Marketing is EVERYONE'S Job

Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department.

-David Packard

 

Several years ago, I started my first day at a new temp job as a receptionist for a Japanese automotive company in Metro Detroit.  The learning curve was huge - my work experience at that point was limited to child care, restaurants, a flower shop, and another two week temp job.  This was my first "big girl" job, and I wanted to be great - even though I knew it was "temporary."  I had to learn who worked in what department and what paperwork and phone calls went where.  

 

But one thing was noticeably missing: a Marketing Department.

 

I brought this to my superior's attention, wondering out loud if the marketing was handled from the corporate office in Japan, when he said something that stuck with me: "There is no marketing department.  Marketing is everyone's job."

Marketing is everyone's job.

After nearly a year working there, that is what stuck with me.  It stuck with me when I left that job to take a job in a marketing department for an architecture firm.  It stuck with me when I changed my college major to marketing.  It stuck with me when I decided to start my own company and focused my business on marketing.  It sticks with me today as I coach start-up businesses or help businesses in crisis - marketing isn't just the job of a single department - it is everyone's job.

There has been a lot of coverage across the internet (including this blog) about the importance of having the right business values and mission statements.  One thing that seems to astound me is the lack of marketing goals company-wide in these statements.  When a company builds this idea into the basis of their company, everyone owns it.  When it's shown more than it is said, the company is successful.

In today's world, where buyers have made 60% of their decision prior to talking to a sales representative, businesses need to be more aware of how their company is perceived.  If a potential client finds out about your company from a file clerk, you want their experience to be positive enough that they consider your company.  When they Google you and come across the VP's LinkedIn page, you want them to feel the company.  Your Twitter postings should fit the values, mission, and marketing plan.  This idea is less about marketing to your customers, and more about building brand recognition through every employee.

How do we move forward?

Marketing departments are still necessary for developing and implementing the marketing plans for the success of the company.  Web, print, social media, trade shows, networking - all of these are still vital for a company to succeed, but the voice of the company, the culture, the persona recognition - these should be owned by everyone.

How do you incorporate marketing in your company?  Would you consider taking a holistic approach to marketing?

Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment.

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur

How to coexist with kids during summer break

“People who violate your boundaries are thieves. They steal time that doesn’t belong to them.”

― Elizabeth Grace Saunders

This summer, my SO and I decided to try something different: instead of shipping our son off to child care for the normal 2-3 days per week, we decided to keep him home and juggle him between both of our businesses.  We're both self-employed and have flexible schedules, so we figured that would be a piece of cake...and so far, so good.

This isn't a new concept - there are a TON of work-from-home parents who juggle their career with their kids' lives, and come out on the other end just fine.

I don't want you and your experience, be it just summer or be it year-round, to be "just fine."  I want to give you a few pointers, so that you can work efficiently and effectively and give your kids all of the mom or dad time they need.  It's true - you CAN coexist with your kids and have a successful career.

http://andreaalicia.net/working-from-home-is-not-for-me/

Here are my 8 tips for coexisting with your kids as a work-from-home parent:

1)  Understand that you may have fewer unproductive hours

Depending on the age of your child(ren), you may have to adjust your expectation of work that you can get done at home.  You may enjoy having more access to them and may want to work less.  You may have more interruptions, or may have to play referee too often.  Maybe you just don't have a lock, or a door to close at all.  Accepting that you might have to change your productivity for a couple months may keep you from unnecessarily blowing your top.

2) Adjust your schedule - and stick to it

For some of us, having fewer productive hours just won't cut it.  If that's the case, then you need to find time to work.  For example, I wake up at 5am.  My son doesn't wake up until 8am.  By adjusting my schedule in the morning, I found three uninterrupted hours to get work done (and that's more than most employees in an office)!  When my son wake up, we spend a solid hour and a half together before I have him do solo activities.  For the rest of the day, we block out "me" time and "us" time. If it's a "me" time and he wants my attention, we've worked out a note-writing system.  I don't feel interrupted, and he can communicate.  Win-win.

3) Use Parkinson's Law to your advantage

If you only have a half hour block of time, try to fit more than thirty minutes worth of work into it.  Sounds crazy, but it works.  You'll figure out how to work efficiently when you have less time than you need.  It's almost like cramming in college, but it is actually effective.

4) Plan your meals and make it easy on yourself

This is a topic that will come up again, but here's a pro tip: plan your meals.  Shop for those meals.  Prep your ingredients when you get home from the market (separate and process your meat and vegetables).  Develop an arsenal of crock-pot meals.  Freeze leftovers.  Try not to deviate from your plan unless it's a special occasion.  Another quick tip: keep a basket of snacks in a low cabinet and one in the fridge - allow the kids to pick their own snack when it's time for one.

5) Let them watch a movie or play a video game - and DON'T feel guilty

Here's a fact: as much as you love your kids and as much as they love you, they don't want to be around you 100% of the time.  I'm not saying you should let the TV babysit your kids while you work, but once in a while, when you need to get something done, it's allowed.  You shouldn't feel guilty that they are doing something they enjoy - and chances are you'll get another hour of uninterrupted time.

6) Schedule time for just the kids

I touched upon this on #2, but this is key: if you expect them to let you work, then make time for them.  Schedule it.  Stick to it.  We eat meals (no electronics welcome) together, do chores together, exercise together, and spend at least an hour outside every day.  We build in quality time, so that our separate time together doesn't feel as isolating.

7) Call in the reinforcements when you need to

Once in a while, especially when I know I have to have an in-person meeting, I call a babysitter.  If I'm working on a big project and need to devote a bigger block of time to it, I'll call them as well.  Without guilt.  It doesn't make you less of a parent to allow someone else to handle child care duties.  It's not cheating.  It's just business.

8) Give yourself a break

You're going to have a bad day.  You're going to get frustrated.  The kids are going to get frustrated.  You're going to need to recharge, so make sure that you spend quality time by yourself, with your SO, and with friends.  It can be fun and worthwhile to spend two solid summer months working-from-home with kids, but take time away from them too.

What are your favorite tips for working-from-home with kids?  What hasn't worked?

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur

Editing your content to death

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
― Stephen King

How many steps does it take from pen to paper to publication?  

One?  A few?  Too many?

I have a confession.  

I edit my content...to death.  I pre-write, then I write, then I edit, then I edit again, and again, then I pass it off to someone else, then I edit again and then, maybe, it's done.  This whole process happens in normally a day, two tops.  Or, at least I used to.  Then I got smart.

http://janefriedman.com/2013/05/31/find-freelance-book-editor/

I heard some great advice in a podcast (The Solopreneur Hour #117) that if you want to be a better public speaker, you should study comedians.  While I use this methodology for speaking, it also transfers well to writing.  One lesson has really stuck lately - your first draft sucks. Tweak it over time. Then, when you've dispersed it enough, throw it out and develop new content. It's helped me to stop my edit-to-death step that comes after creation - instead, I'm letting it develop and editing it a little at a time as it goes.  

While I'm not altogether giving up on editing, I'm taking it more as a long process instead of a hack job.  I pre-write a few bullet points.  Then, I write, whether it be an article, a blog post, content for a marketing piece, or a presentation, and then I let it sit.  I'll browse over it and tweak obvious errors.  I'll pass it along for feedback, then respond to the feedback.  I'll let it sit a bit longer.  I'll look for ways to enhance the piece, and if I can't, I stop trying.  I'll throw it out to the public and let them comment.  And then, if I feel that the message is good, I leave it along.  I write my blog posts a couple weeks ahead so that I have time enough to fix what needs to be fixed, but I no longer fixate on fixing everything...to death.

I realized that writing is not a sprint to the finish, it's a marathon.  

You have to pace yourself.  You have to prepare for the long haul.  If you're spitting out perfect content in the first go, well, you're amazing.  But realistically, your first piece needs work.  Sometimes a lot of it.  Most of the time, though, it doesn't need to be red-penned to death.  Most of the time, it just needs time.

Do you pick your pieces down to the bare bones, or do you fluff it up? 

 I try to land somewhere in the middle.  Content matters, but how it is delivered is obviously important.  No one is going to be interested in a story or presentation that is just bullet point information with no depth; but on the same token, readers and listeners don't want to be walked through every single thought, emotion, or action that you, the writer or presenter, has.  Get to the point in a meaningful way.

How do you determine when your piece is finished?

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur

The Zombie Apocalypse and lessons in failure

“Sometimes you have to do something ugly so that something beautiful can grow.”
― Cedric Nye

Bear with me today, I'm taking a huge leap to make a few big points.

First of all, I'm not big into the whole idea of this zombie apocalypse phase.  I'm not a doomsday prepper,  I'm not a soothsayer.  I'm not Will Smith or Woody Harrelson.  I'm a business owner who understands preparing for when things go south.  The truth is, my business anti-fail plan is more thorough than my SHTF plan.  But I have a feeling that we can learn a thing or two from the other side.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31GHBl2wVfqKmXywVBHYWp82Nvw57zK_gcKbdnYnsrv-iHTziGoQP1iWMuR8VdR8uN5GOAVr-_uYdEgMtzJEr-6CQ0wGWjSVVDChtNAUX5lMjMgg_ZW4Kl0uqBTEPyjN27W_B8utQVZL2/s1600/tumblr_m4rs9asC2Q1rux18io1_r2_500.jpg

Let's start with some established rules of zombie survival (according to Zombieland) and swing them into business.  

Rule #1 : Cardio.  

Why is good cardiovascular health important in business?  Well that's obvious.  We've all read dozens of articles about the hazards of sitting too long at work.  So let's take this a little further - how does this impact your anti-failure plan?  Did you know that one of the contributing factors to burn-out is poor health?  Including a fitness plan and good diet are key to your survival in business so that you can keep on keepin' on.

Rule #2: The Double Tap.  

This idea can incorporate into business on so many levels.  First, the double tap may relate to editing your documents.  You write; then you edit.  Double tap.  Second, it may mean closing a deal.  You make the initial contact; then you ask for the sell.  Double tap.  And in our anti-failure plan, third, learn everything,  Get a mentor; then go to a seminar.  Double tap.

Rule #10: Don't Swing Low.  

When you're working on building a business, the last thing you want to do is swing low.  I'm not talking about taking things low and slow, I'm talking about your expectations.  One reason entrepreneurs succeed is because we just don't give up.  We swing high and swing for the fences every single at bat.  Yes, some ideas take time to develop, and some ideas just don't pan out, but our success isn't because our first business worked; it's because or third or fifth or twentieth idea stuck.  Tenacity is the key.

The last rule of the zombie apocalypse that we need to remember in business is:

Rule #22: When In Doubt, Know Your Way Out.  

This is highly contradictory; some entrepreneurs believe that if you have an out plan, that you're not 100% invested in your business.  I disagree; knowing where that line of failure is can be key.  If you know when your idea is failing and you pull the plug, you can save reputation, especially with investors.  Driving a train on an incomplete track will lead to failure.  Have an out plan; know what failure means; push that line if you have to, but stop if it's broken.  Failure doesn't mean failure; it means that you need to rework your thinking and planning for the next big idea.

Obviously, I cannot cover enough advice about failure plans in a blog post; especially because I was amazed at how many other of Zombieland's rules fit in business: #8 Get a Kick-Ass Partner, #16 Opportunity Knocks, #19 Break It Up, #20 It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint, Unless it's a Sprint, Then Sprint, #21 Avoid Strip Clubs, #29 The Buddy System, #32 Enjoy the Little Things, and lastly #33 Swiss Army Knife.  Maybe someday I'll cover more rules of the zombie apocalypse in business, or you can leave your Zombieland survival rule in the comments!  Take time to develop your own zombie apocalypse plan anti-fail plan for business, and let me know if you find some creative rules to follow.

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur

Looking forward, looking back

“Study the past if you would define the future.”
― Confucius

June is a fun time for my business: a time of reflection and planning.  I run my fiscal year the same as a calendar year, but June kicks off the planning process for the next year.  I start off the month by looking at progress markers so far in the year, compare year-to-date from the prior year, adjust the remaining goals of the year, and start to lay down my plans for the next year.  This isn't a quick process, and my next-year planning normally takes most of the summer.

With my hands in so many projects, reflection and planning are absolutely necessary for my success and sanity.  I just wrapped up a long-term contract and am feeling out a few opportunities for another.  I have a handful for short-term projects and need to keep feeding that pipeline.  

Sound familiar?

I don't feel that any of this is unique.  On top of the typical day-to-day, I maintain sufficient time for my passion projects - my nonprofits and in-development business projects.  I'm at a point, here in June 2014, to make big leaps and moves in 2015.  I have a business that is in the market sample/research stage, and could likely reach production and distribution early in 2015.  I have a nonprofit that will officially come to fruition after four years of work.  I have another nonprofit that may or may not move forward in this calendar year, and may or may not need a change of venue.  If I didn't revisit my plans, I couldn't stay on top of all of these projects.

Starting in September, I bring an intern into the mix.  This is exciting and both wonderful and horrible timing.  They get dropped into one of the biggest campaign seasons for the first nonprofit, right when I kick off no fewer than 4 major regional events in a week.  Right now, I'm trying to fit the intern into the workflow for the following 30 weeks.  If I didn't take time now to revisit my plans, I would shortchange their learning experience.

http://pixelenemy.com/ask-the-community-what-games-are-you-most-looking-forward-to/

Looking forward, I see opportunity. 

For my consulting business, I'm rebooting a series of classes, workshops, and seminars, as well as integrating webinars and podcasting.  I see new ways to reach new markets, and ways to integrate what I do for the benefit of my region.  I have opportunities to influence more young entrepreneurial minds with a large keynote speaking opportunity, as well as speaking opportunities at more colleges and universities.  I have more opportunities to reach and inspire more start-ups and new innovative industry in the area.  Realistically, I'm planning for failure and seeing success.

Looking back, I see where I've come from.  

For my consulting business, I am failure-proofing my client relations after some tough lessons from the first half of this year.  I see where I took some big risks and saw too-little return.  I took every opportunity that I could, but didn't seek out as many opportunities as I should have.  I reached out to more people and tried to be more influential, and now I can say that I am a major influencer in my region.  That all happened so far in 2014.

I'm not one to spend a lot of time looking back, especially not with negativity.  I did enough of that in my 20s and learned several major lessons.  The biggest lesson I have learned and can teach others is: Do not ask what went wrong; ask what you can do differently.  This has changed the way I think about the past and the future.  Instead of focusing on negative experiences, I focus on learning experiences.  I work to failure-proof my business.  I share my victories with others through what I've learned by missing goals.  Oftentimes, I meet and exceed those goals instead.

Change your way of thinking; change your life.  Spend more time looking forward than backward; but know where you came from and learn from the past.  Share your experiences and learn from the experiences of others.   And most of all - take risks.

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur