Make 2011 Different - Stick To Your New Year's Resolutions

If you survey a random group of people about their previous New Year’s resolutions, you'll probably find that:

• Most of them have had the same resolution(s) a few years in a row.
• Many quit after January 31—maybe March 30 if they were serious.
• Some never even tried to tackle the list (they just made a wish list).
• Others started, stopped then started and stopped again, making a little bit of progress.

Here’s why a lot people are not successful in keeping their resolutions: they make them about an event (a new year) that has absolutely nothing to do with their personal goals (i.e. the things they feel compelled to accomplish).

If you want to be successful in making and sticking to resolutions next year, here are five suggestions:

1. Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions – Eight times out of ten, the thing you want to accomplish next year is the same thing you should have done last year. Don’t set yourself up for failure by adding an artificial constraint of time--a new year.  Setting personal goals are about you, not an event. 
2. Understand That Reaching A Goal Is A Journey – If you view your “resolution” as a journey and not a destination, you will be successful.  A journey is a passage that allows you to explore, learn, and evolve as you move to the next phase. Simply focusing on the destination (the end point) doesn't help you discover everything that you need to do nor does it help you enjoy all your accomplishments as you strive to reach your goals.  The journey is the best part of the experience.
3. Set Goals That Matter To You – Here’s a novel thought: Maybe you did not accomplish your New Year’s resolutions last year because they were not important to you.  Make it easy on yourself. Just be you and focus exclusively on accomplishing the goals that will make you happy and add significant value to your life.  Any goals that you set should align with who you are and who you want to be.
4. Just Do It – Instead of broadcasting your 2011 resolutions to your family, friends, and coworkers, write them down. Keep them in your wallet or your purse and just start to work on them quietly and diligently. After you make real progress on a specific goal, then share it with a few cheerleaders (the folks who will give you high fives and congrats).  Since this is your personal journey, keep it personal until you are ready to share.
5. Stay Motivated – You’ll get distracted and tired, but that’s OK as long as you stay focused.  Achieving your goals (resolutions) is a process that takes time, effort, and energy.  Find ways to stay motivated and to recharge when you get a little discouraged. One great way to stay on track is to celebrate your progress  and achievements as they happen. 

Here's to your success in 2011!

Unemployed or New Business Owner? Here Are 5 Ways to Increase Your Network in 60 Days

In the social media frenzy, I have started to hear more and more people screaming for tips on how to network in person--something that is essential if you are unemployed or starting a new business. 

Here are a few strategies that I have used to help me double my network in 60 days:

• Forget about your elevator pitches -  Elevator pitches are all about you and what you do.  Networking is all about the other person and what they need.  If you don't connect with a person in a real way (common interests, goals, personality...), your elevator pitch will not matter much.  Be friendly, confident, ask questions that help you learn about the person you are talking to, and really listen.
• Attend networking events at least four times a month - You can't increase your network without networking.  Join professional organizations, chambers of commerce, community groups, alumni associations, and charitable organizations. Attend every event they offer, introduce yourself, and connect with people in a personal or professional way.
• Spend 10 hours a week connecting with the people you meet - When you meet new people, you need to follow up within 3 days.  Instead of sending an email, actually call them and have a conversation.  If the conversation goes well, schedule a meeting for no more than 30 minutes at a place that is convenient for them.  If you are unable to connect via phone, send an email.  Either way, you need to follow up with them monthly (weekly or daily makes you a stalker and quarterly or annually is not enough).
• Leverage social media to keep up with your growing network - As soon as you get a business card, add the person to your online network. Linkedin and Facebook are two tools that I leverage religiously because they are so commonly used.  If you do not have a LinkedIn account, get one.  If you only have a Facebook profile for your friends and family, set up another one for business connections. 
• Keep a positive attitude - Networking is a process.  Sometimes you will meet people who benefit you instantly; but more times than not, you will have to spend time building the relationship.

Lesson from my mom: Giving is a key to building powerful networks

At an early age, I learned that giving was an important part of building powerful networks.  My mother, the late Rev. Josephine Hill, showed me how to effectively connect with people in a meaningful way (i.e. a way that matters to them).  Through her actions, she taught me that when you help someone you unknowingly create opportunities for yourself and the people around you.  Those opportunities may not manifest themselves from the same person you helped, but they will eventually come.   

My mom was a wife, pastor of a small church, a drug prevention coordinator, advocate for anyone who was disadvantaged, a motivator, and a person who would give you just about anything--even if it meant she would go without.  As a child, I felt like she knew everyone, from the drug addict on the street to the mayor of the city, and she treated them all the same--with respect. 

I also believed my mom could make just about anything happen.  Because of her, I got two jobs without interviewing.  I literally walked into "interviews", said "I am Josephine Hill's daughter", smiled, and walked out with start dates in less than 15 minutes.  She also introduced me to very influential people in the church and politics.  I worked a congressional campaign, served on a board, and got a host of other opportunities before the age of 26, all on the strength of who my mother was and what she had done for others. 

Now get this, she wasn't from an affluent family, she did not graduate from a top-tier university, and she was far from rich, but she was connected and trusted by many.  And here's why: her philosophy was that by helping others, we are all better.  The fruits of her giving to others turned into opportunities for my family.

When I train and mentor people on power networking, one thing I stress is the law of reciprocity.  Great networkers believe that what you give comes back ten-fold.  They understand the power of generosity leads to powerful reciprocity. 

What giving does is position you as a person who has value. When you have value to another person, especially someone of higher influence, he or she is more likely to engage and keep you close or at least in mind.  When you only ask for favors or help, you position yourself as a taker, which will create distance and devalue you to the person you want to connect with. 

Whether you are a CEO of a Fortune 100 company, a janitor at an elementary school or an unemployed actor, you have value.  Never, never, never position yourself as a taker. Always offer something first. When you  present yourself as a person of value, your network will grow organically. When you are a giver, you don't have to try so hard to build powerful relationships because they will start to build themselves.  If you want to be a power networker, start by giving.

To learn more about the principles of power networking, attend my upcoming workshop at 9AM on October 9th at the Cobb Galleria.  For registration details, go to www.thinkmarketing.me.  If you are a minority or woman-owned business, use promo code "thinkmwbe" for a special discount.

Social Media Free. So, Why Not Use It?

Social media, sometimes referred to as online social networking, is the fastest growing form of advertising today, it is free, and accessible to just about everyone. Yet most people are not leveraging it to promote their businesses or personal brands, which is a missed opportunity.

2010 Stats

Take a look at the stats for some well-known social media sites*:

• Facebook: 500 million members
• Twitter: A billion monthly tweets
• LinkedIn: 60 million members
• Myspace: 191 million members

Where else can you connect your business or you, the professional or expert, to potentially millions of people--for free?

Leverage Social Media Today

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Set up a page or profile for both you (the professional) and your business, which should be separate from any personal pages. All social networking sites have help or training guides to assist you with understanding the features, applications, and rules.
• Post your pages or profiles on at least three social networking sites. I recommend Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Blogger, Delicious, and Digg. There are also a bunch of niche sites that you may want to consider depending on your business.
• Control your profile or page. If you don't want pictures shared or comments from people, make sure you change your settings to reflect your preferences.
• Promote your presence on these social networking sites. Include links on your emails, newsletters, ads, and website.

*Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Compete - April and August 2010

Customer Service Matters

I live in a relatively new community that has a property management group to collect dues, send notices, coordinate services and so on.  Over the last quarter, I have had the worse time getting them to reverse two fees that were applied in error. 

I attempted to resolve the matter by working with the representative who is assigned to my community.  After months of hearing the canned robotic response of "those are the fees", I decided to escalate to her VPs (all of them).  Finally, I got a response that made sense-- after about five emails to her VPs (all of them).  And, the fees were reversed.

Because of that experience--how long it took for resolution and escalations--I have lost some confidence in my property management group and would like to explore others that are more responsive.

Customer service always matters.  As a career marketing professional, one of the things that I encourage businesses to do is to look at their back-end processes and company culture to ensure that they are delivering based on the brand promise and the purchase guarantee.

Every customer has expectations when they engage a business.  Those expectations are based on their previous experiences, preferences, your brand, and the purchase.  Failure to delivery leads to bad word of mouth (the most important form of advertising) and churn.

Providing good customer service that meets customer expectations is the easiest thing to do, but many companies, small and large, struggle.  Here are a few tips:

• Practice empathy and stop spitting out scripts and policies. People don't respond well when they feel like you can't help them, have a canned response, or won't remedy their concern.
• Make your customers feel special.  Nordstrom is legendary for having a service culture, and it has served the company well.
• Get to really know your customers and their expectations like Green Hill Farms, so you can meet or exceed them. 
• Make sure your customer service reps are as great as your marketing people, and make sure they are rewarded well because they are equally important.   Customer service is the key to your retention marketing, so don't skimp on them.  The Ritz Carlton is an excellent example of how to promote outstanding organizational service.
• Quickly change policies, procedures and fees that cause problems.  If your customers are constantly complaining about the same thing, FIX IT.

Practicing these tips are sure to help your customer service and retention marketing efforts.

Newbie at Blogging - My First One

SAs I reviewed all the content for my latest Th!nk Marketing workshop, I started to do a mental checklist of all the things I advise participants to do to enhance their marketing efforts and online presence.   As a DIY marketing consultant and growth strategist, I take pride in trying new things just to see if they will work for my clients, friends, and workshop participants. 

So, since I teach all this good stuff, I should be able to breeze through my marketing checklist.  And, I did quite well until I got to blogging.  Blogging...something that I have known about since 2003.  Blogging...something that the U.S. census, The White House, Archaeology Magazine, and a 97year old woman is/was doing.  Blogging...112 million blogs in 2007 and 126 million blogs in 2009.  Blogging...well better late than never.  Today, I officially became a blogger (in addition to being a twit (I couldn't help it), friend, and connection).

BTW, if you haven't seen this Socialnomics video or gotten this book book, you should! You'll learn a lot about the social media revolution.