Category: Business Development

Prospecting & Lead Generation – Pt 3, Marketing Tactics

 

Marketing Tactics

In Part 2 of this series, we began looking at lead generation. More specifically, that article outlined ways to set yourself apart as an established and trusted expert. This article wraps up the series and explores another aspect of lead generation – marketing. These are tactics you can execute yourself for your direct benefit, as well as tactics that your internal marketing team or a consultant can execute on your behalf for the wider benefits of others who are a part of your salesforce.

Traditional marketing methods are tried and true. They have been used for years, and they are still effective when done correctly. By blending traditional and newer methods of marketing to prospects, you will improve your chance of success as you approach prospects and generate leads.

Cold Calling

The success of cold calling often depends on the attitude of the caller. A salesperson who does not believe in the effectiveness of cold calling is not going to project the confidence necessary for success. Maintaining a positive attitude will go further than you think. Cold calling has become increasingly difficult, but it is worth the reward. Do not expect to close a sale with a cold call. While it may happen, the purpose is to connect with the prospect.

Successful cold calling requires extensive preparation. You need to understand the prospect and how your product relates to the prospect’s needs. You need to focus on:

  • Introducing yourself and your company
  • Questioning the prospects about their needs
  • Educating the prospect about how you can meet needs
  • Maintaining contact with the prospect 

Direct Mail

Direct mail is a familiar marketing method that uses physical mail, making it simple and affordable. The effectiveness of direct mail requires choosing the mailing list carefully. You must create the list of prospects based on the niche that your company provides, your ideal customer. Once you have created your list, create the piece. Direct mail advertising is more effective when there is a call to action, such as a special offer. The direct mail piece should not be educational, make it playful or creative. You may test the direct mail on a sample of your mailing list before completing the direct mail campaign. This will help you make any adjustments you feel are necessary.

Trade Shows

Many companies can benefit from trade shows. A trade show is a wonderful venue for meeting new prospects, but trade shows are typically crowded, which means that there is great competition. There are a few steps that you can take to ensure that you benefit from the experience:

  • Plan in advance: this includes finding the booth space and choosing how to decorate it so there are no surprises. You also need to choose highly energetic people to handle your booth.
  • Create goals: Do not simply show up. You need to create goals to keep on track. This could include the number of prospects you wish to meet.
  • Advertise: Make sure that you advertise your presence and invite customers. You will enhance advertising if you are a speaker.
  • Follow up: Take the time to connect with prospects after the trade show is over.

Networking

Networking is a frequently used buzzword. Networking, however, is one of the most effective methods of prospecting. Networking requires more than simply meeting people; it requires the time to build relationships. The process is slow and often begins at events. When going to a networking event, you need to actively work the room. Your focus should be to offer value and sell yourself. Network with different people. Once you meet new prospects, follow-up and connect with them. As you build relationships, your network will develop.

As technology changes, so do the marketing methods used. Some newer marketing methods, such as social networking, will be very familiar. Search engine marketing may be less so. When you combine the newer marketing methods with the traditional ones, you have the opportunity to make the most of your marketing strategies.

Social Networking

Social networking is commonplace in the modern world, and it is rapidly growing as a method of advertising. There are different methods of advertising in social media. First, you can advertise promotions directly to followers. Another method of advertising is placing ads on social media networks. Popular networks are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Advertising on social networks does cost, so it needs to be considered in the advertising budget. For example, you can promote tweets for a price or place ads on Facebook that target specific demographics. LinkedIn also offers company promotions or pay-per-click ads. Paid per click ads are more expensive than promotions.

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing (SEM) increases the visibility of your company online by advertising and optimizing the ranking in search engine results. SEM uses different services. Organic services are based on algorithms that assess different sites. Many people attempt to increase placement by padding the text with search terms. This can damage the quality of the writing and lower rankings. Search engine marketing also includes paid listing options to increase the placement ranking in search engines such as pay-per-click advertising.

When using search engine marketing, you must know your audience and choose keywords they are likely to search. Implement the keywords throughout the text, but make sure that the text is well-written and the website structured correctly. Next, it is important to get the site indexed by Google and other search engines. The final step is implementing a pay per click program and measuring ROI to determine if any adjustments are necessary.

Email Marketing

Email marketing can be very effective at generating leads. In order to reap the rewards of email marketing, you need to do more than send out mass emails. You need to craft emails that will be seen and inspire a response. There are a few things to remember when creating an email campaign:

  • Avoid typing in all caps and overusing buzzwords like FREE! These actions will increase the chance of the spam filter catching the email.
  • Create a simple design someone is likely to read. Limit yourself to three fonts.
  • Include an incentive and call to action with visible placement.
  • Make the subject lines brief but compelling. There is no reason to make them over 30 words.
  • Test the email, make sure the landing page link works and is closely tied to the email.

Display Advertising

Display advertising is an alternative to basic text advertising. These ads implement the use of videos and images. Display advertising includes the familiar banner ads as well as rich media, which incorporates text, video, and images. You will probably need the aid of an expert to create display advertising. Once the advertisement has been created, they should target specific demographics. You can assess the effectiveness of your ads and make adjustments as necessary. Your cost will depend on the advertising method you choose.

  • Cost per click: You pay when someone clicks the ad.
  • Cost per thousand impressions: You pay with every appearance of the ad.
  • Cost per acquisition: You only pay when there is a sale from the ad.

Like any other method of advertising, you must communicate a clear message to your customer. Useful tips for display advertising include: using a call to action, having ads that complement the website, and testing ad campaigns.

Content Creation

Part of developing the relationship with potential customers requires educating them about you and your company. Sharing knowledge and displaying expertise will develop trust with consumers and expand the customer base. Creating and sharing high-quality content is an important part of establishing yourself as an expert. In order for content to be effective, however, must be professional and informative. There are many different avenues of content creation, and you may develop it yourself or hire an expert. Types of content include:

  • Newsletters
  • Case studies
  • Blogs/ Vlogs (video blogs)
  • Podcasts
  • Webinars
  • Social media
  • Interviews
  • Books

Once you have created content, you need to do everything you can to share it. Apply the skills in marketing methods to help spread your knowledge.

Differentiation

Standing out from the competition relates back to branding. Remember that your brand is your public image. Your brand will help differentiate you from the competition. Once you understand your customers and how your brand relates to them, you need to establish your niche and take on roles specific to your company. For example, a company that offers delivery or free gift-wrap will stand out from competitors. Once you know how you stand out from the competition, you must advertise it to your prospects.

Fill Customer Needs

As we have already established, you will never develop prospects without establishing value for your customers. It is a good idea to gather data about what your prospects want and then find gaps in your competition that your business will be able to fill. For example, you should improve customer service if your prospects have a problem with the customer service of your competition. Once this is done, you must educate your prospects about the ways in which you will fill their needs.

ALWAYS Deliver on Promises

Part of educating consumers is showing that you always deliver on promises. Customers will share their experiences, and it will damage your chances with new prospects if you develop a reputation for not keeping your promises. The best way to deliver on your promises is to avoid overpromising. While you should go the extra mile for prospects and customers, never make promises that you know you can’t keep. If you develop a reputation for keeping your promises, you improve your standing with your prospects.

Mind the Pipeline

The pipeline should be a familiar term for anyone with sales experience. The sales pipeline has several basic steps: make contact and collect information, meet, make proposals, and close. You may alter the stages based on your company needs. Monitoring the pipeline allows you to monitor prospecting and lead generation.

Contact

The first stage of the pipeline is contact. You may contact a prospect through cold calling, but the prospect will often contact you in response to your marketing. Regardless of how the contact occurs, you must take the opportunity to learn about your prospect. Check the website history and look up your prospect online. Take the opportunity to ask questions if the contact comes through a call or meeting.

After making contact, companies typically compile information on prospects after making contact. Use websites, questionnaires, and conversations. Choose a method of storing information that works best for you, a database or even a spreadsheet. As you catalog information, organize them based on needs, interests, etc. This information will be used to connect with prospects.

Meet

After gathering information about the prospect, it is necessary to meet with the prospect. This does not need to be a face-to-face meeting; the meeting may be online or over the phone. Regardless of how the meeting occurs, it is important to be prepared. The meeting should allow you to develop your business relationship and explain ways that you can meet client needs. The first meeting is often too early to present a proposal, but the sequences of the pipeline are not static.

Propose

The sales proposal is based on communication with the prospect. The proposal will depend on your business. Some will be based on standard rates and prices, while others will require more research to develop. Once a proposal is submitted, it is important that you follow up with the prospect. Do not simply trust in fate, be available to answer questions or make adjustments. The proposal must include a timeline, and the details should be based on earlier discussions. You cannot consider the sale to be complete at this stage. The proposal stage leads to closing at a 1:3 rate. The proposal must be officially accepted before the sale is made.

Close

The final stage is closing. The sale is not finished until it is closed. It may be necessary for you to negotiate with the customer to officially close. Closing occurs when the contract or order is signed and the sale implemented. It is important to carefully guide customers through the closing process; just because someone accepted a proposal does not mean the sale is firm. Additionally, it is important to close quickly. The more time that you give customers to consider their purchases, the more likely they are to think of reasons to avoid the purchase.

Follow-up Communication

Without following up, a terrible thing can happen – nothing! You should not allow too much time to pass between making contact with your prospects and moving them towards customer status. Communication will help you better understand your leads and respond to their questions appropriately. Correct follow-up communication is essential to success.

Know your Leads

As we have already established, you need to understand your customer base to meet their needs. It is not enough to research a generic customer base; you need to get to know your individual leads. You need to gather information and then pay attention to it, and follow up communication is the perfect opportunity. Every time that you follow-up with a lead, take the opportunity to get better know him or her. There are steps that you can take to help you.

  • Track what the leads look at on your website
  • Make notes after contact
  • Send online surveys
  • Ask questions
  • Use social media to understand what the lead likes
Move Quickly

Whenever you follow up with leads, it is important that you move quickly. Do not allow time to lapse after making contact. If the customer makes first contact, respond as soon as possible. After the first discussion, you should follow up with the relevant information within 48 hours by phone, email, or social media. You want to stay present in the minds of your leads. Set up a meeting as soon as possible, and establish a date. Make contact with your leads regularly. This does not have to be a long, personal meeting. Maintaining contact is necessary because the probability of making a sale decreases substantially 72 hours after the first meeting. It is important to help the relationship progress without making the prospect feel rushed.

Know How to Respond

The success of a sale increases greatly when the initial response is made between five and 30 minutes of the initial communication. While it is important that you move quickly when responding to leads, you need to know what you are communicating. Some companies use autoresponders to make the response immediate, but personal communication is always more effective. If you do implement auto responses, find a system that allows you to personalize it.

When responding to a lead, you should rely on your understanding of that person’s needs. You need for your call back to be relevant to the prospect. Many people choose to base their response on scripts that they tailor for individuals. Regardless of the method you use, make sure that you have the information that your lead needs.

Set Future Meetings

Hopefully, a follow up will result in setting a meeting. A future meeting increases the chance of making a sale. There are a few things that you need to remember when setting appointments:

  • Offer value: I know this is repetitive, but you need to offer a reason for the meeting, such as information, a free estimate, etc.
  • Be accommodating: Agree to the time and venue that your lead prefers. The meeting does not have to be immediate or in person. The point is to set the time and date.
  • Keep trying: If a lead refused to set a meeting, revisit the question when following up.

Track Activity

Prospecting and lead generation requires you to track activity. This may seem daunting at first, but there are many useful tools that can help you keep up with your prospects. Tracking and assessing results will help you determine how to alter your prospecting to convert more leads into sales.

Use Appropriate Tools

There are a number of tools that assist in tracking lead generation. Customer relationship management systems (CRMs) are very popular. They track marketing, emails, and customer interactions. The programming makes tracking easier because it collects information from multiple departments, simplifying the process of finding and tracking leads. Along with full CRM programs, there are apps available for small businesses. Of course, some companies attempt to handle the information on their own, using spreadsheets and other programs to track progress manually, which is very time-consuming. In the end, you must choose the best tool for your business.

Assess Your Advertising Sources

You should have multiple advertising sources in place to attract leads, but you need to assess how each source performs for you and make adjustments as needed. First, you need to determine what you want to assess. You can assess the increase in traffic, the number of leads generated, or conversion rates? Your assessment will depend on the goal of your advertising. Do you want to attract more leads at this point, or are you looking for higher conversion rates. For example, a campaign may attract prospects or social media likes, but this does not translate to conversions. You might need to target your demographic better to increase conversion rates. Once you determine what you want to assess, collect the data with the CRM tool, ROI, or other tools for each individual source.

Record Information About Leads

We have already addressed keeping a database of leads. This should be more than a list of names and company needs. The information recorded should be extensive, and more information should be recorded with every interaction.

  • The source of the lead (referral, banner ad, etc.)
  • Customer needs
  • Competitor offers
  • Objection to sales
  • Birthday
  • Demographic information
  • Conversion

This is not a comprehensive list. Your business will dictate what you need to record. This information should be kept even if there is no conversion.

Assess ROI

As with every other project that your company undertakes, you need to keep track of your return on investment (ROI). The basic ROI calculation is:

(Investment Gain – Cost of investment) / Cost of investment

Prospecting and lead generation are complex because there is not a single investment cost. Common costs include wages, ad posting, the cost of lead qualification, and conversion tracking, etc. The exact cost of your program will depend on the unique circumstances of your organization. Fortunately, there are different calculators and programs online to assist you with the assessment.

Create Customers

It is important that you do more than close sales. You should attempt to create a loyal customer base. Customers have relationships and feel connected to businesses. By showing interest, being professional, and being reliable, you will soon find that leads appreciate your business and become loyal clients and customers.

Develop Relationships

The customer relationship is like any other. The relationship requires time and energy to develop and maintain or it withers. Contact your customers regularly, and always address them by name. This does not need to be face to face. Send out emails or connect on social media. Additionally, it is a good idea to seek feedback from customers to create a dialogue. Customer rewards are another method of relationship development. Examples of rewards include:

  • Coupons
  • Rewards programs
  • Birthday cards
  • Friends and family promotions
Show Genuine Interest

Customer relationships turn sour when salespeople do not show genuine interest. People do not want to feel like they are viewed as walking debit cards. You will improve customer relationships by showing genuine interest in them.

  • Be engaging: Ask customers personal details and remember them. Do not limit conversation to business.
  • Anticipate: As you develop a relationship with your customer, you will learn how to anticipate and fulfill customer needs.
  • Follow up: Thank you notes and phone calls help customers feel appreciated and show your interest.
Be Professional

While it is a good idea to be personable and inviting, you also need to remember to maintain your professionalism.

  • Be courteous (say please and thank you.)
  • Keep your private life to yourself.
  • Dress appropriately for your position.
  • Do not become too familiar (avoid off-color jokes and comments.)
Show Reliability and Integrity

Customers trust companies and individuals when they show reliability and integrity. Integrity displays morality and honesty. For example, a company that mislabels the price to the benefit of the customer will display integrity by honoring the price and taking the financial loss.

Reliability means that the customer can expect a consistent experience when the dealing with your company. Your prices will be consistent and any changes explained and announced. Employees will all be courteous and attentive, and the quality of the service and product will be uniform time and time again.

In conclusion

Effective prospecting and lead generation requires constant commitment if you want to reach your sales goals. It is work necessary to undertake for your business to succeed. Keep these words from the wise in mind during your journey.

  • Ray Kroc: If you work just for money, you’ll never make it. But if you love what you are doing, and always put the customer first, success will be yours.
  • Ashleigh Brilliant: Good ideas are common – what’s uncommon are people who will work hard enough to bring them about.
  • Zig Ziglar: Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, and no trust.
  • Beverly Sills: There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.

By Christine R. Spray

Photo: © creativecommonsstockphotos – Dreamstime.com

Prospecting & Lead Generation Pt. 2 – Brand Building

 

Brand Building

Part 1 of our series laid the groundwork needed to implement a prospecting process – making it a priority, identifying the ideal prospect, choosing the best prospecting methods, and making it a habit. With a prospecting process in place, it is time to start generating leads.

Generating new leads requires gaining the trust of your prospects. It is not enough to have an online presence. Prospects need to see you and understand you as a brand they can trust. Trust in a brand is created by showing expertise using blogs, webinars, videos, and other tools.

Become a Brand

Never underestimate the power of branding. Your brand is how your customers view you, so it needs to be authentic. Begin by defining your brand.

  • Review your company mission statement and company goals
  • Determine how your product or service benefits the customer
  • Choose how you want customers to see the company (luxury, reliable, affordable, etc.)

Once you determine your brand, it is important that you express it clearly and consistently. Integrate it into every aspect of the business. This includes the voice in communications, décor, and employee activity. For example, you would not want to write casual communications for a luxury retail brand.

Make sure that the brand is communicated in advertising. This includes marketing materials, logos, and taglines. Once the brand is communicated, you must be consistent in the execution.

Webinars

Webinars are wonderful tools you can use to generate new leads and demonstrate your expertise. Webinars do require considerable work and preparation, but they are worth the effort.

  • Create a webinar with a title that is likely to be searched by prospective customers.
  • Choose a provider such as Adobe Connect, brightTALK, and WebEx.
  • Develop a landing page for registration.
  • Advertise the webinar. Use social media, ads, blogs, and newsletters.

The webinar needs to be prepared well in advance of the scheduled post date and completed flawlessly. A well-executed webinar should be rehearsed. Additionally, the technology should be tested beforehand to ensure there are no surprises.

Blogs

Blogs are effective marketing tools. Blogs can be written content or done as a video so anyone can create a blog. Do not create a blog unless you are committed to it; create a blog posting schedule and stick to it. Blog posts need to be well-written or filmed, and blogs should be updated regularly. Your content should demonstrate your expertise and engage your audience with valuable information.

Tips for increasing blog exposure:

  • Comment on other blogs
  • Ask for comments
  • Guest blog for other outlets
  • Make the link to your blog easy to share
  • Choose topics that your prospects are likely to search

Engaging Videos

Companies can benefit from creating videos for various purposes. Videos can be entertaining or educational. When creating videos, however, it is important to produce a high-quality video – both in content and production –  so that they will become visible in the rankings. There are specific steps that must be taken to create effective and engaging videos.

  • Create videos that will appeal to your target audience
  • Introduce your topic immediately (the first 10 seconds)
  • Spend adequate time planning the production
  • Write an intriguing title with likely keywords in search engines

Avoid Common Lead Generation Mistakes

The failure of lead generation to be successful can often be tied to common lead generation mistakes. Being aware of these common mistakes will help you to avoid them. This list is not all-inclusive, but it is a great starting place.

Limiting Channels

A common problem that occurs in lead generation is limiting the channels being used. While it is reasonable to invest in activities that have a history of success, you should never limit yourself. Try new strategies because the marketplace is constantly changing. For example, do not limit yourself to traditional methods of finding prospects and generating leads. This will cost you exposure and potential customers. Likewise, limiting yourself to high tech channels means that you are overlooking avenues to new prospects.

Failure to Provide Value

Part 1 of this series stressed the importance of providing value to prospects; providing value is a critical piece of earning prospects’ trust. Unfortunately, prospecting and lead generation is often relegated to a sales pitch. Your prospects and customers do not want to feel like they are being forced to listen to an individual who is only interested in their money. Failure to provide value will almost always result in potential customers tuning out your message. Remember to always provide value when you are prospecting and generating leads.

Failure to Connect

Lead generation requires building relationships. Failing to connect with prospects often occurs in the follow-up stage. Sometimes people forget to follow up or wait too long to connect. It is important to follow up within the first three days of meeting a new prospect at the very latest. Additionally, you need to do more than making a phone call and a sales pitch. You need to build a connection. This will create trust and help solidify the relationship, which will improve the chances of a sale.

Failure to Try

A far too common mistake is the failure to try. We have already addressed making it a priority, but some people refuse to even try. People use a number of excuses to avoid prospecting and lead generation. This might include time, money, and lack of customer interest. Most excuses boil down to a fear of failure. For example, someone who has failed at lead generation might avoid attempting it again. It is easier to assume that lead generation does not work than to make changes and risk failing.

As stated in Part 1 of this series, success in prospecting and lead generation ultimately comes down to the salesperson. As renowned author and businessman William Clement Stone said, “Sales are contingent on the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”

 

By Christine R. Spray

Photo: ID 56295933 © Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

 

Prospecting & Lead Generation Pt 1 – Prospecting

 

Prospecting

Every business needs customers willing to pay for the product or service the business provides. Finding and cultivating new customers should be a never-ending process for any business with a desire to succeed. Surprisingly, many businesses either take a lackadaisical approach, do the bare minimum necessary, or simply overlook prospecting and lead generation.

Prospecting and lead generation, while critical, does not need to be a complex process in order to be effective. Quite the contrary; a business with the commitment and mindset to consistently nurture leads and prospects has already crossed one of the biggest hurdles. Renowned author and businessman William Clement Stone said, “Sales are contingent on the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”

This article is the first in a series dedicated to successful prospecting and lead generation. People sometimes ask about the difference between these two. The simplest definition is that lead generation is a one-to-many activity, such as sending out a direct mailer, and prospecting is a one-to-one activity, like a phone call. However, after working with hundreds of clients, my advice is to consider prospecting and lead generation holistically, because both are required for success. This first article is a broad view of prospecting.

Prospecting is essential to any sales endeavor but is often overlooked or poorly implemented. In order for prospecting to be successful, it is essential that it becomes both a priority and a habit. Additionally, it is essential to understand your prospect and choose your methods of communication appropriately. Implementing these steps will help to improve prospecting results.

Make It a Priority

Although everyone knows that the prospecting is important to the success of any company that relies on sales, it rarely becomes a priority. It is often put off in favor of tasks that provide instant gratification. Prospecting must become a priority. This requires:

  • Scheduling: Choose a time for prospecting. Many experts advise people to schedule prospecting early in the day, but you need to choose the time that is effective for you and your prospects
  • Preparation: Prepare what you will say ahead of time but be flexible. Do not simply read a script.
  • Professionalism: Remain professional throughout the process. Do not allow an internal negative attitude towards prospecting affect your communication. Similarly, don’t take it personally should you encounter negativity from prospects.

Identify Your Ideal Prospect

Prospecting is time-consuming, which is why it is necessary to identify ideal prospects before beginning the process. Your ideal prospect is your ideal customer. Your company is able to fulfill the needs and wants of your ideal customer. Conduct research to determine who benefits from your product or service. The information you must find beyond how your business meets client needs includes the following:

  • Values and priorities
  • Budgets
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Buying habits
  • Profession
  • Interests

Once you have identified the ideal customer, you will be able to focus time on prospects who are likely to become your customers.

Choose Prospecting Methods

There are numerous prospecting methods available, which will be addressed in greater depth in a later newsletter. While you will probably choose multiple methods of prospecting, you must focus your energy on methods that your prospects will respond to when they are exposed to them. For example, younger prospects are less likely to respond to cold calling and more likely to respond to social networking and webinars. The better your research on your ideal prospect, the better you can select the best prospecting methods! Prospecting methods commonly used include:

  • Cold calling
  • Referrals
  • Content marketing
  • Email marketing
  • Networking
  • Seminars
  • Social networking
  • Webinars
  • Advertising

Every method is considered a “touch”. It will take multiple touches to convert a prospect into a client. Be sure to provide value in every touch you make with a prospect – how your product or service will ultimately make their life better or easier.

Make It a Habit

It is not enough for prospecting to become a priority; it must become a habit. There is a common misconception that habits are easily made within 21 days. Recent studies, however, show that it takes roughly 66 to 200 days. When you first decide to make a new habit, the first few days are easy. After the honeymoon phase ends, it is easy to become disillusioned and fall back into old habits. When this happens, it is important to focus on the positive outcomes and follow your schedule of prospecting activities. After struggling through this phase, prospecting will become second nature. In order to truly make prospecting a habit, you need to ensure that you are working at it daily.

 

By Christine R. Spray

Photo: ID 5122591 © James Steidl | Dreamstime.com

Leverage your best contacts for mutual benefit

 

Leverage Your Best Contacts for Mutual Benefit

If you resolve to increase your bottom line in 2018, one strategy to do that is leverage your valuable clients and referral sources more. Setting aside a little time for deliberate outreach can yield benefits to you and your contacts.

Some outreach takes as little as five minutes. For example, when reading your daily paper or industry journal, make a point of selecting an article that would be of interest to someone you know and send it with a personal note. Similarly, as you hear of changes in industries where clients and friends work, send a quick email letting them know of impact they may face. As you are doing current client work, periodically and proactively email a short status update with an invitation to reply for further discussion.

At the beginning of each week, plan to contact at least one current or past client. The nature of your contact can serve to maintain current relationships, as well as identify new opportunities. At some point, take a moment to write down what your best clients have in common (traits, characteristics, type of individual or company, from whom they were referred.) This will focus your contact further.

  • Call a client for whom you have recently completed a transaction just to see how well their expectations were met.
  • Pick up the phone and call a client or contact you have not talked to recently – touch base, check in to simply see how the person is doing; consider inviting them for coffee.
  • Schedule a non-billable meeting with a client to review how the relationship is going and address any concerns your client may have.
  • Contact two clients whose businesses or interests may complement one another and introduce them.
  • Identify five clients of yours you would like to introduce to one of your partners or colleagues with a goal of expanding your work with each.
  • Contact a client who recently ended their relationship with the firm and determine what happened; communicate to those on your team to prevent future client dissatisfaction events.

Schedule time monthly or quarterly for larger tasks. Make a list of your top referral sources; call one of those people and schedule coffee or lunch. Routinely review your contact list for accuracy; make corrections and additions and have your assistant enter them. Identify a trade or professional association that attracts your ideal clients or referral sources; attend and consider membership or leadership involvement.

Don’t forget to look immediately around you. Take a partner, associate, or colleague to lunch or coffee and find out more about their current work. Tell your assistant how much you appreciate his or her role in helping you serve others.

Investing time in yourself also helps your clients and referral sources. Read a book per month on relationship building, networking, or building trust and loyalty. Be mindful of how you are spending your time, so you can track what is paying off. Track your time daily (don’t let it accumulate), or ask your assistant to do it for you. Use your time entries as a marketing tool to demonstrate the value you bring to your clients and referral sources; provide more detail. Reflect upon where (and how) you are spending your time on pro bono matters or community service.

Above all else, give to others first without expecting anything in return.

 

Key take-away: Your richest source of repeat and new business is already in place. Leverage your best clients and referral sources more conscientiously.

 

Photo: ID 799632 © Photoeuphoria

 

Soft Skills for Success

 

Soft Skills for Success

Having the technical skills and knowledge to successfully execute your job duties is only one part of being the best you can be in the workplace. In addition to these “hard” skills, we also need “soft” skills. Soft skills are those skills which allow us to effectively work with others. No matter what your position, organization, or industry, you work with people! Taking the time to build effective soft skills can contribute to a more efficient, more harmonious, and more productive workplace, as well as to your own overall job happiness and satisfaction.

What are soft skills, anyway? Simply put, soft skills are the personal attributes that allow us to effectively relate to others. These skills enhance our personal interactions and lead to greater job performance and satisfaction. Unlike hard skills, which are the technical and knowledge skill set we bring to our work, soft skills are interpersonal and can be applied in a broad array of situations. Soft skills encompass both personality traits, such as optimism, and abilities which can be practiced, such as empathy. Like all skills, soft skills can be learned.

Soft skills are personal attributes that allow us to effectively relate to others. Applying these skills helps us build stronger work relationships, work more productively, and maximize our career prospects. Often we place the focus of our career development efforts on hard skills – technology skills, knowledge, and other skills that specifically relate to our ability to get work-related tasks done. This means we neglect to develop our soft skills. However, soft skills are directly transferable to any job, organization, or industry. As a result, they are an investment worth making.

Soft skills include:

• Communication
• Listening
• Showing Empathy
• Networking
• Self-confidence
• Giving and receiving feedback

Empathy is perhaps the most important soft skill we can develop for better interpersonal interactions. Empathy is the ability to identify with another person’s experience. While we often think of empathy in terms only of identifying with someone’s pain or negative experience, we can apply empathy in a variety of situations. Developing empathy allows us to imagine ourselves in another person’s shoes, to respond to others, and even to vicariously experience others’ feelings of emotions. When we demonstrate empathy, we create connections with others, which can help to build teamwork or otherwise create shared goals. Empathy also helps to forge stronger interpersonal connections between team members and colleagues, which is as important as shared goals or complementary skills when it comes to accomplishing work.

Empathy is one component of what is known as Emotional Intelligence, or EI. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage our feelings so that they are expressed appropriately. Exercising emotional intelligence helps to create harmonious, productive relationships. There are four key components to Emotional Intelligence:

• Self-awareness: The ability to recognize our own feelings and motivations
• Self-management: The ability to appropriate express (or not express) feelings
• Social awareness: Our ability to recognize the feelings and needs of others, and the norms of a given situation
• Relationship management: Our ability to relate effectively to others

Taken together, these skills make up our Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQI). The EQI is a measure of your ability to exercise soft skills such as empathy.

The word “professionalism” often conjures up images of a cold, distant, brusque person in a nondescript navy blue suit. In fact, many people have the sense that to be “professional” is exactly the opposite of demonstrating empathy and emotional intelligence! However, professionalism is a key soft skill, and it doesn’t require you to be inauthentic, distant, or detached. Professionalism is simply the ability to conduct yourself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence. Acting with professionalism also means seeking to communicate effectively with others and finding a way to be productive. Professionalism involves what may seem to be small acts, such:

• Always reporting to work on time and returning promptly from breaks
• Dressing appropriately
• Being clean and neat
• Speaking clearly and politely to colleagues, customers, and clients
• Striving to meet high standards for one’s own work

Because soft skills are talked about as traits of a person’s personality, it may seem as though you have to born with them. While some soft skills come more easily to one person than they might to another, soft skills are not inborn. Like all skills, they can be learned. Because we all have our own preferences and ways of moving through the world, some soft skills may be more difficult to learn than others. But if we think back, there are also aspects of our hard skill set that were difficult at first, though they now seem to come quite naturally to us. We develop soft skills in the same way we develop hard skills – we practice! Spending time with people who seem to be able to effortlessly demonstrate a soft skill that you find challenging is one way to build your soft skill set. Another way is to seek opportunities to practice in which the risk of failure is low, until you feel confident in your ability. You don’t have to be born a networker or an empathetic person – you can learn and build these skills throughout your career.

Communication is the most important soft skill, because all other soft skills are built on the ability to communicate clearly and professionally. Communication is more than just sending a message – it is also the ability to receive messages, listen actively, and “hear” what isn’t being said. Many times we focus on learning to speak or write clearly, but this is only one component of communication – and perhaps not even the most important!

by Christine R. Spray
Founder & President of Strategic Catalyst, Inc. and the National Business Development Association

Photo: ID 67245584 © Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

Tips: Plan Ahead for Happiness

Most of us spend more time at work than we do engaged in any other activity other than sleeping. If we consider how much of our lives we spend in our workplace, it quickly becomes clear that spending this time unhappy, unfulfilled, and just counting the days until the weekend is a waste of time and energy. Finding ways to be happier at work can not only lead to better mental health, but can improve your productivity and overall work performance. One key way to cultivate more happiness at work is to plan for it! Develop habits that get your work day off to the right start, and you’ll see greater happiness throughout the day and week.

Have a Nightly Routine

Nothing gets your day off on the wrong foot like rushing around in the morning! Lost keys, skipping breakfast, discovering that the pants you wanted to wear are not back from the dry cleaner – all this can throw your morning into chaos. Taking time the night before to organize what you need for the next day can help avoid this morning rush and let you start your day centered, organized, and with everything you need. Create a nightly routine – and follow it! Choose your clothes for the next day, set up your coffee maker (especially if it has a timer and automatic brew!), and pack your lunch. Take time to place the things you will need for work the next day in your briefcase or bag. You might even choose a space near the door to be your “launch pad,” a space where everything you need for the day is in one place and easy to pick up. Your routine will vary depending on what you need each day, what your workday looks like, and what the needs of your family are. It might even help to make yourself a checklist until the routine truly becomes a habit.

Get at Least 8 Hours of Sleep

Sleep deprivation is bad for your mental, emotional, and physical health. It’s hard to feel productive, happy, and positive when you’re exhausted! Making sure that you get at least 8 hours of quality sleep per night is one step you can take to help prepare yourself to be happier and healthier, both at work and in the rest of your life. Many of us are used to running on just a few hours of sleep, or to getting sleep that isn’t truly restful. There are a few steps you can take to ensure that you get the most restful sleep possible and wake up ready to face the day with a positive attitude.

• Steps to Quality Sleep:
o Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day – including weekends
o Have a nightly routine that prepares you for bed – shower, tooth brushing, prayer or meditation, etc.
o Put away the electronic devices
o Make your bedroom a sanctuary

Wake Up Early Enough for Some “Me” Time

Getting enough sleep is important, but waking up early enough so that you have time to transition into your day can also help foster happiness. If you usually hit the ground running and leave the house with just enough time to make it to the office on time, you are kicking your day off with anxiety. Waking up even 15 minutes earlier so that you can have some “me” time can help you ease into your day with a sense of centeredness instead of a sense of panic. Some people like to wake up very early and have an hour or more of “me” time, while others just need an extra 10 or 15 minutes to linger over a cup of coffee or tea. Figure out what works for you!

• Ways to Use Your “Me” Time:
o Read the newspaper or a passage from a book you are enjoying
o Pray or meditate
o Do some light stretching or yoga
o Linger over your coffee, tea, or breakfast
o Spend time stroking your pet

It’s important not to use your “me” time to get a head start on your work day by reading emails, working on projects, or checking voicemail!

Give Yourself Time to Arrive at Work Early

Commuting is often the most stressful part of the workday. Whether you drive, walk, bike, or take public transit to work, delays and traffic jams can get your day off to a stressful start. Too often we make this worse on ourselves by leaving for work at the last possible moment, meaning there’s no room for error, and that we arrive at work with only moments to spare before we have to jump into our first project or meeting. All this can leave us frazzled, anxious, and short-tempered. Altering your morning commute so that you can arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for work helps you ease into your workday instead of having to throw yourself right in. And giving yourself that cushion can also give you much-needed wiggle room in your commute to account for the unexpected. When you arrive early, you have time to transition gradually into your work — check email, get a cup of coffee, check your schedule and to do list, or simply say good morning to your coworkers. This helps you meet the day in a positive frame of mind.

Plan Your Day

Taking a few minutes to plan your day can help alleviate stress and promote happiness at work. You don’t have to plan every minute, but having a sense of what needs to be done, what expectations need to be met, and what time and resources you’ll need throughout the day can make your workday run much more smoothly.

Arrive 10-15 Minutes Early

Arriving at work early is one simple step you can take to foster your happiness at work. When you arrive early, you have time to think about your day and make a plan, rather than having to immediately start with tasks and meetings. Planning ahead so that you arrive early means that you can get settled into your day by greeting coworkers, checking mail, email, and voicemail, take a look at your calendar, and otherwise get an overall picture of what your day will involve.

Build in Breaks

We all want to be productive at work. While it might at first seem counterintuitive, building breaks into your day can help you be more productive and happier at work. Building short breaks into your day helps to break work into manageable chunks. It also gives you guideposts to aim for – and if you make a break something to look forward to, you may find yourself working more efficiently to get to it. Breaks give you time to reset, relax, and tune in. They also help you as you transition into different projects or other aspects of your work. Build regular breaks into your workday as you create your to-do list – and put those breaks on your list or schedule, just like you would any other appointment! You can use your breaks to check email, take a walk around the office or even get outside for a few moments, get yourself a drink or snack, or even just take a few moments to not think about work. You might build in different types and lengths of breaks as well, or consider having a coworker who is your “break buddy.” Breaks should be long enough to give you time to reset but not so long that you get completely distracted – 5 to 15 minutes is a good guideline, with a lunch or dinner break being longer. Even if you can’t get up from your desk or out of your office, taking a quick 5 minute break can leave you feeling refreshed and recharged.

Relate to Others

Even if we work well independently, it is important to take time to relate to others in the workplace. Building work relationships helps us feel less isolated and creates a support network. Relationships also help us feel part of a team or workplace community, which can promote happiness. When we have strong relationships with our coworkers, we may even look forward to going to work! Instead of being a place where we are disconnected, work can become another place where we connect with others.

Greet Your Colleagues

Something as simple as taking the time to greet your colleagues when you come into the office can make all the difference! Can you remember a time when someone just saying “Hello” improved your day? When we take the time to greet others, we make a connection. It is likely that your colleagues will greet you back, spreading the good feeling. Starting the day with a positive interaction with another human being helps you feel connected and can turn a rough morning into a productive, happy day. You don’t have to stop to have lengthy conversations with every person you meet, but taking the time to smile and wish them a good morning is a worthwhile investment of your time.

Note: This article was originally published in the Houston Business Journal

by Christine R. Spray
Founder & President of Strategic Catalyst, Inc. and the National Business Development Association

 

Photo: ID 60375662 © Warrengoldswain | Dreamstime.com