun to discover – if the employee leaves (or you leave the company), they will stay in touch with you and share information about their company, what they are doing, and what their needs are – which, you may be able to help, by being their new agency, providing a solution to them that they need, or, by finding out about work opportunities out their in the market that you were unaware of).
• Surround yourself with people who make-up for your weaknesses.  Yes, you have to admit that you have weaknesses, but, once you come to grips with this, you will be stronger, be perceived to be a stronger leader, and will put out materials that are that much better. Back to control – if you surround yourself with employee’s like yourself, you will never improve – don’t, for a second, think that the college graduate may not have a better idea or way of doing things better then you.  They may, and if you don’t let them share and be a part of the team, you will ultimately lose.
• Share – Be honest – Show the big picture.  How many times have you walked into a meeting and your boss says to you “do abc”.  And that is it.  You don’t know why? You don’t understand how it fits into the companies philosophy, etc.  The teams that have made me look the best are the teams that I gave total ownership too – where I explained the total picture, how their copy for the brochure will be used by the sales team to increase sales, how the copy will “portray” the new product as xxx, and how this one paragraph will save time on the companies part because it needs to explain xxx. How if the copy is bad or doesn’t convey the right message, it will cause xxx to occur, etc.  I think you get the idea.  I have encountered so many managers who work with the “need to know” as their bible in all their activities.  They don’t think the employee needs to know what their activity will do or they don’t want them to know.  This way, the manager gets the credit, not the employee.
• Credit – Last one, I swear. Give credit to your staff. It is amazing how much harder an employee works if given praise and credit.  In fact, it can even replace a raise or title promotion (within reason – you can’t do this forever, but, for a short time it works wonders). Sharing the wealth (or credit and praise) reaps benefits beyond imagination, don’t be stingy.

Was reading an article the other day in a business magazine about how companies are either doing or are starting to do mentoring programs – where a new employee (that is considered a “rising star”) is placed with an experienced manager and will “learn” for a year with that person.

I don’t know why, but, I have some problems or issues with this process. The article did say that there are times when both individuals do not get along and that new mentors and employee’s have to be found for each other, but, when it works, the “rising star” benefits from this.

I don’t doubt that this could occur, but, I just look back at my life and the mentors that I have had AND the mentoring that I have done and how it came about.

There was never a “forced” mentoring program that I was ever involved in – I gravitated towards those that I knew could teach me about life (either business or personal), and of course, people came to me to learn about life, which I gladly gave them every moment I could spare (as did my mentors).

But, over time, we both split on our accord (I learned all I could or I taught all I could), but, it wasn’t a forced end (where the corporate programs end after a year).

I guess I consider the following:

When you are a manager of a staff, it is your responsibility to be a mentor to ALL of them, if they want it. If they don’t want it, fine, but, every effort should be made to inform them that you are available to teach them anything and everything that you have learned over the years. I have spoken about this in past postings, but, it comes down to just being a good manager.

And I am not talking about just teaching them to do their job better, but, to teach them, if they are willing to listen and learn, to teach them about everything and anything – if they are interested.  I would have loved to have had a mentor that could have taught me about starting a new business (I learned that on my own) - and I had a manager that had started two businesses previously; or about writing a press release – where my manager had written thousands of them, but, I had to learn from my agency.

It’s the little things that count – that make all of our lives so much easier.

I have to discuss this again – I am seeing it mentioned on tv drama, sit-com, news, etc. They almost treat it as if anyone can be a mentor, and anyone who wants a mentor, just needs to find someone who knows more then them, and whallah, you have a mentor.

There are a few things that, in my opinion, make a mentor:

• They say “i don’t know”, when they don’t know
• They are available for advice almost anytime
• They go the extra mile to help you with an answer/situation
• They give more then they receive
• They find others who can help you (or suggest others)
• They want to see you succeed as much as you do

Pretty basic, but, the key components that make a mentor. Of course, the mentor has to be in the same field/profession as you if they truly can “mentor” you to your success (I had to say it, for those of you that don’t quite understand what a mentor is).

Mentors can give you “sayings” and “quotes” that you will remember for the rest of your life. One mentor (who I am sure picked it up from someone else), said to me “No one, on their deathbed, ever said ‘I should have worked more’”. It was said to me when I was spending 20 hour days and countless of those hours fighting with the president of the company to get more funds to make the brand what she wanted. With the words that he said, I realized that I needed to give up and move on to other, less important things (but, of course, come back to it when the situation warranted).

I don’t know, it’s just that I don’t want everyone thinking that a mentor can be found on the street corner. A mentor, to me, is like your friends – true friends can be counted on one hand and the same goes for mentors.