Virtual Offices

In May 2010, DesignWorksNY made the transition from a “bricks and mortar” office to a virtual office. When asked by clients where our office is located, and I answer, “we have no headquarters -- we all work remotely, we’re a virtual company,” I am often met with confusion. The term “virtual office” was first used in 1983 in an airline magazine article about portable computing.* The term is often mistakenly confused with “office business centers” or “executive suites,” which require a lease.

The concept of virtual offices arose from the need to reduce traditional office overhead costs with the emergence of innovative technology (i.e. laptops and smartphones). When these converged, it was no longer necessary for an employee to be physically present in a place of business. In the case of DesignWorksNY, it also stemmed from the desire to keep connected to staff and contract workers who are integral members of our team, but who live in different parts of the country.

While we occasionally miss the camaraderie and closeness of sharing office space, we make up for it in other ways:

• The company no longer has the expense of office rent – a tremendous savings that helps us keep running smoothly.
• Each worker is able to reduce his or her carbon footprint, using less gas for commuting.
• We no longer get caught up in frustrating rush hour traffic; this greatly reduces the anxiety and stress that had previously wreaked havoc on our schedules.
• It allows more flexibility in each individual’s work schedule: working the eight hours when he or she is most productive.
• As the company leader, I am able to recruit the best talent for our firm, not just the people who are geographically desirable. 

And there are ways to “scale up” the level of professionalism of your virtual office including everything from hiring a phone answering service to renting conference room space when you need it to having a prestigious office address or virtual assistant. The possibilities are endless!

 “Going virtual” is not the right choice for every company, but it is a viable option for some. So unfurrow that brow, and when you encounter a company with a virtual office business model, know you can work with them with the same confidence you would a physically based company. – Kelley Briggs

*Source: Chris Kern

Active Listening

A few weeks ago I attended the Business Council of Westchester’s Breakfast Dialogues, facilitated by Laura Winterroth of TD Consulting Group. The topic was “Active Listening” and it was very eye- (or should I say ear-) opening. I want to give credit to Ms. Winterroth because this blog post contains information gathered from that event, sprinkled with my comments.

Shocking stats about listening:

• 55% of our day is spent listening
• We use only 20% of our total capacity to listen
• We hear only about 25% of what has been said

We as marketers are always asking our clients if they are really listening to their customers, but are they? Really? A company’s most valuable asset is its customer base, and if a company simply listens to what its customers want and need — even their complaints — it makes marketing to them a whole lot easier. (And by listening I mean physical listening on the good ‘ole telephone, and elistening in email, and online via Facebook and Twitter.)

Contrary to the popular concept of  “multi-tasking,” the human mind cannot think two things at once, it needs to focus on one thing or one person at a time. Ms. Winterroth asserts that listeners ARE able to focus, if they have the determination to do so. But to be able to focus and attain a listening mindset, it’s critical to understand the components of good listening:

• Hearing the actual words
• Interpreting to understand emotions, feelings, meaning
• Evaluating to form a judgment or decision
• Responding appropriately to what has been said.

According to Ms. Winterroth, unskilled listeners complete only steps one and four, skipping steps two and three. By neglecting those two valuable steps, you are literally missing half the conversation!

She has three tips on listening, which I found most valuable:

• Keep your personal agenda(s) to yourself. Clearly differentiate what you are hearing from your own personal point of view.
• Keep focused to keep your mind from wandering. The listener’s mind can think three to four times faster than the speaker can talk. Discipline yourself to tune out distractions.
•  Resist “assumptive” listening and stay receptive to your speaker. Hear what they are saying and fight the urge to make assumptions and jump to conclusions. 

Practice active listening to better understand and connect with your customers, which will, in turn, help make your sales and marketing efforts much more effective. — Kelley Briggs

Wildflowers or weeds?

Last week, as I was driving along the Taconic Motor Speedway, I mean Parkway, I noticed beautiful wildflowers along the side of the road, and wistfully lamented that summer had finally come to a close. But as I gazed at the flowers, I thought, “I’ll bet some people probably think those are weeds.”  I have been accused (yes) on many occasions of seeing the “glass half full”, and I think that irritates those “glass half empty” folks. But I think my optimism has contributed to the success of my business and I’ll tell you why:

Optimism allows me to keep an open mind. It lets new and fresh ideas flow. Pessimism tramples innovation, in favor of “what we’ve always done.” Optimism has allowed me to think positively, even when times got tough. I love the word YES, and hate the word NO.

Pessimism leads to bad behavior(s). When negativity is permitted in our thoughts, it leads to frustration, which can lead to anger – both bad behaviors. And negativity breeds negativity – I’ve been in that black swirling pot before, and it's definitely contagious. Our thoughts can definitely influence how we feel, and how we feel is directly attributed to the state of our emotional health. So, it’s simple: I stay positive, I keep healthy.

Optimism contributes to good physical health, too. Having a positive outlook lowers your stress level, and keeps high blood pressure and stroke at arms length. Pessimists have worse health issues than optimists, and live shorter lives. That’s a medical fact!

Pessimists are more likely to be depressed when things go awry. And in this economy, things have gone drastically awry! Pessimists see setbacks as monumental and long-term, vs. optimists see setbacks as short-term, and an opportunity to learn. Had I not had reacted positively to some very negative experiences in my personal and business life, I am certain I would not be where I am today: successful and thriving.

Optimists outperform pessimists — in business, sports, school, love and more. Optimists are by very definition, winners! Who doesn’t love to win?

So, what do you see: weeds or flowers? It’s up to you to decide what you see, and how you will react. — Kelley Briggs

Budget Questions Answered

It’s that time of year again, when companies are setting their marketing budgets for the coming year. Since DesignWorks is on the receiving end of this process (our fees are paid out of marketing budgets), I thought it appropriate to provide an agency’s perspective, as you wade through this annual exercise.

How do I allocate?

I am asked this question often: How do I know how much money to allocate for my marketing budget? There are some general parameters you can follow: If your brand is strong and healthy, 2-3% of your (projected) annual sales should be set aside for marketing – to keep your brand strong and healthy. If you have a new product or service to introduce, or your service offering has changed, you’ll need to set aside a bit more, 4-6% of your projected annual sales, to fund marketing initiatives. If you have negative perceptions in your marketplace and you need to “turn things around,” or you have tough competition and need to be VERY visible, no less than 7-9% of your (projected) annual sales should be set aside for marketing, upwards to even 12%.

What should be included?

The management team, with input from the frontline sales people, should decide what needs to be included in the marketing budget and in what order of importance. I keep a running wish list all year long of possible marketing items to be considered when budgeting time arrives. It’s also a good idea to take a look and see what your competitors are doing – NOT THAT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW WHAT THEY DO, but to see what they are NOT doing and perhaps capture that space. Here’s a list of the usual inclusions, although you may also have some additional needs depending on your industry:

• Website design, development, maintenance
• Social media (set up and) maintenance
• Printed collateral material such as brochures, stationery, business cards, flyers
• Printed marketing materials such as direct mail, loyalty and VIP programs
• Public relations, which includes sponsorship opportunities
• Advertising, both print and online
• Signage, packaging, uniforms, trucks, etc.
• Event needs such as trade show booths, banners, premiums, etc.
• Networking events and dues
• Research and Development

Most all these items need creative work, which includes graphic design and copywriting, as well as production, which includes printing and distribution.

How much do items cost?

This is where we run into the most problems, I mean challenges: people not knowing what things cost, and subsequently under budgeting. Here’s an example: When you know your website will need updating in the next year, SEND IT OUT TO BID, and get real, actual costs to include in your marketing budget. If you just arbitrarily pick a number, you'll most likely be shocked that it costs more than you planned and then you'll have to cut corners or use a sub standard vendor. When has ANYTHING cost less than you thought it would? Ouch, sorry. 

So, as your company enters this time of budgeting, answer these questions before you start and your agency will love you for it. — Kelley Briggs

Applying "Momisms"

Did you ever see that horrible poster that proclaims “Everything I know in life I learned from my cat?” Let’s give credit where [real] credit is due: I learned a heck of a lot from my mother, and it all applies to the business world in some way or another. Here’s six “Momisms” from our family that I use in business every day.

Take something up as you go.

Her point here was: if you’re going somewhere – upstairs, downstairs, outside, downtown – combine your trip with other tasks that need to be done for operational efficiencies. I still to this day practice this – it’s a way of making me stop and think first, then act. Make every act meaningful.

If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

This Momism taught me to frame my opinions, criticism, and feeback in a constructive way, or hold my tongue until I could. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I have nothing nice to say to business colleagues, vendors or staff, but this Momism, which is similar to “you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,” taught me to construct my responses so they were met with my desired response, not just blurt them out.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

This Momism was not about food; it was my Moms way of saying ‘pace yourself or you will burn out.’ I still think of this when my workload gets heavy – it makes me delegate better, and helps me be a better leader.

Everything in moderation.

This Momism was the precursor to the integrated marketing approach that I preach (I mean use) to this day. Don’t do too much of one thing, and then not enough of another. Eliminate excess and use self-restraint. I certainly don’t claim that my mom made this saying up, but it was part of her mantra.

Work first, then play.

This Momism was about discipline, responsibility and commitment. It really needs no explanation.

If the Nelson’s jumped off a bridge, would you do that too?

[Backstory: The Nelson’s were our neighbors growing up.] This Momism was a lesson about not necessarily (blindly) following the leader, or anyone else for that matter. It was about listening to my inner voice, and not caving to peer pressure. It’s appropriate now that I have my own business: wouldn’t it be easier to do what everyone else does regarding marketing their business, instead of taking risks and trailblazing? I can’t, I just can’t.

So how can you learn from things in your past, and even your present, and apply them to your business today? Think about it, the common sense answers are probably right in front of your face. Thanks, Mom.  — Kelley Briggs

To Blog or not to Blog

Often times when I confess to blogging, I am met with (and I am paraphrasing) “I don’t blog. What do I have to say that others would be interested in hearing?” Here are SEVEN reasons WHY you should be blogging (and what you should be blogging about.)

1. Share your Expertise. You have a knowledge bank on a topic, so why keep it to yourself? Share! Release the baggage that ‘no one wants to hear what I have to say.’ If they have an interest in your industry and are seeking information, THEY DO.
2. Control your content. Blogging allows you to be in total control of the content you are putting out there. Whereas other social media vehicles tend to be a combination of reactive and proactive, blogging is totally proactive – you blog about the topics you want, when you want, and say what you feel is meaningful and different.
3. Position yourself as Expert. Blogging allows you to educate in a non-selling/non-threatening way. The volume of information you publish on a specific topic allows you to brand and position yourself as an expert in that subject.  And the more expertise you share, the more trust you build with those who read it (and share it), which translates into engaged, and loyal customers.
4. Boost your Rankings. When you consistently link from Twitter to your blog (or any other social media network for that matter), you are more visible on the web and your organic search rankings, as well as web site traffic, increases. A rising tide lifts all boats.
5. Dominate your Keywords. You are able to tag your blog post with keywords that are searchable in search engines. If you are writing about Dog Training and Obedience, and you have many posts that are tagged with those specific keywords, you will be closer to the top of search engine rankings when a potential customer is searching for Dog Training and Obedience! The key is picking appropriate keywords -- and ones that your prospects are using, which might not be the ones you would choose.
6. Integrate your Marketing. Blogging is another touch point to reach customers and prospects as part of an integrated marketing plan. When you use multiple vehicles – social media, advertising, PR, email, newsletters – to spread your message, the chances of you reaching the customer you want with your message increases proportionally (more vehicles, more impressions). And they are much more receptive to your message when you communicate with them in their the preferred platform.
7. Grow your Business. Finally, it builds business, when done consistently over time. Blogging builds familiarity, and we all know people do business with people they know, like and trust. 

Blogging consistently is an excellent way to reach customers and prospects with your message. Put it on your calendar, and then think of it as another (fun, casual) communication link to reach your customers and prospects, not a chore.  —Kelley Briggs

Keeping Visible

When people hesitate "using up" their marketing budget for marketing purposes (but isn't that what it's for?), I always urge them to at least keep visible. Why? When your marketing initiatives diminish, your visibility does too. When your visibility diminishes, you are no longer top of mind and your customers will forget you. Ouch. Consumers are fickle – they will buy from whom they had a positive experience from, OR whomever else (neutral) comes to mind at the decision-making point.

Successful marketing is all about momentum. So how can you keep visible with little to no money? Here’s 5 ways:

Social Media. Keep visible through tweeting to build relationships, through Facebook to send special VIP offers and messages to those who “Like” you and keep (or start) writing your blog. These are all areas you can use to build relationships with those who have demonstrated they have an interest in what you provide.

Networking. While it might be limited to your geographic range, don’t neglect keeping visible in your community. It could lead to new relationships, new business and potential PR opportunities. And you might be a good resource for referrals to others – which always comes back full circle.

Offer to speak or be part of a panel. Many organizations need specialists to deliver relevant content to their member base. Approach local and regional organizations and businesses. Critical: this is not a selling opportunity, and while it sets up the scene to be introduced to a whole new set of prospects, you will be suspect if you use this medium for anything other than educational purposes. Handouts after are fine, but no hard-sell.

Write an article. Leverage your expertise and raise your online profile as an expert in your field by writing an article or white paper and submitting to Digg or EzineArticles.com.

Participate in LinkedIn Discussions. Join groups that are relevant to your industry, or that contain members that could have your prospects. Answer questions, pose questions, be an active member and share your expertise.

Its not about the quantity of marketing investment, its about the quality. Keep the momentum, no matter what the economic cycle. —Kelley Briggs