People Not Contacts

It was a great day in San Francisco on March 12th. The Sales Giants of Tomorrow braved the time change to attend Inside View's Insider Summit. It was a well put together event...great keynote, 1 minute sponsor intros and short/informative breakout sessions. A lot of information in a snapshot....such are times in which we exist.

Umberto Milletti eloquently delivered the message of the day.....selling is about people not contacts. Umberto told us that he, as a buyer, does not answer the phone and rarely replies to email. He then noted that commercial real estate agents are among the most pushy salespeople but when he requested information for commercial space on Twitter only 2 people replied. A reflection on the swinging pendulum of sales. It is no longer about having the gift of gab or an extroverted personality. It is about doing your research, differentiating your solution to the personality of your buyer, and finding a creative way to access them. The game is changing and if you stick to your old methods your forehead will start bleeding.....from running into walls!

Introducing the 3 Stages of Social Selling:
Personal Access
Differentiation
Silver Bullet

How did you know that?
....because it's on your facebook page.

Still to this day people are surprised when I mention their favorite baseball team or a current event at their alma mater - and this is the easily accessible information. Don't worry about freaking out your buyer. You can find out a lot about a person in a 15 minute review of their LinkedIn profile, Twitter page, Facebook posts and/or blog. If they put it out there it is yours to share in....the key is using the information in a differentiating way without creeping someone out!!!!!!

Information is not an Invitation!
Be an advisor not a stalker! Use the elements of a person's personality conveyed through social media only in ways applicable to your products/services.

Don't:
Tell someone their daughter is beautiful!
Revisit a political or religious opinion that may have been posted!
Ask if you can have permission to date the aforementioned beautiful daughter!!!

Do:
Mention an industry relevant article or case study that they posted, retweeted, or favored
Mention a common professional connection
Correlate the benefit of your solution in metaphor to their favorite team winning (...tricky...)

The introduction is over
People's time has never been more precious. They will smile and entertain your personal probing questions but they would rather you cut to the chase. You can now access the answers to all the stupid "ice breaker" questions before you check in with the receptionist.

With all the information at your finger tips everything you say should be direct and relevant. Formulate and customize a presentation (or conversation strategy) that is personally engaging. If you are smooth in your delivery (which every salesperson should be) you will come off as a subject matter expert: "This guy knows my business and his product matches what I do really well".

The New Age in Sales
* Everyone thinks sales people are pushy. You have a direct path to victory if you can dispel that presumption.
* Time is money: be relevant, precise and direct.
* Know not just what they do but why it matters and how you can help.

The tools are there but they are commonly avoided. The salespeople who are winning have put themselves on the buyers side of the table through research and the ability to differentiate. The salespeople who are losing think they can still rely on their big mouth to impress people.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"   - Albert Einstein

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Enterprise 2.0 - Part 2.0

Earlier this week, I wrote of the mind meld that is Enterprise 2.0. The Santa Clara Convention Center and the Twitter back channel was filled with awesomeness this week. Consultants, Entrepreneurs and Community Advocates from Major Corporations gathered to contribute their Thought Leadership in development of a strategic approach to Social Media.

As a Social Media Evangelist, I can say this conference was equal parts inspiring and alarming. We are always trying to use technology to support our companies and customers in the best way possible. We want to keep up with trends while protecting our public reputation. It's tricky!

I pointed out the superstars of the convention earlier this week. Today I have a few take aways to challenge those who believe in the power of social media.

The Art of Presenting
I've been to a thousand conferences.....Human Resources, Training, Coaching, Sales, Music Industry....whatever. The thing that differentiates tech conferences like Dreamforce, Tech Crunch and E 2.0 from the others is the matter in which people present.

Two Things to Consider:
1. It seems a lot of the population in the tech industry are young entrepreneurs who are programmers by nature.
2. The Tech Crunch Ethos has created a very narrow window for presenting.

The aforementioned pre-qualifiers make for presentations that are either really good or really bad. The Great Aaron Levie of Box gave a super-charged keynote that included a plethora of information at rapid fire pace. He was focused, fluid, and passionate about the topic he presented. The Twitter back channel seemed lost in his pace of verbosity.....but I thought it was the perfect way to present.

A few things Presenters should be aware of:
1. Don't Product Dump!
2. Don't Tell Us About YOUR company exclusively
3. Act like you are actually interested in your topic
4. Deliver your message with passion

I would consider presenting at Enterprise 2.0 to be a pretty big deal. I was surprised how many people were unprepared. Just kind of reading slides. I understand that not everyone is comfortable presenting in front of people. All you need is a little humor, some energy, and a message that your audience can relate to.

At Dreamforce I saw an Executive from a Fortune 20 get in front of the audience and talk about her company...on and on and on.....The fact that this person is a Millionaire is disconcerting. If I am in the audience to improve my organizational strategy, I don't need a case study on YOUR company's success. I need you to tell me how your strategy can enhance my company. Show me the WHY not the WHAT.

FUN!
The most heated back channel discussion at E 2.0 involved Gamification. There are emerging companies that are using game theory to engage their employees. The crowd of ferociously competitive young professionals seemed put off by the idea that "work" would be a "game". Gen Y stereotype dispelled!

Gamification is a slippery slope. I have no issue with adding a creative way of bringing employees into a forum to showcase their degree of engagement. We got a peek at VMware's Niko Niko, a single-touch daily employee feedback function. There are other concepts of Avatar driven virtual rewards that employees seem to view as a waste of time. As long as the metrics of the "game" attach business critical behaviors to organizational directives a little creative design never hurts.

You Are Welcome   
As evolved as Social Media has become, it can still be a good old boys/girls club. In participating in Social Media people also submit themselves to criticism. The attendees at E 2.0 seem to be aware of this and were thus massively supportive. In a Twitter back channel of thousands of posts, I saw very little negativity. People were also willing to have in-person discussions. The mood was profoundly upbeat. There was not a feeling of competition but a Community of Collaboration. It feels great to walk into a conference with the willingness to share without being judged. Thanks to everyone who made me feel at home in Santa Clara.

Parting Message:
Adoption is Social Media's greatest challenge. People are apprehensive to participate in social media for fear they will have their message misinterpreted, will be judged, and will ultimately have their reputation (and the reputation of their company) damaged.

For those who participate in social media forums.
* Judge Not!
* Try to see all sides
* Be Positive

For those on the fringe.....as I stated earlier this week, Social Media is no longer the elephant in the room ~ it is a Fire Breathing Dragon! It is not a fad, it is not going away, and it will be a pre-qualifier for your next job! It is very important to put your predisposition aside and get your feet wet.

Know this, your reputation will not be damaged if your intentions are good:
a. Share in the interest of everyone
b. Don't assume people think a certain way by researching their profile/company
c. Don't be an asshole!

Collaborate!

Don't Forget to Remember!

- Dave Kovacovich

Personal Public Persona

Earlier this week I authored a piece about social media in potential hire profiling. The responses have been varied but one point has become certain:

Without your boss sitting on your lap at all times, the choices you make are your own!


This sentiment is not specific to social media but it may be the area in which it is most prevalent. Tony Bruno was suspended this week for his choices and many others have suffered an even worse fate. As Erica Albright stated, "the Internet is written in ink". So unavoidably true. Your company cannot police your every thought, your opinions may fall into the wrong inbox, and interpreting the mood of the written word is very difficult. We are not governed by the platform or the organization with which we are affiliated. We can only monitor ourselves. This is a massive responsibility!

I don't believe that Tony Bruno is a racist, he just got caught up in the moment. This week I saw that a person trying to help another revealed confidential mental health information about that person. The intention was good but the after effect served to further limit the person she was trying to help. I saw another post asking sorority women to disable their facebook pages during their recruitment period..? That's a super secret society.

I don't know about you but I'm not willing to give up that easily. I strongly believe that every company should be aligned with their core values (from CEO to Intern). The most prominent core value of any company is: TRUST! If you want a productive and empowered workforce...trust is essential. Everyone appreciates being given the club with the power to swing it as they wish. No one likes rules, restrictions and/or regulations (necessary as they may be).

This social media thing is not going away. In fact, more people communicate through facebook than email these days. We have an opportunity to use the power of our personal influence for good...why ignore it or attempt to regulate it. Like anything else, we learn from our mistakes in social media. We stop putting down others in blog chats, we stop voicing our opinions after 4 beers, and we refrain from jokes that may be conceived as bullying.

For the first time in my professional lifetime the villagers have more influence than the king. The voice of the people has never been stronger. Twitter is the voice of the NFL players union, blogs speak louder than the New York Times and Facebook has more citizens than most countries. We must understand that with great power comes great responsibility. We need to be aware that our words have consequences and that they cannot be erased. Accept the privilege and proceed with riotous intent!

It is certain that social media will improve our communication. We will learn what to say and when to say it. We will stop protecting our words and share them. We will grow, in honesty, together!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

6 Social Media Tips

This could be referred to as 'the idiots guide to social media'. But I would not dare to refer to anyone brave enough to try something new as an 'idiot'.

By the time I write this entry my advice will be outdated. I am certainly not an expert in social media. But, for all my friends who are brave enough to embrace this new world of communication, here are a few simple tips:
1. Never use negativity in any group forum, post or blog entry
2. Post less than 20 times a day
3. Update your status daily
4. Be a Resource not a Sales Person
5. Share your charitable cause
6. Don't be afraid to share your personal interests

(1) We post something in a group discussion, someone misunderstands it, insults us and our natural reaction is to 'crack back'. Don't! There are people with too much free time who patrol the Internet looking to project their self dissatisfaction. By responding to their bullying nature you empower their discontent and enter their world of self pitty.

People go to Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, etc...to escape the stress of their current worklife for a few minutes. They are looking for opinions (not expertise). Give them something that inspires them and they will look for you again.

(2) If I am following you on Twitter and you post more than 20 times a day I will unfollow you (with the rare exception of Laurie Ruettimann & Guy Kawasaki). There is no way there is that much to say. Be concise and informative. Don't waste your followers time with 'dribble'. Learn to use the 'Direct Message' feature...no one wants to read personal comments between you and your podiatrist.

(3) Linked-In users: Update your status daily. Use this feature to let your professional network know the slightest strategy improvement you made today......David is finalizing organizational strategy with a major financial organization. My way of saying I am presenting a proposal to Charles Schwab.

(4) Pushing products is death in the social media forum. There are tons of people with large networks that can discredit you as a 'hack' with one post. Help people with strategy rather than dumping product. It will enhance your sales approach and build trust among your network.

(5) We all have a charitable foundation that we support. Show people you are human by promoting your cause and use your network to promote their efforts. People feel less obligated when not contacted directly and will support to said charity if the cause effects them personally. This may also build additional personal attachment.

(6) You love Brett Favre - let your network know on a Sunday. In any meeting you can convey your expertise. Your personality can be a key determinant in building a mutually beneficial long term partnership. Don't be afraid to put the consulting aside and let people know you have a life. What if the person is a Green Bay Fan you ask. Ask yourself, do you really want to partner with a Green Bay Fan??? Sometimes disqualifying partnerships before they begin can save you years worth of stress.

Social Media is about bravery. You may let your temper get the best of you, post something that your company frowns upon or 'friend' someone who annoys you. The key is to try. Your confidence will be boosted when you enter a community, share an idea and have it adopted by a stranger across the world. In sharing we grow and in growing we influence. Be brave enough to put yourself out there and develop a Rock Star fan base. There is more to professional development than the four walls of your office. Is there someone you want to be professionally but your job title or company prohibits you from being that person?

You can be a Superhero in the virtual world and no one will ever know you wear a pocket protector.

Go Bravely and Fear Not the Mistakes you Might Make!

Don't Forget to Remember,

Dave

References:
www.linkedin.com/in/davidkovacovich
http://twitter.com/davidkovacovich

What We Learned in 2009

Dear Readers -
Thank you all for supporting this blog in 2009.

There has been so much to fret over in the last 365 days:
* Economy in the worst state of decline since the great depression
* Jobless rate @ 10%+
* H1N1 paranoia
* War
* Misallocation of tax payer funding
* Scandal; everywhere there is scandal

At the inception of 2009, we knew the worst was to come: We worked harder, got more creative, spent less and became more educated in our decision making. So, how can we use the disaster in the rear view mirror to learn and grow?

Be Informed
For far too long we used pre-supposed discovery methods to formulate organizational strategies.
a. The CEO solely decides the direction of the company
b. Let's present a survey to our employees.

These methods, while strategic in their predictability are broken. A man or women in an ivory tower can predict the financial well being of the company and keep pay checks coming but strategy is ever evolving and no single person can track development in the trenches on a day-to-day basis. Surveys are often administered to say 'we asked and only 10% responded, they all said the same thing' - this is called Lip Service and it is the primary failing element of entitlement as a means of people management.

Engage your workforce by empowering line managers. Take the regulatory checklist out of the job description and allow your leaders to lead. No politics, no policy - Trust and Empowerment!

Be Creative
"In 2009, I worked twice as hard with half the results" - the salespersons creed of the last year.

Dear Readers, you can walk into a wall or fun into it.....remember what Einstein said, "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

Those who succeed saw a tiny door in dead ends and escaped through it by:
* Forming informal partnerships
* Developing new approaches
* Leading with Methodology; not products
* Inviting a Mentorship from an objective third party
* Finding additional skill enhancement through social media

Strategy, Strategy, Strategy
If you are uncomfortable with the canned phrasing, call it something else. But know this, if you do not understand the larger intent of your business practices you are a replaceable paper pusher. Every action within your job description needs to be a spoke in a strategic wheel. What does filling out that form mean to arming you with additional skills for evolving you as a professional and elevating the organizational cause? Search your mind, white board it....if you come up with no answers, you have two choices:
* Stop doing it!
* Make something up!

My advice to you is simple. Every day in 2010, take one minute at day's end to assess how your incremental tasks are pertinent to the Organizational Mission. At the conclusion of this daily assessment further your strategy by doing the following:
* STOP DOING NEEDLESS TASKS...and be willing to explain why.
* DEVELOP A STRATEGY...that brings greater relevance to every task you perform.

We are alive & it cannot get any worse! Knowing this, why not step away from what is comfortable, get some balls and try new things!

"...be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid..."
- Frances McDormand from the decade's best motion picture Almost Famous

Don't Forget to Remember!

- Dave

References:
www.linkedin.com/in/davidkovacovich
http://twitter.com/davidkovacovich

The Bridge - Personal Branding & Company Loyalty

I attended a seminar yesterday that introduced Social Media to a group of HR Professionals. I must admit, most were skeptical.
The concerns:
* Lack of Policy Compliance
* Fear of Navigating HR Guidelines
* Misunderstanding of Brand Development vs. Tarnishment

In short, why would we open this can of worms? Many attendees were over 40 and served in administrative roles. They were there to understand how to regulate Social Media participation.

Guess What? There is no such thing as Social Media Compliance!

If you want to manage INDIVIDUALS that work for your organization only one thing matters:

TRUST!

As personal brands rival company loyalty, your company can be elevated or tarnished based on your approach to Social Media.

Choice 1: Try to regulate and watch your brand fizzle...

Choice 2: Empower and Escalate Company Loyalty!

Rules and Regulations are easy. Draw a line in the sand and allow no one to cross without a demerit. That time is gone. Organizations now have to invest in their people beyond standards, best practices, rules and regulations.

Yes. The time has come to take down your guard and truly invest in HUMAN RESOURCES.

Here's a few ideas to build the trust tree:
* Allow Social Media to be part of your work day in promotion of your organizational initiatives.
* Formulate an empowering Social Media Strategy not Social Media Standards
* TRUST

I know it seems impossible to put your company name in the hands of the people who work for you but it has been happening as long as you have existed. If people love your company they wear your logo to stadiums on Saturday, speak your name at Mom's Groups and promote your cause in their every human interaction.

Take away the trust and your company brand will be disparaged on bar stools across the land, in social media networks where one comment can reach 600,000 people globally in a second, at trade shows and industry events.

Is your Alumni Club a Group of Advocates or an Army of Detractors?

Second Most Popular Question in any Social Interaction:
What do you do? (professionally)

Trust is the bridge from Personal Branding to Company Loyalty!

Formulate a strategy for human empowerment and watch your company grow!

Unzip Your Soul!

Dave

References:
http://twitter.com/davidkovacovich
www.linkedin.com/in/davidkovacovich