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Jun
19

By

Employees are not Assets, Resources, or Inventory, But Humans with Dreams.

Category: Business Strategy, Conversation, leadership, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Today, we heard employees referred to as “resources” or “assets” by corporate executives, business press and management thought leaders. Michael Eisner, ex Chairman and CEO of Disney, has been recorded as saying “our inventory goes home at night.”

Bullshit!

Employees are people. Employees are not assets, resources, or inventory, but Humans with dreams and aspirations.

Did you call your friends, your kids, your wife, your mother, your father, … your greatest assets, resources, or inventory?

There is a Chinese Proverb that teaches the beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.

This is not just an economic decision, it is a psychological and emotional decision; because how you relate to a person, an animal or an object depends a lot on how you name or label it.

People are not resources to be mined nor inventory to be turned over. Time is a resource. Office furniture is an asset. People are people.

In the past, we have seen how before putting into slavery, slaughtering, killing, depriving from freedom, invading, colonizing some populations or countries, their names have been altered; instead of calling them by their real name, they became barbarian, primitives, damned, uncivilized, human without soul, insects, etc.

Employees are not assets, resources, or inventory, but human beings with dreams, aspirations, and personal goals.

The new economy is in need of a new type of leadership—a service leadership. This is the kind of leadership that starts Not from wondering How someone could help you achieve your goals, but from a very basic, active generosity of asking how you can help your people achieve their goals, personal or professional.

From this standpoint, the role of any leader in the new economy is to get to know their people individually. All it takes is to start with some basic questions you ask yourself about your people:

  • Why are they here?
  • What do they want to achieve working for our organization (or buying our product)?
  • What are their goals in life, both personal and professional?
  • Where are they in their life’s journey?
  • What barriers are they facing now in life?
  • And lastly, how can I, as the people leader, genuinely help them get where they want to be, be what they want to be, and contribute what they want to contribute?

The new leadership role is active generosity, based on carefully and intentionally collected information about the people agenda, apart from their contextual status as customers or employees.

Start looking at people not from the perspective of how they can help you, but how you can help them. Master this single law and your success is assured.

No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the successes of those under him.
W A Nance

Jun
13

By

I need help to choose, to find relevant information … Please Help.

Category: Business Strategy, Conversation, customer relationship, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

The end of the scarcity age in developed countries resulted in consumers being overwhelmed by a huge number and variety of goods and services.

“Am I buying the right digital camera? Am I getting the best treatment for my chronic ulcer? Am I signing up for the right service?” becomes the inner voice of each consumer when he faces this “hell of choice.”

There are, in fact, vast amounts of information available to respond to these questions, and there are several channels, “But who has the leisure and the proficiency needed to sort through and evaluate all these products and services? [And] the burgeoning complexity of offerings, as well as the associated risks and reward, confounds and frustrates most time-starved consumers. Product variety has not necessarily resulted in better consumer experiences.” - C. K. Prahalad

As a result, consumers are lost. Information comes to them as noise. When consumers need answers, they may end up sifting through contradicting advice, opinionated content and a lot of pretty crappy material. They’ll waste plenty of time.

The unheard voice of the consumer behind all this data could sound something like this: “I want less data, not more data. I need to know what’s important, and I don’t have time to sift through thousands of Tweets and Friendfeed messages and blog posts and emails and IMs a day to find the five things that I really need to know. …Can someone please do this for me? Please? I need help.” – Erick Schonfeld

Netflix, like Amazon, has figured out that helping people make choices is the key to market success. People won’t buy things if they can’t make fundamental choices, and most people won’t make as many choices if they don’t get a little help — without being barraged with too many questions.
That’s the trick. We don’t want to answer too many questions about what we’re looking for. Half the time we don’t know what we’re looking for (just browsing) and the other half of the time we are incapable of describing it ‚ or maybe that’s just me. Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert details people’s inability to understand or describe what makes them happy in his book, « Stumbling on Happiness ». We think that many of those same mental barriers exist for people shopping or searching online, and we believe a good recommendation platform is essential to overcome them.” Rob Rustad, From Collarity.com.

How to transform helping your customers to choose and find relevant information in a marketing strategy that built loyalty and growth for your business?

Send “Information as a Gift” your customers.

According to a 2004 Forum Corporation study on cross selling, 88 percent of customers with spending power welcomed product and service suggestions that help them. The same is true in the B2B world—clients prize sales professionals who empathetically understand their business and make suggestions on how to improve it.

What is information as a Gift?

“Information as a gift ™” means to pay attention to your customers’ and contacts needs and interests for products and services other than your own, and give them relevant and trustful information to help them reach good services providers.

Since one company alone can no longer autonomously create consumer experience, Linkcrafter members pay attention to their customers’ and contacts needs and interests for products and services other than their own, and send their customers to other business for Free as a powerful way to build loyalty and Growth.

Linkcrafter solution helps you send your customers safely and securely to other businesses as a powerful way to build Loyalty and grow your business. Yes, It’s about Sending your Customers to other businesses for FREE as a way to build Loyalty and Grow. And It works.

You become known as a powerful resource for others—and when you have the reputation for being a strong resource, people start turning to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, connections, etc. This keeps you visible and your business top-of-mind when people need your products and services. This, in turn, will greatly increase the number of referrals your customers will send to your business.

You don’t need Money to start. Information, Recommendation are intangible things you can give again, again and again without being left broke.

“Information as a gift ™” has a tremendous power to induce positive emotional connections to customers and contacts. The positive emotional connections in turn has the power to turn customers and contacts into voluntary advocates for your organization, generating a consistent word-of-mouth referrals and a Nonstop Viral Buzz for your business.

How it works?

“Simply go to that address book and list out the 20 percent of your contacts who matter most. Do you know their interests? Their biggest dreams and goals (professional and personal)? If you don’t then that is a place to begin. Once you do, mark down next to each name what specific actions you can take that will help that person realize those goals. What connections can you make for them? What knowledge can you transfer to them? Call them up. No agenda. No ‘asking for the business.’ Just deliver value relevant to them and keep doing it.”

Howard Mann

Jun
9

By

Are You a Leader? We need You. We Want YOU to Lead US.

Category: Business Strategy, Conversation, leadership, Linkcrafter, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

What are doing right now?

So, you are a leader and the world is in trouble and you seat there, just repeating your life like one year ago?

Do you think this is a reaction for a leader when our world faces such a Tough time, When Millions have lost their jobs or are leaving in the fear to lose their jobs; when Hundreds of thousands lost their houses, and Millions other are living in the fear to lose their houses; when Millions of Businesses, small and large, are struggling; when Millions are petrified with fear, and Neighbors, friends and contacts are now constantly worrying about their finances and having panic attacks. Even people who are not suffering significant economic losses are  worrying they will or simply are reacting with sleeplessness to pervasive uncertainty;

What are you doing?
Are you waiting for the bad news to get down by their own, so you could enjoy again good life like earlier, two or three years ago?

So, you think this is not your responsibility. You think this is such a big mess and you are just too humble a person for the situation. You are wrong.

We have a call for you :The World needs you as a Leader in this troubled time.

We need you as a leader and you can do something for a better world tomorrow.
Start anything you can that could make difference, contribute, help.

YES YOU CAN.

We need You as leader.
if You have no idea about what to do or how to start, I have a list of 20 things that could inspire you and that you could start today.  I made this list with inputs from Seth Godin and Robert Midleton, two authors I admire.

Please Read and start something today. 
Tom Peters, the business guru, offers a very useful “How to” tip that I put at the end of this post.

Start today, ….

  1. Teach someone how to sell their services on Craigslist, or how to use the web to find a job.
  2. Start a blog and profile one worthy non-profit every single day.
  3. Go through your house and find beloved books that you’re glad you read… and give them to the library.
  4. Find an artisan and redesign their website or help them figure out how to promote their work.
  5. Create and promote an online petition for a cause you care about.
  6. Make a video that teaches people how to do better in a job interview or balance a checkbook or spot consumer fraud.
  7. Start a Facebook group for like-minded people who support the same non-profit you do. Commit to spending time to promote it, organize the people there and actually create outcomes of value.
  8. Seek out a religion that isn’t yours and volunteer to help build a bridge between your circle and theirs.
  9. Write ten letters a day to corporations seeking donations for a local homeless shelter.
  10. Find a tool that non-profits need online, and then organize some brilliant people to build it as an opensource utility.
  11. Find a cause that supports soldiers or diplomats or other public servants that are on the road, and make it easier for them to connect with people back home.
  12. Use Copilot to diagnose and fix computer problems for people or causes that can’t afford fancy IT support. It’s free on weekends.
  13. Find an entrepreneur in the developing world and become her email penpal. Daily advice and encouragement might save hundreds of lives.
  14. Lobby politicians with letters and blog posts to make a change to a law that doesn’t benefit you at all, but helps the community in the long run.
  15. Write a great wikipedia article every day about a person who is changing the world for the better.
  16. Find video and remix it into an insanely viral video that promotes a cause that you believe in.
  17. Call a past client and see how they’re doing. Don’t ask for anything; but offer an idea, a resource, or even encouragement.
  18. Call someone you met through networking and invite them to coffee to learn about their business.
  19. Do a favor for someone who you know would appreciate it. Don’t worry about what you’ll get back.
  20. Write a thank-you note to someone who did you a favor or who took the time to speak or meet with you.

For doing so,

“Consider …

  • Get up earlier.
  • Go to bed later.
  • Work harder.
  • Finish what you start.
  • Learn one new thing.
  • Renew one contact.
  • Ask, “How can I help you?” at least once.
  • Make yourself visible.
  • Be of good cheer.


Catch a break.
Or not.

Repeat tomorrow.”

Tom Peters

As Barack Obama remembered it to us all in his inaugural message on 20th January 2009: “Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive … that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. “

Jun
6

By

What is Good Information and How to Recognize it?

Category: Business Strategy, Conversation, customer relationship, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Consumers are lost. Most the Information we, marketers, produce and broadcast, come to them as noise.  And every day this noise grows thicker and thicker, putting a lot of strain on them. No one believes the noise fatigue to be his problem, but everyone just adds his own noise.

Remember, We are now in the attention economy, in which the new scarcest resource isn’t ideas, capital or talent, but attention itself. Today’s businesses are headed for disaster-unless they learn to manage this critical yet finite resource, or fail!- Thomas H. Davenport, John C. Beck

Businesses which will succeed in this attention economy are the one that take customers attention as a loan or managed as an investment” NOT something they “paid for“. Companies that fully understand and appreciate those distinctions will be the winners in the future. – Michael Schrage

How will YOU manage YOUR consumers attention differently if you take it as a loan or as an investment into your company?

Marketers who win today and will continue to win in the future are those who understand what is a good information, and do their best to engage and keep in touch with their customers ONLY with Good information.

What is Good Information?

Good information for consumers has 3 characteristics:

  • It is relevant.
    You’ve listened to your customer’s needs, and you know exactly what they’re looking for. When you communicate with them, you have no fear they’ll dismiss your communication without looking at it.They know you provide something of value to them. Instead of egocentric company-focused information, they know your company sends them information that’s relevant to them and their needs.
  • It is timely.
    Do your best to send information to your customers (only or mostly) when they need it to act, or decide. Information should be based on their time of need, not based on your time to produce and broadcast it. Timing is important in any communication or conversation process.
  • It is trustworthy.
    Your information should Not be deceptive. Send to your customers the kind of information you’ll send to your friends or your family members. If you Can’t share with or send to your friends or your family members the kind of information you are sending to your customers, then think twice before pushing the Ok button. Your reputation could be damaged for a long time. The world is Watching you.

May
15

By

Who are Your Company's Evangelists on Social Medias? And Why?

Category: Business Strategy, Conversation, customer relationship, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Two kind of people are actively talking about you on the social medias (blogs, twitter, social networks, consumers forums, buyers forums, etc.): Your detractors and Your Promoters.

There is in fact a third kind of people who are just spectators: your passive satisfied customers. They won’t move their fingers to defend you or write a testimonial about you.

Social medias are the conversation engine of  today. Most consumers take their buying decision based on the opinion of your Promoters and your Detractors. You need to care about this, because The new economy is based on advocacy. For example, a Mckinsey marketing study found that 2/3 of US economy is now based on advocacy:  Friends telling friends what is hot and what is not.

Only 14% of people trust advertising, 69% are interested in advertising blocking technologies, and 78% of consumers trust one to one recommendation from friends.

That’s the reason why the Law of the few in marketing states that 90% of your present customers are brought to you by 10% of your contacts (customers, prospects, friends or strangers) who like you. These people are your  Natural advocates. They are your Friends, your Evangelists.

Your Detractors and Promoters have one thing in common: they are emotionally engaged in, express appreciation based on personal experience. Ones say “I love them”, Others say “I hate them”.

Your Promoters are customers, prospects and even strangers who like you and your business. They can’t help but singing to the world nice songs about how great, how magnificent, how terrific you are. They are your advocates.

Your business flourishes when more than 10% of your customers become advocates; You thrive when 30% turn advocates and you become irresistible when like Apple 78% of customers are your fans, and go beyond advocacy to create Ads for your brand with their own money and resources.

Frederick F. Reichheld and Thomas Teal found that an increase of 5% of your promoters will yield your profits 25 to 95%.

You detractors are customers who don’t like you and your business. Contrary to a popular belief, Your detractors are not customers who are not satisfied with your product or service. Marketing research revealed that 68% of customers who defect and become your detractors do because of the way they have been treated by your employees during a transaction or customer service operation.

They are unhappy because of they way you’ve treated them, and they want the whole world to know how bad you are with your customers.

You business is stagnant because your Promoters are less than 10% of your customers base. Your business suffers from mixed image and faces marketing struggle because the percentage of your detractors are over the percentage of  your promoters.

All businesses have detractors, but you need to be careful, and actively take action to limit their number and address their complaints.

I strongly recommend the following two articles for reading:

  1. The One Number You Need to Grow
  2. Customer Satisfaction and the Success of Your Organization

Apr
30

By

The Big Power of Small Favors, Rob Duncan Networking Secrets.

Category: Conversation, High Profiles, leadership, Winner Choice Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Rob Ducan picture

Rob Duncan

Rob Duncan is Keynote speaker, author and consultant in the areas of team building, leadership development and marketing intelligence. He is the authors of two great books : Haul Away!: Teambuilding Lessons from a Voyage Around Cape Horn and Competitive Intelligence: Fast, Cheap & Ethical. Currently Rob is Director of Applied Research Liaison Office at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)  and CEO at  Great Capes Consulting Vancouver, Canada.

When Rob is not sailing 12,000 ocean miles rounding Cape Horn and crossing the Atlantic on a square-rigger, he is passionate by innovation, and beyond innovation the critical issue of innovation commercialization. He dedicates tremendous energy at British Columbia Institute of Technology to helping entrepreneurs and faculty inventors get new products to market through the effective use of marketing intelligence and planning.

British Columbia Institute of Technology

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Recently, Rob has made available several presentations to helping less skilled networkers to leverage the power of professional networking websites to grow their social capital, and boost their marketing.

We highlight here Rob Duncan’s secrets for a successful networking on Linkedin, or any other professional networking website :

The Power of Small Favors
Help 50 people with:

  • Answers
  • Recommendations
  • Expert suggestions
  • Leads
  • Introductions
  • When you need help, 50 people will be there for you
  • Give generously; the “getting” flows indirectly from your investment in others

TIPs:

  • Answer questions frequently and generously; think of yourself last
  • Put a Web link in your answers (draw people to your Website, books, or blog)
  • Earn expertise rewards & build reputation
  • Visit Q&A daily and answer as many questions as you can, insinuating your web address where possible
  • Update your status strategically (“Rob is looking for entrepreneurs to assist”)
  • Connect 2 people who can help each other
  • Be generous with your contacts
  • Give more than you get

Rob is a great guy, one that is both inspirational and encouraging. His participation on a project always raised the bar. As a prolific networker  Rob is always kind enough to share his knowledge and expertise to show others how to use  forums to build networks and grow business. you can reach Rob at this email address : greatcapes [@] gmail.com.

Mar
13

By

IRaaS in Action: Helping Hands

Category: Conversation, leadership Tags: , , , Leave a Comment

Sarah, a housewife, meets a man named Pete at the grocery store. Pete sells high-quality, environmentally friendly light bulbs. Sarah doesn’t have any need for a light bulb when she meets Pete, but as they strike up a conversation she mentions a few things she does need – a house cleaner, a mechanic, and a place to find vintage records.

Pete tells her he knows his sister is very happy with her house cleaner, and asks for her email address so he can follow up and give her the name later. He sends her the following email:

Hi, Sarah,

Good to meet you at the store; I enjoyed our conversation. I spoke to my sister Julia about her house cleaner and she recommends Lupe Velasquez at xxx-xxx-xxxx. She says feel free to mention her name when you talk to Lupe.

I remember you also said you were looking for a mechanic and a good vintage record store. I didn’t know myself, but I asked around a little bit, and I hear very good things about Hoshi Motors and Rockin’ Records on Broadway. Apparently the guy to talk to about vintage records is named Dan, and he works there on weekday afternoons.

Hope that helps! Looking forward to keeping in touch.

Best,

Pete  

Sarah is grateful to Pete for his help, and her natural response to that gratitude is to do him a good turn in exchange. She introduces Pete a man she knows who does environmental design, and who may need light bulbs for his projects. She mentions his name to a friend who’s looking to cut her electric bill and to her brother the next time she’s with him at the hardware store buying new bulbs.

Why does Sarah put so much effort into helping Pete? Because Pete put so much effort into helping her, without expecting anything in return.

In exchange for the trouble Pete put into introducing her to his network of people, he now has three potential new clients, all of whom need what he’s selling.

If Pete had instead put his effort into selling Sarah a light bulb she didn’t want or need, he might have made a single sale, but Sarah certainly wouldn’t be as eager to refer him to others she knew. Sarah’s not likely to want to help out a random salesman. But she will want to help out – and introduce to her own network of people – a friend.  

Download the IRaaS Manifesto : iraas-manifesto_by-linkcrafter