Marketing | Words For Hire

In Defense of Selling

September 30, 2010 by Karen Swim

: Image by paganites via Flickr

There is a growing movement of people that seem to believe that selling is equivalent to the old style peep shows frequented by dirty old men. They’d rather we all hold hands and sing songs around the campfire. I love a good round of Kumbaya as much as the next person but campfire songs don’t pay my bills. Crude of me to say I know, but I am rather fond of the basics of life such as shelter, electricity, indoor plumbing and at least one meal a day.

I am all for engagement, and authenticity but wonder if we have gone overboard. While the way we market and sell continues to evolve, the activities cannot be eliminated. If I listen to this growing contingent, I am never to ask for business and when I do receive it because I played nicely with the kids at camp, I am to perform the work and then apologize profusely for charging for it.

Hogwash. While I am not a fan of ONLY talking about yourself, and pushing your products like a crack dealer on a street corner I am quite passionate about my work. I have clients who are doing amazing things. I love sharing their successes and am honored to play a tiny role in their business. Sometimes I will talk about that. And by golly while we’re singing if you express a need I am going to speak up! (Truthfully, I am more apt to recommend someone else because it’s not all about me!) Conversely, when you speak you can count on me to really listen and hear you.

Where on earth did we get the idea that we should be ashamed to be in business? The energy company never apologizes to me for taking my money, nor do any of the other vendors I pay monthly. Many make me feel good about CHOOSING them and express their delight I am a customer, but apologies? Never. And why should they? These vendors are providing something I want or need. I pay them in exchange for their products and services. We’re all happy even without the campfire songs. The songs are a bonus, either an entry or deepening of the relationship but not required for me to choose to do business with you. What is required is you delivering on the promise, you can sing all you want but in the end if you don’t do what you say it really won’t matter.

I’m cool with not being Facebook friends with my OB/Gyn. We’re quite personal enough, thank you very much. I don’t need my grocery store to follow me on Twitter and tweet me inspirational messages (although I do love coupons and sale alerts).

I love the conversations and friendships that develop via social media but I also have a responsibility to be a faithful steward to my business. This means I have to tell people I exist. I have to make money so that I can keep my economic ecosystem in balance. When I do the work, I also have to charge for it. I will not apologize for billing you but I will work my tail off to exceed your expectations. I will treat your business with respect and look for ways to add value, and I will let you know how much I appreciate you choosing me. I may even sing a song or two with you but I will not disrespect you by apologizing for the transaction.

So yes, let’s keep the engagement, bring it on! However, let us not hang our heads in shame or fear at respectfully engaging in marketing.

What are your thoughts? Is there a happy middle ground? Dissenting opinions are welcomed, disrespect is not so be nice to me and each other. 🙂

Mid-life Crisis Number 122 and What You Can Learn From It

September 22, 2010 by Karen Swim

When I was 29, I had a full on midlife crisis sans the red convertible. I engaged in endless self reflection and mourned that my 20s were gone. I changed my hair and considered jumping from a plane but I was too busy with work to schedule it. I turned 30 and realized I had wasted the real last year of my 20s being stupid. I patted myself on the back for completing yet another milestone ahead of the norm. One midlife crisis down and I could cruise until menopause, or so I thought.

At 46 I seem to have a midlife crisis every week. I often resemble a deer caught in the headlights as I yet again question my purpose, value and my bathroom scale. And yes, even as I write this I am checking the mirror to see if I now have the acne (or worse chin hair of the later years) to accompany my unexplainable teenage like angst. Oh no, what will the cool kids think?

Unlike the teen years, I don’t have to wonder about the cool kids thanks to social media.

Judging from the tweets, updates and emails I could conclude that the cool kids are stress and problem free. But I am not 16 and now know with certainty that no one is perfect.

So what on earth does this have to do with business? A fair question given that this is a very official “business” blog. Social media has a way of distorting reality. Viewing the world through 140 characters or more can lead you to draw conclusions that are riddled with gaps. Even in the age of transparency, it’s impossible to get the whole story in the time and space allotted.

Rather than using social media as a barometer by which you measure your success or failure, use it to ferret out ideas, challenges or insights for deeper exploration. What worked for another business may not work for you but when ideas or approaches resonate it is worth the time to examine them closer.

When possible reach out to those that have presented something of interest and ask if they’d be willing to share more – what were the challenges, what led to the decision about the strategy – get the story behind the story. I have discovered that with the right approach people are willing to be helpful. Be respectful and don’t abuse their time, or cloak your questions as an opportunity to get free services.

As for me, I have decided that my ongoing crisis is actually a good thing. I am constantly questioning and challenging my own beliefs because I care deeply about my life and place in it. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

There is an abundance of information available but we still get to choose what we allow in and what we ignore and most importantly how we allow it to impact us. The upside is that every day we have opportunities to expand our perspective and learn from others. Remember the cool kids really are just like us, albeit with better hair.

What about you, any midlife or other stories to share? Does social media ever make you feel overwhelmed or question whether you measure up? Add your comments, this is a no judgment zone.

Photo Credit: © Youths | Dreamstime.com

5 Sweet Business Lessons from the Cake Boss

August 18, 2010 by Karen Swim

The Cake Boss is a US Reality Television Show which follows family owned Carlo’s Bakery in New Jersey, as they create amazing cakes. The cakes are unbelievable – a NASCAR race car cake (pictured to the right) built to scale, a cake that looked exactly like a paintball field and even a dog cake for dogs at a shelter. It would be hard not to love a show that’s all about cake. However, there are also some great business lessons beneath the frosting and fondant.

Show your ingredients. The Cake Boss shows us the ingredients that go into making great cakes. We see the process from client consultation to delivery and all of the details in between. Knowing what goes into a great cake (or business process) helps clients to understand what you are really doing for them. It can facilitate discussions about timing, value and the complexity of specialized requests.
Tell your story. Buddy Jr. (The Cake Boss) heads up the design and baking, and frequently talks about learning the business from his now deceased Dad, Buddy Sr. The company history is so much more than words on a brochure or web page; it is a living piece of all that the team does today. Yes, family owned businesses have a unique position but all businesses have a story.
Share your mistakes. We have seen cakes fall apart, incorrect dimensions and disaster deliveries. So often we are afraid to share what went wrong for fear that it will dampen our credibility. At Carlo’s mistakes are taken in stride, things happen and you fix them. The team learns from their mistakes and it increases our confidence in them because we know that they can bounce back from mishaps and keep the client happy.
Eat your own cake. Buddy is never ho-hum about his creations. He thinks every cake is “awesome” and his enthusiasm is infectious. The large, extended family also has Buddy and the team bake for every occasion and they put as much love into these cakes as they do for customers. If you won’t eat your own cake, what does that say to your customers?
Buttercream frosted king of the world. Buddy is transparent about his vision for the business. I love knowing that he is always working to improve and grow his business. Don’t be afraid to share your goals with customers. Your desire to be better lets them know that you are still passionate about your business and invested in its continued success.

You don’t need a reality TV show to give your customers a peek behind the curtain. Invite them in and let them see more of your process and your passion. The rewards could be sweet for both of you.

Do you have any sweet lessons to add to the list? Feel free to share them in the comments.

One Lovely Blog

August 6, 2010 by Karen Swim

Thanks to the gracious Lillie Ammann at Lillie Amman, Writer and Editor for the One Lovely Blog Award. Lillie is a wonderfully talented published author who consistently delivers informative and uplifting posts. She is a great champion of the writing community and never hesitates to share information that will help new and seasoned writers. She is also a crackerjack storyteller! Thank you Lillie for your continued support and guidance!

Recipients are asked to pass the award along to 15 other blogs, preferably blogs new to us. I follow hundreds of blogs many for business reasons but also devotional or pure entertainment. The list below is a mix for your reading pleasure,and I hope you’ll find a new blog or two to add to your own feed reader. I have been guilty of getting too busy to pass on these awards so if you’re selected no pressure to pass it on, I am just honored to have received it and want to recognize blogs that inform, inspire and entertain me.

The criteria for accepting the award are as follows:

Post it with the name of the person who granted you the award along with a link to her Web site.
Pass the award on 15 blogs that you have newly discovered (if possible).
Contact the bloggers to notify them they have received the award.

Here are my choices (in the order they appear in my feed reader):

Work Happy Now – This site focuses on work place happiness and its author, Karl Staib radiates optimism. He is one of the nicest people online with a true passion and enthusiasm for work feel like play for everyone. This one is not new to me but I could not resist including it.
Business As Mission Network – I discovered this faith based site about a week ago. Each post focuses on leaders and businesses who are ” using their skills in administration and business to meet needs and be a light for God’s kingdom.” It presents insights that challenge and inspire us to be servant leaders.
The Mid Life Journal – Joanna Young of Confident Writing authors this site that offers creative ways to get through the middle of life. It is not a site about hot flashes and mood swings but one that coaches and inspires us to harness our little w writer to navigate with joy through the middle season.
The Fight Against Destructive Spin – Just discovered this site a couple of weeks ago and can’t get enough of the posts. The content is lively and informative and I felt welcomed right away. I am always looking for good PR and communications blogs and this is fast becoming one of my favorites.
Kommein – Deb Ng, formerly of Freelance Writing Jobs continues her legacy of incredible content and community. She is the epitome of a lovely person and proves that whatever she touches is golden.
Jan McInnis Comedy Writing Blog – I learned of Jan from the wonderful Peter Shankman. I bought her book and was delighted to connect with her blog recently. Jan is funny, but even better she can teach other people to be funny. Her posts are smart and informative and tailored for business audiences.
Sandra Heshka King – While writing this post this week, I discovered this blog through the High Calling Blogs Around the Network post. Sandra is a warm and talented writer who writes about God, family, writing and even shares poetry. It was love at first sight.
Annarchy -Ann Handley is nott new to me but I am in love with Ann’s writing. This is her personal blog and the posts are not frequent but whenever a new one shows up in my reader, it feels like Christmas morning. This woman is one of the most talented storytellers who I know with an ability to wring depth out of a blade of grass.
Infosmak – Joe Crockett is truly a lovely person. He is a tech guy with a writer’s heart and far too modest to even promote his blog, so allow me to do it for him. Joe offers slice of life observations, prose and more. As he lives life with eyes wide open, he takes you along for the journey.
Web Savvy PR – Cathy Larkin is smart, focused and gracious. She truly knows PR and Social Media and though she’s on the leading edge she’s not at all showy. I have gotten to know Cathy through Twitter chats and I recommend her tweetstream too.
Frog Blog – Fred Schlegel is smart, and very funny. Whether sharing groundbreaking business ideas or blogging about change, his posts are warm and inviting.
Sticky Figure – Steve Woodruff is a man who clearly loves life and it shows in everything he writes. Even his occasional rants are written like a man with a permanent smile on his face.

Not quite 15 but I’ll share others in future posts. Thank you to those on the list and those in my reader for making me think, laugh, cry and smile!

It’s Complicated!

August 2, 2010 by Karen Swim

: Image via Wikipedia

On Facebook, “It’s complicated” is one of the choices for describing your relationship status. It’s complicated is a fall back choice when none of the other check boxes quite work. Your situation may be a mixture of choices, without clear descriptions and labels. It’s complicated sounds messy but in reality check boxes don’t always work and we are forced to select the least wrong box.

In marketing we often force our customers into these same murky choices. Do we want toothpaste that whitens our teeth, gives us fresh breath, prevents cavities or improves the health of our gums? Do you want body lotion that softens skin, defies aging, or reduces the appearance of imperfections? Customers with multiple needs may be forced to prioritize and pick a product that excels at solving their highest priority need.

As a consumer I have had the frustrating experience of choosing when in fact I wanted everything. Why couldn’t everything be miracle in a bottle or at the least focus on one thing, eliminating the myriad of confusing choices?

When you present multiple benefits and features, you run the risk of confusing or irritating your potential customer. You may believe that by offering choices – multiple payment options, plans, benefits – that you are doing your customer a favor but your plan can backfire.

Too many choices can lead customers to:

Walk away because they are overwhelmed by the options

Your customer may go in search of a solution to a specific need. When presented with lots of options they may also realize they have more than one problem. Overwhelmed by options and problems they did not know they had, they walk away.

Reassess their need and decide they can live with the pain

Last week I was in the mood for a snack food. I had a clear choice in mind but when I arrived at the store I was assaulted with options. After calorie counting and label reading, I decided it wasn’t worth it and simply walked away. Are your customers doing the same thing?

This does not mean that we should eliminate choice but we need to be more strategic about when and how they are offered. Offer the customer with a specific need, a clear choice right up front. If you need “x” click here. Other customers may need help deciding their priority, make it easy for them to choose, divide them into a manageable category with a limited menu of choices that does not overwhelm.

Presenting your customers with easy to make choices is equivalent to giving them their own “miracle in a bottle.” The last thing you want is to have your potential customers declaring “it’s too complicated” and walking away.

Have you ever been ready to buy and then changed your mind because the options were overwhelming? Do you have any examples of companies that do a great job of offering just the right amount of choice?

The value of restricting choice (robweir.com)

Think Small to Go Big

July 26, 2010 by Karen Swim

Sales for the Small Business Professional

Self-promotion and networking can be overwhelming for small practice professionals. Most would rather focus on delivery of their services than developing business. Many do well developing and executing marketing strategies but when it comes time to “sell” they feel out of their element. In my work with clients, particularly service and creative professionals selling is a common barrier. They would rather send an email, or find a technological shortcut than to interact with a prospect in a “sales” situation.

Last week a client and friend confessed her tortured feelings about self-promotion. “I feel like I am walking into a room of 1500 people and it’s overwhelming to figure out what to do,” she remarked. “Great!” I said. “You don’t need 1500 people you just need to make your way through the crowd to the intimate table of 10.”

Any process can be intimidating and overwhelming if you look at it in its entirety. Whether you are a business owner, a job seeker or someone returning to dating, you only need to take it one step at a time. The mental image of a small intimate table helped my client to ditch the willies and focus on a smaller, more manageable task. Giving her the visual of ignoring the larger crowd for the small tribe made the process much more friendly.

The job seeker who is overwhelmed by the unemployment numbers need only focus on their need for one job. They only need an offer from one company. The small practice professional does not need to reach 100,000 people, many would in fact be overwhelmed if their regular client list was more than 50.

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, do the math. I am sure that like my client you will discover that the way to go big is to think small.

How about you? Does self-promotion freak you out? What tips have helped you overcome the fear?

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Sales for the Small Business Professional