Some talk to you in their free time, and some free their time to talk to you. Focus on what you can control and find good mentors to help you make it easier to get out of the door in the mornings and remain motivated throughout the day. It’s a good idea to set yourself up to perform and work in intervals, set out to be consistent instead of making heroic efforts. Success does not come to you because you want it, success comes to you because you do the right things.
Redefining your goals
A campaign without a clear goal is essentially a waste of money, as you won’t know how to measure the impact or value of the work you’ve put in. Goals are there to provide clarity, purpose, direction and vision. Whether personal or commercial, they are what lead to success for you, your department, and the business as a whole. Hitting your goal proves you're making an impact. Contact me via e-mail for an evaluation of your goal setting procedures.
Identifying your brand metrics
What goals should brands be focused on?
It’s a combination of enhancing your brand, building up your credibility and cache and lead generation. There are several other goals that may be important as well, such as the sense of accomplishment. I’d strongly suggest that you don’t let the more intangible goals get in the way of the tangible ones as you can do both – it just takes planning, discipline, and focus.
Here are some action goals:
⁃ Add value
⁃ Make it work for them
⁃ Know your business goals
⁃ Make it actionable
⁃ Stay flexible
Contact me via e-mail for an overview of your brand goals.
The diffusion of innovations
The diffusion of innovations is a theory that describes the pattern and speed at which new ideas, practices, or products spread through a population. The American communication theorist and sociologist, Everett Rogers’ in his book, “Diffusion of Innovations” introduced the term, early adapter. The main players in the theory are innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards and the book was first published in 1962.
Where do I apply my skills?
I think selling is both an art and a science. It’s all about leveraging quality content that’s visually engaging which is deep and consultative. It’s also important to pay homage to the science of selling and the need for buyers to be able to justify their decisions with logic. I’ve been analysed and various people have tried to pick my brain about my process. By me telling you what attributes you are going to need, doesn’t mean that you are going to have them. I don’t want to be dogmatic or stubborn about what selling is, as my process is a set of attributes that have worked well for me both personally and professionally.
Lead from the heart
For things to be better you first get yourself better, don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better and ask to be wiser and stronger. Have a great week and work on the small gains.
“Men will work hard for money. They will work harder for other men. But men will work hardest of all when they are dedicated to a cause. Until willingness overflows obligation, men fight as conscripts rather than following the flag as patriots. Duty is never worthily performed until it is performed by one who would gladly do more if only he could.”
Selling needs to be fun
We survive and thrive on the backs of people who do good. Unfortunately, we have too many sales managers who expect salespersons to do what they want and do it their way, and the only metric that is important to them is more activity. I think everyone is successful in their own way, and the salespersons who are consistently successful do it their own way. The highs are not as high, and the lows aren’t as low. If you find the way that works for you, you are going to be an excellent salesperson.
That's the reality
“Heuristics” are the mental shortcuts human beings take when processing information and making decisions. Marketing teams are fully aware of how to use heuristics to simplify complex and difficult questions as they are fast and accurate ways to understand and influence behaviours.
Brands use the anchoring and adjustment heuristic to strategically set a product's price point. For example, an electronic retailer in Denmark lists a television at a higher price than its fair value, and the potential buyer will use that price as an indicator that they have received a bargain when purchasing the TV at the “sale” price.
Three wise men
I think there are certain people who are meant to serve and others that are not and it is your job to work as hard as possible to find people who you are meant to serve. And I believe you will find them when you show up fully self-expressed. Most marketing books are tactical, so they focus on quick solution, for example, just do this or do that. This is OK if you are looking for a quick fix, but this does not teach you how to build trust and credibility, or how to price your products or how to have simple sales conversations which is required if you are doing pay per click advertising.
All business is personal
Why is it necessary to know people before you ever need them?
Remember that if you can build people up then you can build a business. In my experience I have found that sometimes people have ulterior motives with regards to the relationships they enter into. I think that when you create authentic relationships, you’ll see other possibilities to help each other along the way. My parents gave us the wings to try something new and they constantly told us that there is only one business and that’s the people business. It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, if you take the people out of the business, you’ll have nothing at all.
The next level
“People will not have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. ”
In my experience there are seven main reasons why people get promoted:
1. Results
2. Attitude
3. Creativity
4. Reliability
5. Consistency
6. Relationships
7. Problem solving skills
The leadership gap
When I started my blog in 2017, I tried to interview the author of “The Leadership Gap”, Lolly Daskal. Lolly is coach, consultant, and leadership expert. I think there are sheep and shepherds, and there are also wolves. Wise leaders must understand some wolves are so clever, even though they are dressed up like sheep. Part of leadership skills are awareness, sensitivity and understanding - knowing the scenario and being alert for the inevitable.
Research shows that if you give people agency to “do their thing” in the decisions they make, they are more likely to make better decisions and morally follow-up and follow through on the decisions they make and achieve their goals.
“Management is about persuading people to do things they don’t want to do. Leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could do and end up doing it.”
Back to life
Read to improve your writing.
Write to improve your thinking.
Speak to improve your storytelling.
Teach to improve your understanding.
And use your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile.
Keeping it real
When you establish a pattern of honouring people through your actions, word gets out and your positive influence will spread. And since you have acted thoughtfully and with integrity, when you speak, people will listen. Authenticity doesn't mean sharing everything about yourself, to everyone, all of the time. It does mean saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and sticking to your values and principles above all else.
Your corporate culture is vital
Culture is a set of invisible rules we use to operate, the do’s and do nots, and how you behave in an organization. Purpose is a why do we exist question. One could argue that culture and purpose are interrelated as when you articulate your purpose hopefully it will shape and form your culture. I think one of the main reasons why culture is so important is due to the stability it provides for so many people. It creates a sense of security and safety for individuals as it gives them a united and unified sense of belonging. Contact me via e-mail if you would like me look into your corporate culture.
“Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, good companies survive them, great companies are improved by them. ”
An oldie but goodie
Throwback Thursday with seven tips for increasing productivity:
1. Create a morning routine
2. Make a personal framework
3. Focus and prioritise, don’t multitask
4. Stop mindless browsing
5. Save time by automating decisions
6. Learn to say "no"
7. Accept perfection doesn't exist
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
Care free
Those only who are happy are those who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness. For example, the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit followed not as a means but as itself as an ideal end. It means by aiming less at something else they find the way. I think your success in life depends on your ability to make good decisions. Your happiness depends on your ability to not care about the outcomes.
It's hard to teach
Strong leaders teach the hard stuff and it's really hard to teach the following:
1. A sense of urgency
2. Critical thinking
3. Creativity
4. Customer empathy
5. Team commitment
6. Humility
7. Unselfish giving
8. Judgement
9. Grace and dignity
10. Positivity
11. Optimism
12. Bias towards results
13. Active listening
Authenticity cannot be bought
Trust is built on making and keeping promises. Authenticity is where you know yourself so well and are familiar with all your strengths and weaknesses, and you can use these tools and communicate is a reliable way. A way which makes you relatable in a very strong way to others, not to everyone, just those who you’ll like to build deep connections. At the end of the day, people will connect with you both personally and professionally on a deeper level if you can make them feel safe, like and trust you. These things are so nuanced in the human psyche and I am dedicated to teaching them effectively.
The magic word is attitude
One of the strangest things in the world is that we tend to minimise the things that we can do and the goals we can accomplish. For some equally strange reason we think that other people can accomplish things that we cannot. We are the only creatures who are disoriented in our own environment because we were given the faculties to create our own environment. If only we realised that we have reservoirs of talent and ability deep inside of us.
“If I want to be free, I’ve got to be me.”