Category Archives: Influence

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Book Review: The New Rules of Sales and Service by David Meerman Scott

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New Rules of Sales & Service Book Cover

The New Rules of Sales & Service by David Meerman Scott

"Sooner or later the world will be interested in your area of expertise." — David Meerman Scott from The New Rules of Sales and Service: How to Use Agile Selling, Real-Time Customer Engagement, Big Data, Content, and Storytelling to Grow Your Business.

But, will YOU (companies or individuals) be able to deliver YOUR expertise at PRECISELY the RIGHT time when the customer needs it?

That's just one of several game-changing concepts David Meerman Scott describes in hs latest book.

BOTTOM LINE: Buy and study it. The New Rules of Sales and Service (NRSS) ROCKS!! It's destined to become another Meerman Scott classic.

Social Media ReInvention Community Members know I'm a huge fan and student of David's teachings.

I own and constantly refer to these classic books: 

  • The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly
  • Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History

As soon as I learned about this book, I pre-ordered the NRSS hardcover and Kindle versions.  My review is based on an advance, draft copy of The New Rules of Sales and Service on which I'm basing this review.


A Rebel with a Cause

The New Rules of Sales and Service is written in David's trademark style: challenging marketing strategy's status quo (with a rebel's heart). His thoughtful, entertaining, and case study-rich content applies to Fortune 100, small businesses, and individuals who genuinely desire to competitively differentiate themselves.  

David Meerman Scott – Real-Time Sales and Marketing Speaker from David Meerman Scott on Vimeo.



Game Changing Rules in Selling and Customer Service

Among the game changing arguments David makes in numerous case studies (~10 per chapter) is how marketing, sales, and service can no longer exist in functional silos. Every employee is (and should be) accountable for marketing, selling, and servicing new and existing customers because the social tools are available online to everyone.

The New Rules of Sales and Service extend beyond it's a "cross-functional" thing. It's now an "all-hands-on-deck" thing.  

Executing and sustaining an NRSS-driven culture requires top-down, CEO-driven leadership. Successful New Rules of Sales and Service practitioners instill a participative and trusting company culture. These leaders enable all employees to capitalize in social, one-to-one, real-time, customer communications throughout the entire buying process. David interviewed company leaders who trust and expect their team members (regardless of departmental function) to:  

1. Acquire NEW customers and MAINTAIN existing customer relationships using social tools in real-time interactions (e.g., concepts of AGILE selling and real-time speed & engagement; Case Study: Avaya)

2. Contribute and share valuable content to educate and inform customers in the pre- and post-sale process AT THE PRECISE TIME THE CUSTOMER NEEDS IT (e.g., CONTEXTUAL & consultative selling vs. hard-selling tactics; Case Study: Kendall PRess)

3. Collect and analyze real-time customer data to support real-time content delivery, service actions, and sales interactions (e.g., salesperson comes in later in buying process OR no salesperson; Case Study:GadCAD)

4. Convey stories about the company's products / services aligning with the customer's view of themselves (e.g., buyer persona research, newsjacking; Case Study: MultiCare Health Systems)  

That opportunistic mindset drives competitive differentiation at both a tactical and strategic level.  

By the way, David's research confirms blogging is far from dead. Long form content may be the best social tool in authentically demonstrating one company's "truth" to a competitor's public relations "spin."  


Closing Thoughts

Will more and future leaders trust their teams and David's rich teachings in NRSS? Time will tell. But, why wait? Gain the upper hand by buying and studying David's work. The hardcover book officially ships today, September 2nd. 

Bonus #1: David published this free eBook on SlideShare, The New Rules of Selling: How Agile and Real-Time Sales Grow Your Business Now. It's 158 pages of New Rules Classic Goodness!

 

Bonus #2: David's Agile Marketing Presentation At the MCT 14th Marketing Summit in Istanbul, Turkey

Agile Marketing by David Meerman Scott from David Meerman Scott on Vimeo.

  

Bonus #3: (STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS) Mind Maps of Chapters 1-7. The goal is to have the remaining Chapters 8-10 completed by the end of next weekend. I'm still experimenting w/ the XMind Mind Mapping Software to make the maps easier to read in slide show mode.

Please be patient, and I'll update this post as quickly as I can. Here's what they look like so far (I know I can't read'em either):

 

 

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If yes, please share it with your friends and subscribe to my blog. Many Thanks!

 

Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist.  He thinks and writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy in his personal blog, Social Media ReInvention. Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+. 

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4 More Gifts to Support Others That Power Your After Age 50 Reinvention

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Gold Gift Box

Gold Gift Box

  

Reinventing You Book ImageNote: This post continues thoughts from 4 Gifts to Give Others to Power Your After Age 50 Reinvention. It's fifth in a series of seven (7) describing successful career reinvention after age 50 by applying principles from Dorie Clark's amazing book, Reinventing You.

Reinventing You's Chapter 9: Reintroduce Yourself: "Develop Validators" is the focus of this post.

 

4 More Gifts to Support Others That Power Your After Age 50 Reinvention

1. Write a LinkedIn Recommendation for Someone You Care About

  
Recruiters Love LinkedIn. LinkedIn may not be as sexy as Facebook or Snapchat but 259+ million members can't be wrong. Recruiters and employers constantly search LinkedIn for passive job seekers (defined as someone who currently has a job but would be open to taking a better one). This phenomenon drove $224.7 million in 2013 Q3 revenue for LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

Praise Others so They Know They're Good at What They Do. LinkedIn Recommendations help your colleagues and friends promote their personal brands. They're also an important gesture to support people who may have lost their jobs due to company reorganizations.

Writing an unprompted or unsolicited recommendation without expecting anything in return makes a LinkedIn Recommendation a powerful gift because:

  • You can vouch for another person's expertise and skills (similar to a LinkedIn Endorsement) 
  • Your friend / colleague may feel awkward requesting a recommendation
  • Your recommendation can enhance another person's LinkedIn Profile

Who Can You Support with a LinkedIn Recommendation? Show you're not "just looking out for number 1." It's a great way to thank and acknowledge others who've been integral to your individual success.

 

LinkedIn Recommendations

Recommendations You Give Show Up on Your LinkedIn Profile

2. Encourage Others in LinkedIn Discussions 

Social Media ReInvention Community Members know how much I enjoy The Start-Up of YOU LinkedIn Discussion Group. Participating in LinkedIn Discussions (or initiating discussion topics) is a great way to:

  • Demonstrate your expertise in a specific field or industry
  • Develop credibility and a thought leader reputation
  • Learn from and make new connections with like-minded people 

Show Your Acknowledgement and Appreciation. When you initiate discussion topics, it's great when other members submit comments and opinions. Thank them with an encouraging tone for "putting themselves out there." Acknowledge them and express your appreciation for their input (especially if their thoughts counter yours).

Submitting Comments and Participating in Discussion Forums Requires Personal Risk. That's why people may hesitate submitting a comment for fear of criticism from either you or other members. If you're the discussion moderator, establish a positive tone. Provide encouragement early and consistently.

Encouraging and validating others in your LinkedIn Discussion shows respect, flexibility, and openness: 

 

LinkedIn Discussion Encouragement

Encouragement Fosters LinkedIn Group Participation

3. Say Thank You on Twitter #FF (Follow Fridays)

An Underrated Validator. I love #FF or Twitter Follow Fridays. Recognizing the contributions of smart and interesting members is fundamental to the Twitter Commuity.

State Why Someone Deserves the #FF Mention. Differentiate the individual (and yourself) by describing why another person is worth following. The most common mistake in Follow Fridays is the common "mass communication" #FF "Insert As Many Twitter Handles as I Can in 140 Characters or Less Without Saying Why:"

 

Bad #FollowFriday Example

The Mass Communication #FF #Follow Friday Mistake

Be Different. Put thought and creativity in your #FF tweet. Make your #FF tweets more memorable and separate them from the mass communication pack:

Favorited #FF Tweet 1

Example #1: Describe Why You #FF'd Someone

 

Favorited #FF Tweet 2

Example 2: Describe Why You #FF'd Someone

4. Share Klout +K's With Your Online Friends and Fans

How Influential Are You in the Social Media Universe? Since 2008, Klout.com has attempted to answer this question. The premise behind Klout is that our collective social media participation and influence can be captured, measured, and scored. 

Your Klout Score Can Have Important Career Implications. According to Seth Stevenson's Wired.com article, What Your Klout Score Really Means, your score matters (especially if you work in or aspire to work in online media). If you actively participate in social media, be aware of your score. 

Share +K's to Help Others Build Influence. Identify the people who support you and spread your ideas. Acknowledge and thank them. Reward their support with Klout +K's in specific topics like Twitter, Social Media, or Blogging.

Giving your friends and fans +K's signals to others that they share great content. 

Providing +K's in the New Klout Platform. Here are the basic steps:

  1. Find the Klout Profile of the person you'd like to give the +K
  2. Locate the Klout topic you want to select
  3. Hover your cursor over the topic to select it (the topic should become red)
  4. Select that topic and give the +K

 

Imrich Tatiersky Klout +K

Steps 1 and 2 to Give +K's in New Klout Platform

 

Martin Drdak Klout +K

Steps 3 and 4 to Give +K's in New Klout Platform

 

Closing Thoughts

Give and You Will Receive. Be generous to others. Be kind. Support others and third party validation takes care of itself.

What Do You Think? Please let me know in your comments.

If you enjoyed this post, here are the others in the series:

Photo Credit via flickr by sparkleblues

 

Your Turn

Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you. I’m here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE.   Comments are open. So let’er rip!

 


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Lesson 3A of 6: Reinventing You After Age 50 Case Study — Michael Ovitz and Developing Validators

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Mother of Reinvention

Career Reinvention After 50 Is Possible

IMPORTANT NOTE: This case study series is a self-initiated interpretation and analysis by me, the blog author.  I want to make it clear that neither Dorie Clark nor Michael Ovitz were consulted or personally endorsed this case study and how I've applied the analysis to the valuable teachings in Reinventing You.

 

Are You Too Old to Professionally Reinvent Yourself After Age 50?  

No!  You still have time.  The real question you should is: How Much Are You Going to Focus, Your Unique Assets, Time, and Energy into Your Post-50 Career Reinvention?  

If these thoughts run through your mind or resemble one (or more) of the following, I encourage you to keep reading:

  • "I just got layed off and am looking for a job (or I'm worried about getting layed off) …" or
  • "I love to learn, try new things, and build different skills …" or
  • "What do you mean by unique assets?  What the hell are you talkin' about?  I don't think I have any …"  

Because YOU CAN Successfully Reinvent Yourself After Age 50

 

Reinventing You Book Image

Reinventing You by Dorie Clark

This post is third in a series of six (6) about successful career reinvention after age 50. 

In this post (and the other five), I talk about linkages I see from Michael Ovitz's career reinvention after age 50 to six (6) of Dorie Clark's Reinventing You principles from Chapter 9: Reintroduce Yourself and Chapter 10: Prove Your Worth.

The bullet point highlighted in blue is the Reinventing You principle analyzed in this post:

  • Develop Validators
  • Leverage Symbolic Actions
  • Go Where The Action Is
  • Building Your Portfolio

Note: The following analysis references examples from the October 2013 Fortune Magazine article: Ovitz Does Silicon Valley by David A. Kaplan to describe Michael Ovitz's latest career reinvention in the context of Reinventing You's valuable teachings.

Lesson 3A: Develop Validators

 

Validators

Who Are Your Validators?

Dorie Clark emphasizes the importance of "having other people talk us up."  Here are key quotes from Reinventing You's Chapter 9: Reintroduce Yourself — Develop Validators:


Another important way we can convey our new identities is through external validators, that is, other people talking us up. As a powerhouse group of researchers led by both Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Cialdini discovered, the secret is to have someone else bragging for you.
(Jeffrey Pfeffer) "People don't like people who self-promote. But ironically, even if you self-promote through the mouths of other people, somehow that stigma doesn't get associated with you.  It's much better to have someone else toot your horn." 
 

 

Defenders

Who Are Your Defenders?

 

Powerful and Influential Third-Party Validators Address Key Objectives for Michael Ovitz: (1) Promoting Him as a Trusted Silicon Valley Advisor and (2) Defending Him Against Critics.  Since 1999, Mr. Ovitz developed and nurtured business relationships with Sillcon Valley's movers and shakers.  These people provide and support him with significant third-party validation:

These direct quotes from the aforementioned October 2013 Kaplan-Fortune article highlight how Mr. Ovitz's third-party validators defend and talk him up:


1. Marc Andreesen on Mr. Ovitz role as a trusted advisor to Andreesen Horowitz (Andreesen's venture capital firm):


There are similar tales of Ovitzian assistance around the Valley as he rises again, this time far removed from the lights of show business. At Andreessen Horowitz, the venture capital firm, Ovitz is an in-house mentor on how to build a full-service operation in the mold of Creative Artists Agency, the Hollywood talent monolith he built and ran from 1975 to 1995.
"Michael is the classic kind of entrepreneur that we like up here — he's highly aggressive, he's highly disruptive," says Marc Andreessen, with whom Ovitz has cultivated a relationship since 1999. "Michael's a very close friend of the firm. He's a great friend to have." He's also an investor in the firm, though AH won't say for how much. 

2. Peter Thiel on the C-Level, cross-industry breadth and depth of Mr. Ovitz's business connections:


"Michael can get us in to see any CEO in the U.S.," Thiel says. "The Valley has this excessive insularity. But he has cross-sector relationships in New York, L.A., and other places."  Thiel says Ovitz has a preternatural ability to 'learn things quickly and then communicate them to the outside world."
Since the dotcom implosion of the late 1990s, he (Thiel) says, too many new companies in the Valley have 'retrenched,' de-emphasizing relationships with other businesses and institutions.  Consulting Ovitz, whose network Thiel calls 'second to none,' has been a way to overcome that inclination.

3. Peter Thiel, Marc Andreesen, Peter Szulczewski, Joe Lonsdale, and Boris Sofman discuss Mr. Ovitz's critics and detractors:


Says Thiel (Peter): "I've learned to discount bad things said about people by rivals, and I'm not aware of a single bad thing about Ovitz that wasn't said by a rival."
Although Andreessen and others in Ovitz's new circle acknowledge the skepticism, they have different takes on it. Andreessen is the most dismissive of Ovitz doubters and ascribes Ovitz's repute more to the peculiarities of Hollywood than to any of his own faults. "We're used to guys like that here — I mean, Steve Jobs, for God's sake! Or my career, right?" Andreessen says. "That's the cultural difference between Silicon Valley and L.A." Had Intel's Andy Grove or Netscape's Jim Clark made his mark in Hollywood, according to Andreessen, he'd have the same kind of bad-boy name as Ovitz.
Peter Szulczewski of Wish says, "I haven't seen the type of things that people warned me about."
Formation 8's Joe Lonsdale agrees. "People are naturally more cautious because of his history," he says. "But he's (Ovitz) demonstrated awesome value in so many tangible ways to different people that they overlook it. And it's hard to map out what's true and what isn't." Ovitz is a limited partner in Formation 8, with a "small" investment of "under $5 million," as the firm describes it.
"There's a disconnect between a lot of the things written about him and kind of the person we've gotten to know," says Boris Sofman, the CEO and co-founder of Anki, who talks almost daily with Ovitz. Sofman says Ovitz has alluded to his own past by counseling Sofman on what happens when you're successful. "When you lead in your industry," Ovitz told him, "it's easy to start getting vilified, and the tide can turn on you quickly and unexpectedly."
Sofman says Ovitz has no stake in Anki, not even advisory fees. That may merely mean Ovitz hasn't asked yet. Or, as Sofman suggests, it could be that Ovitz really is in it for more than the money. "One of the things he shared with me is he truly loves working with young people," says Sofman, who just turned 30.

 

Closing Thoughts

Your Turn. Okay, you may still be thinking:

  • "I don't have high-profile, high-powered connections like Michael Ovitz …"
  • "Even if I did, how could or why would any of my connections 'talk me up' …"
  • "If I were to ask, wouldn't my connections be offended. It's sleazy to ask for third-party validations  …"

 

Ipad and iphone

Your Third Party Validators Are In The Palm of Your Hand

 

YOU HOLD Multiple Assets and Connections In The Palm of Your Hand.  They're in your laptop hard drive. They're accessible via the keyboards on your laptop, smartphone, or tablet.   

YOU CAN mobilize these connections on your behalf with a few keystrokes or finger swipes. 

YOU HAVE Michael Ovitz-Like Third-Party Validators.  It's all relative. You already know and are connected to influential third-party validators through these online assets and communities:

  • Your Personal Blog
  • Blog Comments on Other Blogs
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter 
  • Klout

Build Your Relationships with Your Validators by Blogging, Commenting, Connecting, Tweeting, and +K'ing.  I connect with my third party validators on a weekly basis via these online assets and communities.  Several of these kind and generous people are highly influential and powerful in their respective professions.  These wonderful people generously support me as career mentors and allies in my personal branding and online reputation work.

Focusing on building these types of assets and participating in these communities enables you to do two important things:

1. Connect with like-minded people who share your values

2. Build what Dorie Clark refers to as an intellectual property (IP) portfolio 

Let me be candid: 

  • I'm not a rocket scientist (just ask my wife and my 9-year old daughter).
  • I'm not a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or Amazon.com best-selling book author.

I'm just a regular dude who enjoys:

If I Can Do It, You Can Too.  I'll describe my own experiences on developing and cultivating relationships with my third-party validators in the next post in this series on Reinventing You After Age 50.

Lesson 3B: Developing Validators with Your Personal Branding Online Assets is scheduled for a February 2, 2014 publication.  

If you enjoyed this post, here are links to the series' first two posts:

 

 

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Please share my work with your friends. Many Thanks!

 

Photo Credit via flickr by World of Good

Photo Credit via flickr by xfile001

Photo Credit via flickr by Joriel "Joz" Jimenez

Photo Credit via flickr by spieri_sf 

 

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Lesson 2 of 6: Reinventing You After Age 50 Case Study — Michael Ovitz and Shifting Your Behavior

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Mother of Reinvention

Reinvention After Age 50 is Possible

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: This case study series is a self-initiated interpretation and analysis by me, the blog author.  I want to make it clear that neither Dorie Clark nor Michael Ovitz were consulted or personally endorsed this case study and how I’ve applied the analysis to the valuable teachings in Reinventing You.

You’re Not Too Old to Reinvent Yourself After Age 50

Reinventing You Book ImageThis post is second in a series of six (6) about successful career reinvention after age 50.

In this post (and the other five), I talk about linkages I see from Michael Ovitz’s career reinvention after age 50 to six (6) of Dorie Clark’s Reinventing You principles from Chapter 9: Reintroduce Yourself and Chapter 10: Prove Your Worth.

The bullet point highlighted in blue is the Reinventing You principle analyzed in this post:

  • Shift Your Behavior
  • Develop Validators
  • Leverage Symbolic Actions
  • Go Where The Action Is
  • Building Your Portfolio

Note: The following analysis references examples from the October 2013 Fortune Magazine article: Ovitz Does Silicon Valley by David A. Kaplan to describe Michael Ovitz’s career reinvention in the context of Reinventing You’s valuable teachings.

Lesson 2: Shift Your Behavior

 

Change or Chance Dice

Change or Chance?

Changing Behaviors Can Augment Our Career Reinvention Process.  For example, some people may mean need to become more proactive in making business connections by reaching out and inviting them to lunch or an early morning cup of coffee.  For others, it may mean putting together a campaign to submit and pitch articles to industry publications so to build a thought leadership reputation in a new industry community.

The behavioral change will be different for everyone, but following through is important. Here’s a direct quote from Reinventing You:

Small tangible signals are only part of the battle, however.  The biggest challenge is changing your behavior to reflect your new goals and reality.

 

Change MuralFrom Hollywood Dealmaker and Power Broker to Trusted Advisor and Business Coach.  Mr. Ovitz now leverages his wealth of Hollywood client advisory experiences to counsel growing Silicon Valley startups and their young executives.  He’s not directly involved in “making the deals” for the entrepreneurs he now advises. But, he coaches, prepares, and reassures these entrepreneurs so they can successfully execute deals, negotiations, or other key (and sometimes unfamiliar) business activities required for company growth.

Here are examples from the Kaplan-Fortune article:

Managing Growth.  At Anki, a consumer-robotics startup, the CEO says Ovitz has advised him during some late nights about ‘psychological transitions’ as his company grows.

Pitching Wall Street.  At Formation 8, a flush new VC fund focused on Asia, Ovitz has explained to the three investment partners how to hone their image and brand for Wall Street types.  “Michael knows that world too,” says Joe Lonsdale, one of the young Formation 8 partners.  “He can show us how to ask them for a favor, but how not to push to hard.”

Telling Your Company’s Unique Story and Providing Reassurance.  Ovitz serves as a guru to other prominent people in the tech world, including Tony Bates, the president of Skype, and Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, the home-sharing network.  Ovitz coaches them on culture and storytelling.  He picks them up when they have bouts of doubt.

Closing Thoughts


Things Can ChangeMore Than a Decade Before Reinventing You’s Publication, Mr. Ovitz Successfully Applied the Book’s Valuable Principles.  His focus, street smart savvy, and resilience are why Michael Ovitz successfully continues “working his magic” after age 50.  That’s why personal branding or personal reputation management is especially important for 50+ year-old professionals.

Shun The Naysayers and Critics. Mr. Ovitz did. Tenacity and mental toughness are critical.

Professional Reinvention After 50 is More Than Possible.  Michael Ovitz proves it can be done (and he’s approaching 70).  And, Dorie Clark’s Reinventing You shows you how to do it.


Our Turn: What Behaviors Do We Need to Shift?  Changing and executing these behaviors may make us uncomfortable. These may include trying new things that may not work. But, taking intelligent risks is an important part of career development (and reinvention).

  • Why not, submit some of your best blog posts to certain publications to become a contributing writer / editor?
  • Why not, directly connect on email, Twitter, LinkedIn, (or another social network) to a renowned business author or respected business leader (especially if you can provide her/him something of value)?
  • Why not, make that phone call or send that email to a potential, new business connection inviting them to breakfast, coffee, or lunch?  Maybe, you have something that can help advance that person’s career (i.e., a LinkedIn connection, a blog post supporting that person’s book, thousands of engaged Twitter followers, etc.).

If you proactively built your personal brand or online reputation, you hold differentiating personal assets.  Maximize those “soft assets” and don’t underestimate their power.

If It Makes Us Nervous, We’re on the Right Track.  The worst that can happen is any of the above (or all of the above) say no.  But, all it takes is one “yes” …

… and that “one” may lead to something life-changing and magical.

 

If you enjoyed this post, here’s the link to the first post in the series.  Please stay tuned for the next post in this series on Reinventing You After Age 50–Lesson 3: Develop Validators is scheduled for a January 24, 2014 publication.  

 

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3 Career Management Lessons for a Social Media Age I Learned From My Dad

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Happy New Year!

 

 

I made a 2014 resolution to publish an eBook / presentation.

This presentation / eBook describes three (3) career management lessons I've learned from my Dad and applied to my own career:  

1) Learn From the Best  

2) Get Published  

3) Get Back Up — Fast!  

My Dad inspired me to apply each of these lessons in a digital marketing and social media context (e.g., blogging, participating in Twitter, reading books of marketing strategy thought leaders, connecting directly with marketing strategy thought leaders, etc.).  

These lessons describe the opportunity for online self-publishing, personal brand / personal reputation management, and the teachings of different marketing strategy authors.   The marketing strategy authors (and their books and blogs) that have inspired me include Seth Godin, Ann Handley, Mitch Joel, Tom Peters, and David Meerman Scott.  

It's my way of showing my Dad how much I admire and respect his individual achievements (and the obstacles he overcame).  

Thank you and I hope you enjoy and benefit from reading it. If you find the content helpful, please feel free to share this presentation with others. 

Have an Amazing and Blessed 2014!

 
Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist.  He writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in his marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention.  Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino  or circle him on Google+.

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4 Questions Our Futures Depend On from CTRL ALT Delete by Mitch Joel

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Mitch Joel CTRL ALT Delete Book

Do You Want Want to Be Employable in the Next 5 Years?

If Yes, Grab Some Coffee (Because This is a Long Post).  Social Media ReInvention Community Members know of the tremendous respect I hold for Mitch Joel.  His books and art have tremendous influence on my marketing strategy and creative perspective. 

CTRL ALT Delete Is a Gift on 21st Century Career Leadership and Opportunity Management.  Mitch frames and delivers his compelling arguments in two (2) sections:

1.  Reboot: Business – The 5 Massive Movements

2. Reboot: You – The 7 Triggers

Yes, his book describes corporate and marketing strategy opportunities impacting organizations (big or small).  Yes, his book contains important personal branding / personal reputation implications.

But, all twelve (12) principles focus on individually identifying and framing opportunity (and having the collective or individual courage to pursue it).  

We All Have the Opportunity to Differentiate Ourselves and Lead.  CTRL ALT Delete's resounding themes are to:

  • Take the Initiative
  • Take Intelligent Risks (i.e., Embrace the Squiggle)
  • Differentiate Yourself (because the opportunities are highest in THIS era)  

That's why our futures depend upon studying and practicing CTRL ALT Delete's teachings.  Others with vaster audiences and authority than mine share that opinion.  

Invest in Yourself and Buy CTRL ALT Delete. Here are four (4) important questions Mitch Joel asks about building competitive advantages to reboot our organizations and individual careers: 

How Are We Building Direct Relationships with Our Customers, Fans, and Connections?

Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage.  Direct relationships as a competitive advantage (versus price) is best described by these CTRL ALT Delete quotes (page 11) on how Apple executes its retail strategy:

The solution for Apple was to create a "cradle to the grave" business model where the customer is–at every touch point–directly speaking with Apple's brand.  A true, direct relationship–in every sense of the word.  Apple could not win on price (their computers and other devices are usually much more expensive than their competition's), so they had to win by being there for the consumer and by making these consumers a part of a more complete brand ecosystem.

At the time that Apple first launched retail stores in 2001, the common practices among retailers was to cram each nook and cranny of space with merchandise to maximize the sales per square foot.  Sadly most retailers (and businesses) still hold on to the traditional thinking.  For Apple, it was less about every square foot of retail space and much more about evey square inch of the direct relationship. Apple didn't start in the retail business to compete with other consumer electronics stores; they went into retail for the direct relationship with their customers.  Apple's attitude was: "Why give that power to Best Buy or anyone else?"

Apple Hired Angela Ahrendts Because of Her Ability to Build and Nurture Direct Consumer Relationships.  Angela Ahrendts hiring as Senior Vice President of Retail is Apple's signal to re-engage its devoted following.   Her retail philosophy is grounded on the ability to feel, empathize, and become a brilliant brand ambassador.  That's the foundation for direct and strong consumer relationships (from Austin Carr's October 15, 2013 Fast Company article):

"My dad used to always to say that he could teach anything but he couldn't teach how to feel.  That's the hardest part when you have 11,000 people: How do you teach them how we feel?"  

"The thing is, I don't want to be sold when I walk into a store to be welcomed.  The job is to be a brilliant brand ambasador.  Everyone is welcome. Don't be judgmental whatsoever."

"Don't sell! NO! Because that is a turnoff."

 

 

 

 

 

Converse Directly With Your Connections and Followers. Don't just tweet out links and "like" stuff. Mitch's observations about building direct relationships highly applies to our personal social network connections.  For example, participating in Twitter by sharing links your followers find helpful is a starting point for establishing authority and reputation.  

But, if you want to "own and nurture" a long-term direct relationship, you have to directly converse with your followers.  Mitch talks in depth about this concept throughout the book.  These types of direct conversations are powerful and solidify lifelong loyalty and relationships:

Twitter Conversation Mitch and Tony

How are You Building Competitive Advantage in a One-Screen World?

Check Out Mitch's Video Sharing Several Factoids on Mobile Trends:

  • In 1999: 38 million people had broadband Internet. Today: 1.2 billion have on their mobile phones.
  • Facebook has half of its nearly 150 million daily visits from mobile.
  • More people have a mobile subsciption than access to safe drinking water and electricity in our world today.
  • 200+ million tablets will be sold in 2013.
  • 23.1% of U.S. internet traffic comes from mobile devices.

 

Real-World Case Example: Apple Acquires Topsy.  The rationale for the Apple-Topsy acquisition comes straight from this section in CTRL ALT Delete: The One Screen World – The Shift From Four Screens Down to One (pages 90 -109). 

The entire chapter describes how consumers operate in a mobile, one-screen world. The only screen consumers care about is "the one currently staring them in the face."

Mitch further makes a compelling argument: The most important consumer screen resides on our smartphones.

Twitter Is Mobile, Untethered, and One-Screen Savvy.  It's a social media platform focused on telling Apple WHAT We're Thinking WHEN We're Thinking AND WHERE We're Thinking It.  This November 2013 Bloomberg-Businessweek article describes how the Twitter API, its meta data, and tweets provide rich consumer data. 

Here are Mitch's thoughts on Twitter and the one-screen world (from page 99 of CTRL ALT Delete):

"Twitter's metoric rise and continued success have less to do with how many followers Lady Gaga has and much more to do with the fact that it was the first-ever online social network that worked better on mobile than it does on the Web.  The sheer simplicity of those 140 characters of tweets makes it that much more workable and easy for consumers.  Twitter's focus (from day one) was on connecting people as they were on the go.  To this day, everything that Twitter does — from acquisitions to business strategy — is driven by a one-screen-world philosophy." 

Consumers, Followers, and Connections Expect and Demand Immediate, Real-Time Responsiveness.  Communicating and responding with our respective audiences with real-time immediacy is now a competitive differentiator (in both our professional and private lives).  According to the eMarketer article: Key Trends for 2014: Always On Means Always Social, mobile, social networking via our smartphones and tablets will continue driving our "real-time" communications:

 

Key Trends for 2014 Always On Means Always Social - eMarketer

eMarketer: Key Trends for 2014 – Always On Means Social

Whether we like it or not, consumers (and personal connections) expect us to be there in real-time with the right message, at the right time, in the right place.

How are We Differentiating Ourselves as Critical Thinkers?

A Personal Blog = Personal Competitive Advantage. The Internet affords anyone with a laptop and broadband access an opportunity to stand out.  But, we often allow ourselves to be defined by our current job titles and bullet points on our resumes.  That's a mistake.

Mitch thinks strategically and critically.  In a social media age, when most tweets or Facebook status updates provide diminishing returns on our attention, the opportunity to differentiate ourselves as entrepreneurial, credible, forward-looking strategic, critical thinkers has never been higher.

Writing a personal blog allows you to maintain an identity separate from your employer (i.e., it's a portable asset).  Dorie Clark, in her great book, Reinventing You, defines a personal blog as valuable, intellectual property showcasing individual expertise by:  

1. Showing how you think

2. Demonstrating your individual creativity

3. Making it easy for a potential employer / great connection to find you (e.g., SEO benefits)

4. Giving you practice in an important and portable business skill set — writing

5. Proving you're technology and Internet savvy  

6. Informing people first-hand how you're driven to learn new skills

Isn't Blogging Supposed to be Dead?  Hardly.  As Mitch points out in the section, "Your Life in Startup Mode," a personal blog describes important aspects about ourselves that a resume fails to represent:


(page 227) "You're writing to exercise your critical thinking skills."

(page 225) "But for the purpose of this book, I'll define a blog as an online journal of your work.  The spirit of the blog is to create a living and breathing resume and portfolio of how you think and work."

(page 224) "I still believe that a blog is a canvas that allows you to think, share, and connect with an audience." 

(page 228) "Because if you care enough to blog, it means that you have something to say.  If you have something to say and you're blogging it, it means that you want to share and connect.  Ultimately, the world needs more people like that."


Seth Godin and Tom Peters on Why We Should Blog.  This classic video from two great marketing teachers on why blogging matters deserves viewing:

 

 

What is the Legacy and the Value You are Ultimately Delivering and Leaving?

Pages 190 and 193 from The Marketing of You explain the ultimate goal for connecting (online or face-to-face):

(page 190) "There's nothing wrong with asking for help, but you will always see a more positive result if you start by delivering value first—by being valuable to others before asking them for favors.  Give abundantly and be helpful."

(page 193) "True influence comes from connecting to individuals, nurturing those relationships, adding real value to other people's lives, and doing anything and everything to serve them, so that when the time comes for you to make a request, there is someone there to lend a hand. Worry less about how many people you are connected to, and worry a whole lot more about who you are connected to—who they are and what you are doing to value and honor them (in their spaces)."

That sounds like a great philosophy towards achieving professional and personal fulfillment.

 

Did You Enjoy This Post?

If yes, please share it with your friends and subscribe to my blog. Many Thanks!

 

Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist.  He thinks and writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy in his personal blog, Social Media ReInvention. Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+. 

 

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15 Minutes of Fame: I’m a Top Influencer in The Start Up of YOU LinkedIn Discussion Group!

by

15 Minutes of Fame Andy Warhol Quote

15 Minutes of Fame Quote by Andy Warhol

 

Please Let Me Enjoy My Fleeting 15 Minutes.  This post is purely self-promotional.  But, I don't know if another similar event will happen again (or how long it will last).

Social MediaReInvention Community Members know I am a huge fan of the book, The Start-Up of YOU and The Start-Up of YOU: A Career Strategy LinkedIn Discussion Group.

A month ago, I posted a discussion topic and poll titled: Parents: Is your son/daughter graduating from college in Spring 2014/2015?  Please describe your confidence level for your child to land a full-time job after graduation.

I monitor this discussion forum daily to see if other Start-Up of YOU group members submitted new comments or votes.  Imagine my pleasant surprise when I read this:

 

Tony Top Influencer Start-Up of You Screenshot 1

November 30, 2013: Tony Faustino is a Top Influencer in Start-Up of YOU LinkedIn Group

 

Here's the question and poll I submitted to The Start-Up of YOU: A Career Strategy Network Discussion Forum:

 

Tony Top Influencer The Start-Up of You Screenshot 2

Tony Faustino's Question and Poll in Start-Up of YOU: A Career Strategy Network Discussion Group

 

The Start-Up of YOU Top Contributor Recognition

Updated December 6, 2013: Tony Faustino is a Top Contributor in LinkedIn The Start-Up of YOU Discussion Group

I know this isn't a big deal to a lot of people.  But, it is to me.  I always wonder if the discussions I participate in and the content I contribute makes an impact.

I must be doing something right.   And, the clock keeps ticking …

Update 1:  When I recently visited the discussion group site, the website described my  "Top Contributor" status.  I captured the screenshot on December 6th. 

Update 2:  I visited the discussion group site on the morning of December 27th.  I also received a "Top Contributor" status for this question / discussion.  Here are the screen shots from that day:

 

The Start-Up of You A Career Strategy Network LinkedIn 12-27-13

December 27th Update: Top Contributor Status in Start-Up of YOU Discussion Group

 

The Start-Up of You A Career Strategy Network LinkedIn 12-27-13 p2

December 27th Update: Top Contributor Status The Start-Up of YOU Discussion Group

 

Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist.  He writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in his marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention.  Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+. 

 

Photo Credit by Lynn Friedman via flickr

 

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3 Ways to Show Appreciation for Others in an Uncertain Job Market

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High 5 on a Bike

High Five on a Bike

 

Do You Hate Your Job?  Americans Do — A Lot.

15% of Americans Surveyed Hate Their Jobs — The Highest in a Global Survey. According to research and the following infographic by Yahoo Finance, Monster Worldwide, and GFK, American workers are the most dissatisfied among seven (7) global countries.  31% of Americans workers rated themselves as "satisfied."

Yahoo Finance Infographic - Americans #1 in Hating Their Jobs

Yahoo Finance Infographic: Americans #1 in Hating Their Jobs

The following image from Sydney Brownstone's Fast Company article highlights describes the seven country respondent breakdown:

 

Fast Company - Americans Hate Their Jobs the Most

Image from Sydney Brownstone's Fast Company Article: Everyone In The World Hates Their Jobs–But Americans Hate Theirs The Most

Have We Forgotten How to Show Our Appreciation for Others?

Possible Root Causes Americans Hate Their Jobs Compared to Other Countries.  Ms. Brownstone cites these facts:

Is There More to This? Here's one more item for consideration:   

The American Worker DOES NOT Feel Appreciated

205 Million Google Search Results.  The following search phrase: "do americans feel appreciated at work?" delivers sobering results.    

Do americans feel appreciated at work - Google Search

Google Search Results: Do Americans Feel Appreciated at Work?

 

3 Ways to Show We Appreciate Others 

Using Technology to Say "Thank You" and "I Appreciate You."  In a 24/7, always-on, Internet Age, the power of direct relationships matter more than ever.  Let's not forget to use that technology (and some olders ones) to let people know we appreciate them by:  

1. Picking Up the Phone.  I'm guilty of this more than any one (because sending an email is fast and convenient – more on that in a moment).  But, actually hearing someone's voice and genuinely telling them how he/she makes a positive difference IS MEANINGFUL.  

When did pleasant, I wanna give you a high-five, non-confrontational conversation become a dying art form?  Thank you caller ID.  How many times have have you seen a certain number flashing on your mobile phone, and you default to not picking up.  Why do we automatically assume: "What's wrong this time?"

Let's gradually address that negative trend in our own minds (and our colleagues).  Why not call her to say, "The only reason we're at this point with XYZ client is because of you.  Thank You. I couldn't get to this point without you."

The positive impact and reaction may surprise you … 

2. Using the Email CC: to Praise Versus CYA.  Email was the first social network.  Warner Bros. released this hit twenty-two years before The Social Network: 

 

 

Thank Teammates AND Inform Their Bosses of How Much We Appreciate a Job Well Done.  How about using email to:

  • Let others know the important difference they made during an important client pitch
  • Acknowledge the extra efforts made to craft a simple storyline to a complex, final deliverable
  • Show gratefulness when another teammate opens doors to contacts relevant to our sales and business development efforts

AND, inform that person's boss and other key management team members of this teammate's significant contribution via the email CC:.  

A subject line stating: "Thank You for a Job Well Done" isn't half bad either.

3. Spreading Kindness Via Twitter's #FF #FollowFriday.  Twitter isn't considered much of a "bright and shiny object" anymore.  But, I'm still a believer (as are others).   

#FF or #FollowFriday Is a Great Way to Acknowledge People / Organizations Who Give Versus Take.  Take time to personalize a tweet stating why you think others should follow other helpful individuals or organizations.  On The Internet, random acts of kindness equal great karma: 

 

Twitter #FF #FollowFriday Example

#FF #FollowFriday

 

Something to Think About as We Approach the Thanksgiving Holiday


Am I Doing My Part?  After reading the aforementioned articles, I questioned if I'm consistently letting my colleagues, clients, and online connections know how much I appreciate their contributions to my professional success.

I'm Not.

I'm an Account Director in a management consulting firm.   My job is to build relationships and directly connect my clients to talented team members who I believe can address challenging problems.  How well my teammates and I collectively build these relationships and collectively address these problems is the final and only relevant success metric. 


"It takes a village" is a reality in my business. 


This Goes Beyond Thankfulness for Having a Job.  For the past four (4) Thanksgivings, one of the many blessings I'm grateful for is being employed.  But, that's not enough.  I need to do a better job of thanking every teammate who helped me and our clients succeed in a challenging year.

Thank You Kantar Health Teammates.  My success is yours.

Thank You to my clients who stuck with me and our team.  I know the daily financial pressures confronting you.

Thank You to the wonderful people I connect online with everyday.  YOU show me why the power of The Internet and direct relationships matter.

 

May You and Your Families Have a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist.  He writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in his marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention.  Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+. 

Photo Credit: by sfbike via flickr

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