Conversations: Perfecting the Lost Art

 Selling professional services  has been defined as a combination of art and science, with communications being the key element. How many times have you planned the perfect client meeting only to leave the meeting without the sale or client commitment to move forward?  Communication might be getting in your way. 

One of our biggest problems is not taking into account the communication “noise”.  You might not have the undivided attention of your client. I am not talking about telephone interruptions or knocks on the door.  I am talking about what is going on in the client’s mind while you are trying to have a conversation.  In my “Overcoming Communications Barriers” seminar, I have a slide showing a client at his desk with cartoon balloons above his head showing what is on his mind. He is thinking about dinner with his wife, his son’s soccer game, the MLB baseball results, his car needing an oil change, etc.  And, you thought you were the most important thing he would be thinking about today.

When I first got into this business a sales trainer told me the key to selling is getting the client more interested in buying than you are in selling.  This means make your conversation less about your company and more about the client.  Don’t confuse this with leaving out the key reasons why the client needs your services. Since there isn’t a magic phrase that will make a client want to buy from us, we need to look at how a conversation can take us to the place where the client must buy from us.  If you start with a problem he is dealing with at the beginning of the conversation, it is easy to get the client to set aside other things on his mind and focus on you.  This is the art of selling.

Understanding how to lead a conversation will put you on the path to gaining information that is critical for your success in selling the client your services.  Asking the right questions is the first step.  Everyone working in business development or marketing in the professional services industry and all other industries for that matter knows you need to ask open ended questions. Yes and no answers are not the way to build a conversation.  Here is an example (How to find a client problem):
“Did you know there are five critical areas of expertise needed to design (fill in the blank with the client’s project)?  Conversations are built on body language. Wait and see the client’s reaction to your question.  Use the client’s answer and non-verbal cues to build the case for your firm.  The conversation might continue with the client saying, “Your expertise is great, but my problem is (blank).  Now the client is helping you build the conversation. You just learned a pain point you didn’t know before the meeting. When you answer, you will have the client’s full attention.

Your answer is simply, “Have you ever visited X.  The client for this project had the same problem you just mentioned and was initially concerned about using our firm.  We were selected not only because our team had experience with the large design issues, but because we had innovators who took care of the small issues that can slow down a major project.  We built trust by assuring the client that when you have a problem that no one has ever dealt with, you want us on the team to create a solution. The project has received many awards since its completion”

Your statement will generate a number of questions.  It might reveal a competitor who is wired into the project.  It might reveal the client’s problem is not what he just stated, but something different.  The answer will allow you to continue the conversation.  You might follow up with, “I understand how the problem you mentioned could impact the project, but is the project a current priority? Has it been funded? When do you plan to start? Do you have other people on your team working on the problem now or will you leave the solution to the design team?”  All of these questions continue the conversation and allow you to gather more information.  

Overcoming Communication Barriers to Increase Sales

 Only the fear of death is ranked higher than the fear of public speaking on the list of what people fear the most.  It is no different for professionals in our industry.

I have developed a Communications Skills program for industry professionals and written about use of jargon and communication pitfalls to avoid in previous articles.  However, before we get into  completing 2022 goal plans , I thought it would be helpful to continue the dialogue on communications skills. 

Why are face-to-face communications skills important?

Remember, there is no emotion, body language, tone or facial expression in a written communication.  Has someone ever read one of your emails and didn't recognize your intent?  Without tone or emotion, an email can be a cold form of communication.

Social networking is really about the written word and many in the industry have come to rely on this for their primary communication links.  Even communication on the telephone lacks many of the tools you use in face-to-face meetings.  Firms that use Hangout, Skype, Microsoft Lync or Go To Meeting bridge many of the communication barriers but are in no way equal to a face-to-face encounter.  The fear factor is higher when we are asked to present to a group or even an individual.  Whether you are just starting out in the business development arena or a seasoned professional who could benefit from improved client communications, this article is for you.

Today, I want to review the three skills that are essential for building trusting relationships with clients. 

The first skill is your voice.  I had an economics professor in college who made a boring class absolutely intolerable because of the tone of his voice.  He had a monotone cadence and would cough or clear his throat after every other sentence.  The pitch of some voices brings the same reaction as scratching on a chalk board.  If this is you, you need to practice voice control.  You could find a voice coach or simply contact your local Toastmaster club for assistance.  Improve your voice and you will see immediate results in client reaction to your presentations.

Are you an introvert, shy or quiet person?  None of these qualifies you to be a poor speaker.  You just need to expand your comfort zone.  Speaking with a client requires a clear and strong voice.  This is not to be confused with shouting.  Listen to great speakers and learn how they project their words.  A simple search of YouTube will get you on the right track. 

Confidence is the second skill you must master. 

Why would your client give you a million dollar deal, if she doesn’t believe what you are telling her?  Are you afraid to look the client in the eyes when you are making your presentation?  The client is more likely to give you careful attention when you make it a point to make eye contact first.  However, you don’t want to get into a staring contest.  Look down to take a note or remove something from your briefcase.  This makes it easier for the client to pay attention to you because she has had a chance to check you out without having to do so while listening to you.  Are you excited about what your firm has to offer, or  does your facial expression remind the client of someone who has just gotten out of bed? 

Confidence in what you are presenting will make the client more interested in selecting your firm than you are in selling it.  Understanding the nuances of the client’s business, the industry, and market is the beginning of your homework.  How he thinks and reacts to pressure points is probably the hardest area to quantify.  However, when you have done all of the required homework, your confidence will soar.  Remember what legendary basketball coach Bob Knight has to say about preparation, “The key is not the "will to win" . . . everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.”

Remember, you client likes you or you wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to stand in front of him or her to make the presentation.  The same is true when you have been asked to make a presentation in front of a group.

Finally, you don’t want your body language to betray you or sabotage your message. Experts tell us body language accounts for between 55% and 65% of our communication. 
 Just what is body language?

It is carriage, facial expressions, and gestures. All go into establishing your presence and making a connection with the audience. Gestures can be made with your hands, arms, shoulder, torso, legs, feet or a combination of these but hand gestures are probably the most common. What does the client think of your message when you present it with your arms crossed against your chest?  If you are confident, why are you slouching and not standing tall? Many speakers worry about their hands and keep them in their pockets.  However, appropriate use of your hands can result in a marked increase in the understanding and retention of your message. Correctly used, hand gestures can help you say more in less time, show what you mean without having to resort to visuals, signal your conviction and confidence and add texture and dimension to your material and ideas.

This might seem simplistic but don’t forget to smile.  In fact, you should practice pleasant expressions in front of a mirror.  Try it until you see one you like and then hold it for 15 seconds and repeat it.  Remind yourself of this expression as you go about your daily business until it becomes a memory.  The conditions that surround you during a client presentation or speech in front of a large group can be uncertain and frightening.  But, this memory will keep your expression pleasant and positive.

Whether you are presenting to one person or a hundred, you still have to deal with nerves.  Everyone gets nervous before a major presentation.  My simple advice: Take a breath!

I went with my wife to a Lamaze class when we were expecting our first child.  I still remember the breathing exercises that were intended to calm the mother during childbirth.  Similar breathing exercises are used by public speakers because they release fear, lower stress levels and  enhance their speaking voice.

Incorporating these tips into your client presentations or speeches in front of groups will help you be more effective and enable your message to be understood clearly. The bottom line to clear client communications is the bottom line. 

The Paradigm of Creativity: Change Business Outcomes

A lot has been written over the years about creativity.  People who market professional services are thought to be creative.  Creativity is expected, if you want to enter this business.  What do you know about creativity?

Many think it is simply a right brain condition where creative people have strengths while left brain folks are better suited for the technical, numbers and details of the industry.  Viewing creativity as solely the realm of one side of the brain limits ideas and possibilities. It fails to respect how creativity impacts science and rational thinking. Creativity comes from an assortment of traditional and non-traditional sources.

Are you a broker of possibility and hope? 

If not, you need to look at your creativity in the context of emotional intelligence. The chart shows how both sides of the brain come into play. The quadrants of emotional intelligence include: Self-Awareness, Social-Awareness, Relationship Management and Self-Management.  Understanding each of these will enable you to unleash your inner and sometimes hidden creative forces.

You might be asking yourself how creativity comes into play with your relationships.  Vision, influence and leadership drive creativity to support your relationships. 

Have you gotten tired of people saying, “Think outside the box?”  The creative marketing professional doesn’t think outside the box, they create a new box.   Marketers don’t like to play on a level playing field.  They are under constant pressure to create a competitive advantage.  If they believe they are on a level playing field, they will look like a community college against a Clemson in the National Championship game.   The services that your firm delivers to clients are like hundreds of others.  How do you make yourself and your firm memorable to clients?  The internet has made it easy for clients to assess the capabilities of firms they want to do business with.   In an industry that considers sales a dirty word, the word creativity brings on images of crazy, outrageous, and unwise.  Therefore, your creativity must be tempered by your flexibility and adaptability.  Management realizes that traditional marketing and the status quo no longer build business.  A change agent must be a leader first. 

 Think about what these people had to say about creativity:

“A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations.” Gerald G. Champoski

“Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.” Ray Kroc

“Creation is a drug I can't do without.” Cecil B. DeMille

It is interesting that the movie maker, De Mille, and the entrepreneur, Kroc founder of McDonalds, both viewed creativity as essential for their work.  You should feel the same way.

Six Myths Of Creativity

A groundbreaking study about innovation in the workplace uncovered six myths of creativity. The study, conducted by Teresa Amabile, a professor and head of the entrepreneurial management unit at Harvard Business School, was summarized in a Fast Company article, "The 6 Myths of Creativity."  Here is what she found:

• Creativity comes from creative types: The reality is that anyone with normal intelligence is capable of doing some degree of creative work.

• Money is a creativity motivator: The reality is that money isn't everything.

• Time pressure fuels creativity: The reality is that time pressure stifles creativity because people can't deeply engage with the problem.

• Fear forces breakthroughs: The reality is that creativity is positively associated with joy and love, and negatively is associated with anger, fear and anxiety.

• Competition beats collaboration: The reality is that the most creative teams are those that have the confidence to share and debate ideas.

• A streamlined organization is a creative organization: The reality is that creativity suffers greatly during a downsizing.

How do these findings relate to the conditions in your firm?

You now know that both sides of the brain are important in the creative process.  Do you ever believe something in your gut but are afraid to offer the idea or proceed?  Intuition is one of the strongest ways to deliver your creative process.  There are other things to consider, if maximizing your inherent creativity is a goal in your career path.  Don’t second guess yourself or live in the pit of self-doubt.  Accept criticism but don’t accept it as an absolute. Observe and learn from your mistakes.  Become a risk taker.  

Break free from the naysayers, external constraints, internal biases and fear of reprisals or consequences.  Your curiosity should compel you to ask questions.  Marketers who are afraid to ask questions continue to play on a level playing field.   We are all solution providers and are, to one extent or another, creative people.  If you are having problems with this, stop asking “why” and start asking “why not.”  The paradigm shifts when you use creativity to change the outcomes of your firm's business opportunities. The change agent is yesterday's news.

You will be well prepared to become a broker of possibility and hope. 

Change: Taking Control of Your Future through Connection Priority

Change is often difficult to predict in our industry.  One reason is because our industry spans across

multiple industries where change often occurs at different intervals.  The healthcare industry is an example of constant changes over the last 25 years. Every 10 years or so, the pundits tell us the industry is going through revolutionary change.  Yet, the industry continues to grow and need our services. 

Firms selling services in this market have learned how to keep up by being connected to institutions and developing relationships with leaders.  Hospitals have gone through acquisitions and mergers during this time.  These changes alone have made it difficult to stay on top of who is in charge of what.

The oil industry is one of the biggest change agent industries in the world.  They make multi-billion dollar investments on exploration that will not pay back for 20 years.  They use a method called scenario planning.  Yet, there are firms in our industry that stay connected despite the constant changes in oil and energy markets.

Of course, there is volatility in other markets as well. But, the examples listed above should suffice for the purposes of this article.  The butterfly affect in weather explains how even the flapping of butterfly wings thousands of miles away can cause disruptions in weather patterns here at home. What can cause disruptions in your firm and your firm's clients?

Marketing services professionals respond to thousands of clients requests each year.  In a world of constant change, they need to understand how and why those requests have come to them.  To be successful in this climate, you need to understand the competitive nature of the markets your firm works in, the corporate culture of the clients you want to work with and internal strengths and weaknesses of your firm.  In other words, you need to be connected.

Questions that need to be answered in order for you to be really connected include: Can you see patterns in a story your client is telling you?  What is your firm’s mission and how do you find common ground in your role as marketing services professional?  There is a cause and effect.  What if everyone in your firm is not on the same page?  Some people in your firm might not be clear about your purpose.  We are hard wired to have a need to have a purpose. You are the change agents connecting your people to clients and often management to frontline staff.  You must build bridges.

When was the last time you thought of yourself as a bridge builder. Bridges make life better when there are connections between two shores with a body of water flowing underneath.  What gives you the power and edge is the ability to build bridges between people, people and clients, clients and vendors and even clients and clients.  The world in turmoil flows underneath the bridges built by marketing services professionals. When the dots have been jumbled by change, it is your ability to connect the dots that will bring success to your career and your firm.

In addition to bridge builder, you must be seen as an advocate, seeker, counselor, interrogator and communicator.

When you give clients perspective and guidance, you are also giving them hope.  Not the simple hope that tomorrow will be a better day but the realistic hope that the project they are planning will be a success with your firm at the helm.  Do you look at yourself as someone who can bring stability to your clients when things are changing all around them?

When you work strategically with a client are you prepared to ask, “What if and if then?”  Vince Lombardi is often misquoted as saying, “Winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing,” when he actually said, “Preparing to win is everything.” 

In a world of change, preparation is the key to success for every marketing services professional.  Improving how you connect with everyone will integrate preparation into all of your actions.  Integrated preparation with true connections will build client trust and acceptance of your firm’s superior ability to complete their project. That is an outcome everyone is looking for, even in a world of change.

The 6 Keys to Making Presentations Memorable

What are the chances that the audience or selection committee will remember what you said in your last presentation?  Everyone is challenged when they are faced with creating and delivering a presentation.  When a project is on the line for a client presentation, the consequences are high and nothing can be left to chance. Selection is the only way to verify it was memorable.

It is hard enough to think about how you measure up against the competition, but how about measuring up against the client’s perception of your presentation?  Research shows us that after a 10 minute presentation, your audience will remember only 50% of what they heard.  By the next day that memory will be reduced to 25% and within a week only 10% will be remembered.  Hopefully, the selection committee makes their decision at the end of the first day.  The following 6 keys to making a memorable presentation should help anyone who is tasked with making a presentation and enable firms to raise the bar on the success of their client project presentations.  It goes without saying that you need to know your material and that notes, if used at all, should be minimal.  However, much more is needed to make your next presentation memorable.

I was taught a long time ago that there should only be three parts to a presentation: 

1. Tell them what you plan to say.
2. Tell them.
3. Recap what you told them and give them a call to action. 

Science tells us that the human mind can only retain 3 to 7 points from a presentation in the short term.  Too often in client presentations, principals want to throw in everything, including the kitchen sink.  It is the job of the marketing professionals to reign in the free thinkers and focus the presentation on the client’s needs.

The question still remains as to how you make that process memorable.

It begins with the central message.  You should have one message you want the audience/client to remember.  Although this needs to be concise and short, it must be repeated as the common thread running through the entire presentation.  Is the main point trust, competence, experience, depth of staff, or some other important element?  You need to remember it is one point and not all of the above.

Memorable presentations are easy to understand.  Leave the jargon for industry conferences and complex information for design meetings.  Jargon combined with complexity results in confusion on the part of your audience.  Condensing your body of work into a 30-minute presentation can only confuse a client who was ready to hire you. Don't make it hard for your client to say yes.

Every firm will use visuals in their presentations. Use of visuals takes the retention factor from 10% to 65%.  The key to this statistic is relevant visuals.  I worked with one architect who would fly an airplane over a proposed building site prior to a presentation.  He would take the visuals from that and turn them into powerful elements in his presentation.   Visuals of previous work are worthless unless they clearly leave a positive impression in the client’s mind of what their dream will look like.

I have written several blogs that point out the importance of stories.  Memorable presentations are filled with stories and anecdotes. Stories create images that remind our audiences of their life experiences, challenges and successes.  The audience visualizes your idea without seeing an actual visual on the screen.

I am reminded of a prestigious museum project in the Midwest where some of the world’s most renowned architects were invited to make presentations.  While all the others had a project team show up with dozens of displays, one architect showed up empty handed.  He walked over to where the selection committee was seated, took off his overcoat and scarf, sat down and asked, “Do you have any questions.” They did. He answered and was awarded the job.

When I was the marketing director for a national trade association in the construction industry, I was in charge of the process for selecting an advertising agency.  Three of the agencies came in with polished dog and pony shows and teams of agency professionals.  They presented relevant experience with design and construction firms as well as trade associations. The president of the last firm showed up by himself with a leather case.  After introductions with the selection committee, he sat down at the table and stated, “I don’t do this often.  Most of my business comes from word of mouth.” He spent the next 45 minutes having a conversation with the committee.  Occasionally, he would reach into his case and pull out an example of his work.  Later that afternoon, he was retained as the association’s advertising agency.

Do these examples represent the exception to the rule, or do they show us what happens when creativity meets at the intersection of preference and selection?  You and your firms have thousands of stories to tell.  What do you pull out of the case when a project is on the line?

Next, the presentation has to have movement and action.  If several members of the team have been assigned speaking roles, they all can’t assume the same position in front of the selection committee.  If you are doing a solo presentation in front of an audience, you must leave the comfort of the podium and move across the stage.  Memorable presentations connect with the audience and it is crystallized when the presenter connects through body language and movement.  Pace and pausing for affect are critical in delivering a memorable presentation.  Some of the most memorable speeches have lived on in our memories because of the way the speaker used inflection in delivering the message.  There is no room for a monotone voice in a memorable presentation.  Of course, your audience might remember the monotone, but they won’t remember the message.

Finally, the memorable presentation must include a call to action.  As you recap what you told the audience and hammer home the common thread once again, you must challenge them with something to do.  Winning the job is the real purpose of the client presentation.  It could go something like this:  “We came here today to show you we are a trusted firm in the industry and have shown you a clear process for making your project a success.  You wouldn’t have invited us, if we were not qualified or our project team lacked the experience needed for your project.  We are excited about sharing your dream and seeing it fulfilled. 

When you weigh the pros and cons of the firms interviewed for this project, we want to be the firm chosen to move forward with this project with you.  We simply want to be partners with you on this journey.”  A simple recap and call to action is the way to end a memorable presentation.

On the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, I would be remiss, if I didn’t end with a reminder of one of the most memorable presentations in the history of our nation.  Without a white board or PowerPoint presentation, Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address four months after the battle that turned the tide on the war.

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” begins the address.    The visual is a nation at war and a bloody battlefield. It was simple and concise. Lasting only two minutes and less than 200 words, the Gettysburg Address will be remembered for centuries.  Think about this the next time you are conflicted about the fancy graphics, swirling transitions and video clips your are considering for your presentation.  These might make us feel good, but it is the perception of the audience where the rubber meets the road.  When you implement these six steps, you will take a cool presentation and make it memorable.

Is Social Media the Massage?

Every firm that has included social media in its 2013 Marketing Plan, should take a lesson from a media expert from the 1960's. In the 1962, Marshall McLuhan created a firestorm with his book,  The Medium is the Massage.  McLuhan, a Canadian professor and communications theorist, adopted the term "massage" to denote the effect each medium has on the human senses, taking inventory of the "effects" of numerous media in terms of how they "massage" the senses.

McLuhan believed that modern audiences have found current media to be soothing, enjoyable, and relaxing; however, the pleasure we find in new media is deceiving, as the changes between society and technology are not the same and he thought were perpetuating an Age of Anxiety.  And, so it is with Social Media.

He coined the phrase “the medium is the message” which summarized his view of the potent influence of television, computers, and other electronic disseminators of information in shaping styles of thinking and thought, whether in sociology, art, science, or religion. He regarded the printed book as an institution fated to disappear.  Yet, 50 years later, printed books are still around.  His views on media were right on target.

In 1982, John Naisbitt wrote Mega Trends, a book that accurately predicted socio-economic trends for the next several decades.  He predicted that as we rely more on technology, we will feel the need for more human interaction.  He believed that “high tech required high touch.”  People will always want to be connected despite the impact of technology that keeps us apart.  Communities, neighborhoods, work and church were places where these connections have traditionally been made.

Today, that connection is more often made through social networks. The landscape of the work environment has changed as well.  Although social networks do connect us, they don’t connect us in a physical way.  This is not the networking that is done during a cocktail reception when you meet people face-to-face. Thus, it is time to take another look at McLuhan and peel back the onion of social media to determine whether it is simply a massage of our senses or an important place to conduct business.  Although some believe the title of the book was an accident made by a typesetter. Yes, before computer printing and email, someone actually had to set the type that appeared on the printed page. However, when it was brought to McLuhan’s attention, he proclaimed that was the perfect word.  The important thing about communications is that words matter.

Everything social from LinkedIn to Twitter to Facebook has an impact on our senses that goes beyond the content of the communications.  When people tweet their locations and what they are doing tonight, is it really important communications or something that makes them feel good? Therefore, in a real way, social media is a massage.  It gives us everything we expect from a good body massage.  We feel different when we are finished.

Communications, on the other hand, is about the message.  This brings us full circle to the purpose of Business Development Professionals and that is providing training for professional services firms in the areas of marketing and business development.  It is about understanding how to deliver consistent and clear messages to clients. 

Messages that move your business proposition forward.  There is no doubt that social media has a place in doing this.  When it is done correctly, there is power in social media. Firms need to understand that a social media component in their marketing plan is not a guarantee of success.  No matter how cool the CEO thinks it is to have a large following on Twitter, it is still the content of the messaging that will make the difference in attracting clients.

Is social media part of your marketing plan because everyone is doing it and it is the cost of doing business today?  Is it the massage that makes you feel good about what your firm has done in the past?  Is social media the message and not the content of what you are trying to communicate?  Every firm needs to honestly answer these questions.  Our training programs and consulting services have a module on client communications.  Here are three tips you can use to assess your social media strategy:

1.    Is your firm considered a thought leader in the industry?

2.    If they aren’t already, have your industry experts start posting articles/blog on your website

3.    Start tracking all communications sent through social media.  In short time, you will understand whether social media is the message, massage or vital component of your marketing strategy.

Finally, if the communication stands on its own and is important for your clients to understand, using other media should be part of your comprehensive marketing plan.  For example, most firms will announce major projects or successes on their social media platform and website, but also deliver press releases to industry media, including magazines.  On the other hand, what you had for dinner or whether your daughter won her basketball game, is probably not worthy of a press release.  Remember, if you or your firm posted it, every client and potential client can read it.  For this reason alone, you should make all of your communications worth reading.  Go some place else for a good massage.  If you really want to feel good, buy a dog from a shelter.

Creativity: Become a Broker of Possibility and Hope

A lot has been written over the years about creativity.  People who market professional services are thought to be creative.  Creativity is expected, if you want to enter this business.  What do you know about creativity?

Many think it is simply a right brain condition where creative people have strengths while left brain folks are better suited for the technical, numbers and details of the industry.  Viewing creativity as solely the realm of one side of the brain limits ideas and possibilities. It fails to respect how creativity impacts science and rational thinking. Creativity comes from an assortment of traditional and non-traditional sources.

Are you a broker of possibility and hope? 

If not, you need to look at your creativity in the context of emotional intelligence. The chart shows how both sides of the brain come into play. The quadrants of emotional intelligence include: Self-Awareness, Social-Awareness, Relationship Management and Self-Management.  Understanding each of these will enable you to unleash your inner and sometimes hidden creative forces.

You might be asking yourself how creativity comes into play with your relationships.  Vision, influence and leadership drive creativity to support your relationships. 
Have you gotten tired of people saying, “Think outside the box?”  The creative marketing professional doesn’t think outside the box, they create a new box.   Marketers don’t like to play on a level playing field.  They are under constant pressure to create a competitive advantage.  If they believe they are on a level playing field, they will look like Notre Dame against a larger Alabama team in the National Championship game.   The services that your firm delivers to clients are like hundreds of others.  How do you make yourself and your firm memorable to clients?  The internet has made it easy for clients to assess the capabilities of firms they want to do business with.   In an industry that considers sales a dirty word, the word creativity brings on images of crazy, outrageous, and unwise.  Therefore, your creativity must be tempered by your flexibility and adaptability.  Management realizes that traditional marketing and the status quo no longer build business.  A change agent must be a leader first. 

 Think about what these people had to say about creativity:

“A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations.”
Gerald G. Jampolsky

“Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.”
Ray Kroc

“Creation is a drug I can't do without.”
Cecil B. De Mille

It is interesting that the movie make, De Mille, and the entrepreneur, Kroc founder of McDonalds, both viewed creativity as essential for their work.  You should feel the same way.

Six Myths Of Creativity

A groundbreaking study about innovation in the workplace uncovered six myths of creativity. The study, conducted by Teresa Amabile, a professor and head of the entrepreneurial management unit at Harvard Business School, was summarized in a December 2004 article, "The 6 Myths of Creativity," published in Fast Company magazine. Here is what she found:

• Creativity comes from creative types: The reality is that anyone with normal intelligence is capable of doing some degree of creative work.

• Money is a creativity motivator: The reality is that money isn't everything.

• Time pressure fuels creativity: The reality is that time pressure stifles creativity because people can't deeply engage with the problem.

• Fear forces breakthroughs: The reality is that creativity is positively associated with joy and love, and negatively is associated with anger, fear and anxiety.

• Competition beats collaboration: The reality is that the most creative teams are those that have the confidence to share and debate ideas.

• A streamlined organization is a creative organization: The reality is that creativity suffers greatly during a downsizing.

How do these findings relate to the conditions in your firm?

You now know that both sides of the brain are important in the creative process.  Do you ever believe something in your gut but are afraid to offer the idea or proceed?  Intuition is one of the strongest ways to deliver your creative process.  There are other things to consider, if maximizing your inherent creativity is a goal in your career path.  Don’t second guess yourself or live in the pit of self-doubt.  Accept criticism but don’t accept it as an absolute. Observe and learn from your mistakes.  Become a risk taker. 

Break free from the naysayers, external constraints, internal biases and fear of reprisals or consequences.  Your curiosity should compel you to ask questions.  Marketers who are afraid to ask questions continue to play on a level playing field.   We are all solution providers and are, to one extent or another, creative people.  If you are having problems with this, stop asking “why” and start asking “why not.” 

You will be well prepared to become a broker of possibility and hope. 

 

 

6 Big Ideas for Marketing Services Professionals

1. Mirror , mirror on the wall, who is the Best Marketer of them all?

It is a funny thing about mirrors.  What you see is what you get.  What does your reflection tell you about your skills as a marketing services professional?   When Michael Jordan was winning championships for the Chicago Bulls, a reporter asked him whether he thought he was the best player in the league.  His response might help you understand your reflection.  He replied, “I don’t think I am better than the other players and I don’t think any player is better than me.”  Humility is  not always recognized as a strong suit for a superstar.  Everyone working with a team needs to know when to be humble.  If you have a problem with that, try the Jordan rules.

2. What are your limitations? 

Everyone has had the opportunity to take a personality test like Meyers Briggs or DISC.  The question every professional has to answer is whether you need to strengthen your weaknesses or build upon your strengths.  I like the idea of building on strengths. However, just as Clint Eastwood philosophized in the “Dirty Harry” movies, “A man’s got to realize his limitations,” resourceful  professionals realize that sometimes it makes sense to look for ways to strengthen weaknesses.  You might try self-taught programs and reading industry books.  Some people rely on a coach.  Others look for courses that cover the areas where improvement is needed.  The point is to do something , create a plan and track your progress.

3. Are men better listeners than women? 
Some studies would indicate they are not.  Yet, listening sets the tone for relationships and emotional connection. It allows empathy and creates interpersonal bonds. Successful people don’t master speaking but rather listening.  Has your success trajectory hit a brick wall? Listening skills might be what is holding you back.

True listening is more than an auditory process. It takes in all senses especially those involving hearing and observation. As a communication process, it commands about 45% of a marketing professional’s time.  Information is key to performance. Without listening, you can’t gather information.  Think about how quick your brain responds to listening.  People speak at about 125-250 words per minute. Hearing is faster at about 350 to 500 words per minute but processing and analyzing  what has been taken in is faster still at 800 to 3000 words per minute.  Studies show that more than 35 percent of businesses think listening is a top skill for success. Yet, less than 2% of people have had formal education with listening.

If improved listening skills could increase your success rate with clients, what would that be worth to you and your firm?

4.  Keep Your Credibility
I hear complaints all the time about people who don’t show up to appointments, are late for meetings, abandon projects, don’t respond to emails and phone calls as promised, and don’t honor commitments. These bad habits destroy credibility and trust.

Credibility can be lost in a blink of an eye and it can take weeks, months and even years to regain it.

Here are 5 easy practices that will greatly increase your credibility and trustworthiness.

1. Do what you say
2. Finish what you start
3. Be on time
4. Be polite and treat people with respect – say please and thank you
5. When you make a mistake, admit it right away and fix it right away

Amazing things can happen to your career when you follow these simple steps.

5.  Are you a Sun Tsu marketer? 

Is there anything professional services marketers can learn from The Art of War?  If you believe you are in a war against your competitors, the economy, regulations,  or company resources, there is a lot to learn from Sun Tsu.   Here is a taste of what you will learn, “To make yourself invulnerable to defeat lies in your own hands, but the enemy himself must provide you with the opportunity to defeat him.”

6. Make video part of your marketing strategy?  

Are you and your firm in the video age?  Industry professionals are starting to grasp the advantage that video provides in presentations and on websites.  If you haven’t made the transition, here are a couple of easy steps to get you going.    

Create sharable content.  Videos are shared when they educate or entertain.  It is often a good thing to do both.  Since YouTube is the second largest web search engine, use keywords.  Put keywords in Title Tag, Video Description, Category Listing, Keyword Tags, Subtitles, and Captions. 
Share socially on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  Measure the results using Google Analytics. 

Dancing with Strangers: Turning a First Date into a Wedding Celebration

Have you ever gone on a blind date or danced with a stranger? The blind date is filled with mystery and intrigue. It doesn’t matter how the encounter was started, your response is directly related to a positive outcome. It can be nerve wracking, but remember the other person is having a similar response. Both parties are at risk. A wedding is the furthest thing from their minds at the initial encounter.

The same is true in the professional services industry when one business wants to interact with another. There is always a first meeting and it often feels like you are dancing with a stranger.

Everything that comes in between is the interesting part. When you’re dating, you’re gathering information about each other: what you both like to do, eating and entertainment habits, recreation, family, job, and even hobbies. This courting process can take some time. Sure, there is always love at first sight, but that doesn’t work for a majority of people. Even when it does, additional knowledge does come in handy, especially when you’re discovering the things that you do well together. Your heart says a lot about developing this relationship, but so does your head.

It's no different when it comes to professional services marketing. You need to deepen your relationship with prospects over time, interacting in a variety of settings, learning more about each other's needs and capabilities while progressing seamlessly from one interaction to the next. Many firms will call this a strategic approach to business development, but not every firm employs it. Like travelling on the road to a lifelong relationship with another person, you need to know when to commit more resources to the relationship as well as when to pull back and give the prospect some space.

When you are courting, it is a process of nurturing the relationship. In your business it is the same thing with every lead you come across. You have to dance with a lot of strangers before you find the ones worth developing a deeper relationship.

The process for professional services firm is defined as building a relationship with qualified prospects who are not yet sales-ready, regardless of budget, authority, or timing – and of ensuring a clean hand-off to principals at the right time. Just as in dating, lead nurturing can be described with defined stages, including:

1. The Prologue
2. First Encounter
3. Dancing
4. The Proposal
5. Negotiation
6. The Wedding

The Prologue
The introduction is the first time your future client hears of you. It is up to an associate, vendor, mentor, website, social media profile, or some othermatchmaker to make you seem interesting and attractive. You don't have direct control over the introduction, but the more you can do to
influence it, the better. Just as a nice haircut and a manicure prepare you for that first date,
every marketer should prepare for that introduction.


Discover Your Ideal Prospect
The first step in the introduction should be to determine your ideal prospect. Just as you
know you like tall, dark and handsome, you should also know that the best prospects for
your services and solutions are companies in the United States with 100 or more employees,
in the pharmaceutical and healthcare verticals. It’s not usually this simple, but having an idea
of what your ideal prospect looks like will help you focus your marketing. If you know that tall, dark and handsome is often at your alma mater’s tailgate parties, you’ll probably want to be there, early and often. In other words, network where your ideal prospects congregate.

Build Your Brand
If you’re wondering whether branding matters in professional services marketing, a 2010 branding report says the answer is yes, concluding, "If you are well known, whatever lead
generation tactics you employ are likely to work better." In fact, 65% of companies that claim
they are well known report being good or excellent at lead generation, while only 44% of the
not well known companies report being good or excellent.

Brand matters because buyers of professional services are still people and emotions impact economic decisionmaking. Your prospects are overwhelmed with choices and information – more than any buyer could evaluate rationally. This means that no matter how disciplined a buying process is, emotional brand impressions do influence vendor selection. Web 2.0 is also changing the way marketers build their brand. With the growing popularity of blogs, podcasts, social media and the like, buyers would rather talk to each other, instead of listening to a marketing message. So take advantage of this by creating thought leadership, using Web 2.0 techniques.

Create Thought Leadership
One way professional service firms can build their brand is by helping buyers research early in the sales cycle, demonstrating that they are trusted advisers who understand the prospect's problems. By using thought leadership to engage prospects early, you build awareness and increase your chances that the prospect will respond to future demand generation efforts.

Creating thought leadership helps your prospects learn more about you, your background
and how you think. It helps build the foundations of a relationship: familiarity and trust. At
this stage, don’t hide your thought leadership content behind registration forms. Set this
content free to allow it to spread virally.

Write White Papers
White papers are used at almost any stage of the pipeline, from lead generation to customer retention. They typically range from four to eight pages, and shouldn’t be more than
12 pages long. According to Michael Stelzner of Writing White Papers, “A white paper is a persuasive document that usually describes approach of an article and weaves in
persuasive corporate messages typically found in brochures.” And studies have shown that white papers are highly viral; that is, they are passed around by 60% of technology professionals. According to a study by MarketingSherpa and KnowledgeStorm, this is because white papers are considered to be credible resources for thought leadership and subject matter expertise.

Create eBooks
As an alternative to white papers, consider eBooks, defined by David Meerman Scott as the
"hip and stylish younger sibling to the nerdy whitepaper." An eBook delivers the content in a
form that's designed for quick scanning and reading online. The content tends to come in
more bite-sized chunks (as in a presentation). With newer versions of Microsoft PowerPoint,
audio can be added to each page/slide.

Use social media
Social media continues to grow in popularity, and has become another conduit to your
prospects. Sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace allow people to build online
relationships by joining groups, chatting and commenting about products and services. On
LinkedIn, for instance, you frequently see questions from your network asking for
recommendations for services and consultants.

Blogging is a great way to build thought leadership and, therefore, your brand. Your blog
should fill the information needs of your prospects and invites comments from readers.
Podcasts – essentially audio clips of you speaking instead of writing, or of an interview with
another thought leader – are a great attachment to your blog. RSS feeds and content
formatted for mobile devices such as Blackberry, Treo and iPhone extend your blog’s reach.
The YouTube phenomenon cannot be forgotten. A funny or clever short video that goes viral
can quickly build your brand.

The First Encounter
The first encounter is all about making a good first impression. Remember, you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. Don't come on too strong or you'll scare your prospect away. Who would say, “will you marry me,” after their first dance? Think about philosopher, Toby Keith, when he wrote that “sometimes I want to talk about me”. Don’t make the first encounter all about you. Use the precious time as an opportunity to learn more about your prospect's wants and needs, as well as to share some relevant information about yourself.
The prospect might be in the early stage of the selection process so carefully plan the delivery of information. If you know where the client is at, you might want to go with thought leadership information. Either way, they should be short and to the point. You’re trying to make a good first impression.

Develop case studies
Also known as success stories, case studies are short, one or two page documents that
vangelize a client’s success and ROI from use of your solution. Sections typically include
an introduction, challenge and solution. And don’t forget to include a compelling client quote or two and a short section at the end that tells about your services and company.

Dancing
Prospect development starts here. Your prospect has shown at least some interest in you. You don't want to ruin a good first impression by calling too often or asking for
too much commitment too soon. Instead, develop the relationship by sharing additional information at the right time. If tall, dark and handsome responds to your overtures,
you want to talk to him and try to gather more information: Is he single? Is he interesting? In professional services relationships, it’s much the same: make offers of more information at scheduled intervals and determine the level of interest at each stage. The goal, of course, is to get agreement from your dance partner that the relationship should move to the next level.

Share relevant third party information
You don't need to create all the lead nurturing content yourself. You can demonstrate how well you understand each prospect's wants and needs by sharing relevant third party content with them. This can be as simple as emailing a news article and saying "Based on our conversation last week, I thought you'd find this interesting."

Make it personal
Remember, the goal of "courting" is to build a relationship with a real person. Buyers of professional services are people, so the human touch matters. John Nesbitt in his best seller Mega Trends, wrote that as our culture became more dependent upon technology, we would need to have more human interaction. He coined the term: Hi Tech=High Touch. Lead nurturing is a conversation, not a series of disjointed campaigns. Personalize email responders and landing pages. Make sure each step connects with the prior one. And except for webinar invitations, don’t make the same offer twice in one email flow.


Make it personal. The goal of courting is to build a relationship
with a real person.

The Proposal
When identifying your ideal customer, marketing and business development must work
together to determine the best indicators of success, in terms of what
the client looks like (markets,services,geography, etc.). During this discussion,
you should also determine the activities that result in agreement-ready
lead. For instance, if a prospect fits your demographic target, responded to your email, and asked for more information, you might give him a 5 or 6 on readiness to move forward. If he asked for your assistance in writing the RFP or talks to you about project-specific budget issues, you might put the prospect at an 8 or 9.

Use customer references
Client references are always excellent ways of closing new clients. Marketing should
cultivate and nurture existing clients and gain permission to use them as references. Care
should be taken with references to ensure any single reference isn’t over-used. Remember
that they’re doing you a favor. Get these references published on LinkedIn as well.



The Wedding
The Deal. The Close. The Win. Ultimately, making the sale is up to your
principals, but by implementing a sound nurturing and scoring process,
you have helped them by establishing a relationship and positioning your
company as a leader with the prospect.

Linkedin: Tool for New Business

How are you using LinkedIn to generate new business? The social networking site for business is certainly a place where you can reach clients. However many industry professionals are still sorting out how this makes business sense. Have you been asking yourself this question?

What was the “old school” method for networking before social media? There were industry events, cocktail parties, trade shows and other venues where you were face to face with clients. What was the platinum networking opportunity? I believe it was when you were talking with a client who viewed you as a trusted advisor and someone you were pursuing to become a client joined the conversation. When your client started talking about all of the great things you were doing and had done, what was the reaction of the potential client? It was always great to go fishing for new clients at these events, but you often went away like the Disciples who had fished until dawn without success. Using the strength of an existing client to open the door for your next client was always the best outcome you could expect.

The old ways are still the best ways to use LinkedIn. It is really about creating a three-way conversation between you, your client and the universe of potential clients active on LinkedIn. The problem with LinkedIn and other social media outlets is lack of private chat rooms. There is a process that will bring results and it is a three-way conversation. It just doesn’t happen at the same time. In order to get started you need to know your client is active on Linkedin. The next step is to ask the client for a recommendation. While most recommendations are from people you have worked with or for in current or prior positions, the most powerful are those that come from clients. Offer the client some suggestions for what to put in the recommendation. If your company is on Linkedin, your firm should pursue recommendations as well. Think about it this way. When an RFP asks you for reference letters from previous clients, what do you do? I used to send the person a draft of the letter to help him out. Although the client wants to help you, their time is limited. You make it easy for them. The same is true with LinkedIn.

Recommendations are always posted in Linkedin’s weekly updates sent to everyone you are connected with. In addition it will be posted on the update that goes to every one of your client’s connections as well. You can independently post it on the groups you are a member of. How many potential clients will then end up becoming part of this three-way conversation?

Finally, when I first started marketing professional services, my mentor told me to join allied organizations. But, he warned, don’t simply join the organization. Be an active member. He said, “You only get out of the organization what you are willing to put into it." The same is true with social media. You will only get business from it when you are willing to become an active participant.