That Pesky Elevator Pitch

I have always made fun of elevator pitches and thought they were rather trite until I had a breakthrough with Jonathan Fitzgarrald at the Legal Marketing Association Conference in D.C. last year. (I’ll even allow that I entered the room well after the session started because I had it listed as a lower priority on the day.)

What is the pitch? Well, Jonathan knew his audience and delivered a session that told us what he was going to do for us, showed us how he was going to do it, then prepared us to fly before we left the room. In that short session, Jonathan demonstrated the tools that can “guarantee a lifetime of employability” in the words of Jack Welch.

1. Know your audience – what is the pitch and the available time? He gave the example of Bud the water filter salesman who had his audience and pitch down to the point where he finished his story, “if you don’t have a filter…” the audience would shout back, “you are the filter!” Bud had a product that was not differentiated, however, he was the point of differentiation.
2. Pull from personal experience and distinguish yourself.
3. Show specific examples and sell the sizzle of your qualifications.

The message components include:

1. Deliver the end result first
2. Demonstrate expertise through a hook and tell about the risk you took
3. Include a drama scenario of overcoming an obstacle to entertain your audience
4. What was your creative solution to the obstacle including details?
5. What was the “aha” moment where the benefit was delivered – that zinger moment?

Granted, this is only the framework, but Jonathan finally gave me a structure and story that I could believe in that could be edited for a 30-second taste or a three to five minute story.

What do you do when you are faced with the decision to make a change or lose your job?

I’ve always wanted to work at a bike shop and had the chance to be a mechanic at Iowa Bike and Fitness in Newton when in high school. I moved to Ames for college and wrenched at Michael’s Cyclery. After a few months, business started to slow down as the weather grew colder. My hours were getting reduced, so Iasked to join the sales staff. I watched, listened, studied, and learned from the managers and developed into the lead salesperson and eventually the manager over a few years. Through this experience, I was able to lead the sales team to deliver consistent customer service and probe for opportunity to grow our business with each time the door bell rang.

After graduation, I needed a new challenge and moved to Des Moines to work for The Des Moines Register. I didn’t start out as a suit and tie executive, but a jeans and t-shirt tele-sales rep selling $16.95 three-line auto ads for five days in the metro. However, if you got me on the line, your ads started at $75. I quickly progressed through the organization and was selling $2 million a year to local auto dealers and real estate firms.

But I was bored, so I took a new challenge and moved into marketing, pr, advertising, events, and development with Storey Kenworthy Office Furniture and Products. I helped develop their new brands, WorkSpace Inc., and Business Furniture Warehouse, and provide the resources to staff to show customers how they could “Get More” every day compared to the Big Boxes.

Which brings me to today where I’m Marketing Director at one of Iowa’s largest law firms. I’ve developed a strength in marketing, sales, development, training, and willing to take risksto move forward in my career and community. I’ve demonstrated moving from a shy wrench to a focused executive and I can do the same for you. I’m the Marketing Mechanic who can provide the tools you need to be successful in business and life.

So you wonder what happened to the wrenches? I put them away. I was always a horrible mechanic (who should have been fired) and now pay for my work to be done.

What is your story?

Silly Season Shuffle: Plan With Confidence

2010 is encroaching upon us and it seems like people are getting the urge to plan for their coming year.

Here’s an idea for you – get out of the annual basis and look into macro & micro cycles. To keep thing simple – let’s look at it this way…

MACRO: What is your ultimate destination?

MICRO: Where do you need to go today?

I’ll put it out there in retrospective:

Macro: Earn my ISU MBA

Micro: Execute curriculum with daily studies, weekly classes and team meetings, and monthly projects.

Macro: Develop as a Legal Marketing professional, earn confidence in the marketing function of the firm.

Micro: Daily interaction with attorneys and departments, weekly updates to the efficacy of our marketing efforts, monthly planning, review and adjustments.

The key to success in these two examples is the ability to plan, but also react and make changes on the fly. As I embarked upon the journey towards both goals at roughly the same time, I had to be fluid and able to adjust priorities. One of the tools I engaged to help with prioritization is Getting Things Done by David Allen.

*** Here is a cool post from @levirosol I found this morning.

What Does Your Network Look Like?

What is your big goal for 2010? Do you have a bunch of tiny ones? Who are the people who can help you get to where you want to be? Take a hard look at your network and take inventory of the connections you have and note where you need to improve.

 

1. What do you want to learn about? I’ve recognized that I really like learning and the challenge of the graduate education solidified it for me. The MBA from Iowa State University opened my eyes and mind to new concepts, constructs, and a greater appreciation for businesses. I want to learn about how businesses consume professional services and how I can continually add value to the relationship. This will require regular contact with business leaders and asking them to think about their business, history, and goals.
2. Who can connect you to others? This is important as you need to get out of the vacuum and find those people Malcolm Gladwell describes in “The Tipping Point” as connectors who can align relationships. These relationships can be based on school, hobbies, interest, awards, charities, family, worship, or my favorite, exercise. Where else, but exercise, can you share an experience and spend quality time together? Just running for 55 minutes yesterday, I connected with four people that I’ve been planning on talking to about health and nutrition, goal setting, and marketing.
3. How can you make these connections? Here is the tough part. Provide value to make the connection and meeting. Never go into a meeting without a goal of what needs to be accomplished. This little act shows that you are aware that time is valuable and you intend on giving something back for the interaction.
4. What could you give away? This is my Steve Farber-esque “Greater Than Yourself” advice of the day. What is something you’ve learned along the way that could help the connection. Is it an idea, a connection, a referral, business, or advice? Think about it and be prepared to give. People will remember it and it will come back to you greater than you paid out in the first place.

Like Rome, networks aren’t built in a day. I’ve realized value of my networks many times over the years. It is a relationship that is built upon giving, rather than taking. Sharing ideas, contacts, experiences, and goals help create that tie that binds. My freebie for the day: ask someone who is important to you out to breakfast, coffee, lunch, or a drink, and be prepared to ask questions, listen, and learn. Make the engagement about them and see where the opportunities are for you to help. I’ve spent the better part of November doing this, and the value of the shared time, information, inspiration, and energy is fantastic.

Caffeinate Your Marketing

Every now and again, I need to sit down with people I look up to professionally for a cup of coffee and a dose of inspiration. Like anyone, I get stuck in a rut from time to time and need a little push to get me going again. Coincidentally, November has been the month where I’ve taken quite a few coffee meetings, lunches, and a few beers, as well.  Here are some of the high points from what I’ve learned.

• Think creatively. What is the most inexpensive way to dispense knowledge and share information? How about a book club at your office where you read a book and lead executives through a thirty minute session based on your findings?
• Add value. If you’re meeting with a high-level executive or mentor, think about what they may need to be successful? Find out what they’re passionate about and add some light to the subject. Let them know what is big in your professional environment and why they should be aware of it.
• Why hire an expert when you can do it yourself? This pieces was invaluable for me. Even when you have a great deal of professional respect for the experts, have some confidence in yourself and your gut. It can save you time, money, and improve your standing.
• Don’t be scared to think big. The big ideas are the ones that challenge us to look at matters differently and say “what if…”
• Don’t be scared of criticism. Criticism is a means to find ways to improve the way you work with individuals and groups. Figure it out, get help from others, and make the steps to add value to the relationship.
• Protect your time. Turn off your e-mail alerts, block time to think, write, act, and review your tasks, projects and goals. You’ve got a calendar on your desktop, use it. Just in the past few days, I’ve been more productive by emptying my e-mail box, setting time on my calendar for big tasks, and delegating those that can be handled without me. (Note: I’m not that important that tasks can get done without me.)
• Make tangental connections. After you’ve had a meeting with someone, set another, but bring a friend or business associate who would make sense.
• Set action steps. If you have a meeting of the minds, make sure you follow up on what you have talked about.
• Stay in touch. Don’t do it just once a year and expect to see a value.

I’m sure more will come of this post, so keep an eye out for how I follow through on these goals.

Making Marketing Work in Your Organization

A great article in Ad Age about the Association of National Advertisers CMO roundtable with CMOs from Best Buy, Con Agra, Fidelity, and General Mills referenced transparency and chemistry as drivers for marketing.

First of all, Mr. Speros [Fidelity] said, you’ve got to realize that the clock is ticking. “Velocity is key, because you don’t have a lot of time to make a difference,” he said. “You have to get in very fast and make relationships with the right people, understand the hot-button issues.”

I love the word “velocity” in the relationship business. Also, consider that time is money. Set an agenda, stick to it, and stay cognizant of the time you’re using of your top execs. They’ll appreciate it and build the basis of a strong relationship (and maybe an advocate as well).

Of equal importance is to build a learning culture within the organization. Ms. Chow [Con Agra] developed a training system for social media with executives. I can’t think of a better way to develop ideas and partnerships at the same time.

So what does marketing look like in your organization?Are you working the floor, listening, sharing ideas and moving a thought to action? Think about your role in the context of these tweets from my buddy Josh Fleming @admavericks.

Everytime you’re w/a client, give them what they asked for, but always give them a new idea.

or

Tell them. Tell them again. Tell them what you told them.

By the way – kudos on the big win for best blog!

Social Media Triathlon

I’ve been bitten by the bug in a big way. I started training and racing triathlons in 2006, immediately progressing from a sprint distance to a 70.3 half-ironman in a season. I quickly learned success is in preparation and focus on training your strengths and weaknesses in the disciplines. Most people incorrectly peg the sport as swim, bike and run. That is where they go wrong – it is so much more – great sleep, understanding friends, nutrition, quality rest, fantastic training partners, regular massage, intense core, relaxing yoga, regular weights, weekly chiropractic, hardcore pilates, physical therapy, and most important, a loving, supportive family.

Look outside the simple swim, bike and run and figure out what is really necessary to succeed.

 

 

So how would social media relate if you looked beyond the obvious needs of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks? What do people in each of the social arenas need to be successful and how can you deliver in a Steve Farber-esque Greater Than Yourself way? Part of this is looking at social from the perspective of the customer, but the other is finding the right person who is ready to learn and capable of committing the time to learn.

As someone who develops people to be Greater Than Yourself said, “you can’t learn triathlon in a season… it takes years.” Social Media is the same way. Enjoy the journey.

#HMDM09

You don’t win if you don’t play and this was definitely the day to play with the players in local and regional technology.

Get your own knuckles at the knuckle tattoo gun.

Highlight Midwest “Big Blimpin'” was a great opportunity to get all of the thought leaders and business drivers in the same building to chat about ideas, opportunities, markets, and collaboration around technology. From the newest start-ups to 103 year-old companies, everyone was engaged and excited to talk about business. I’m most excited to check out the day’s interviews with Andy and Doug at http://managingtheedge.com/

Senator Charles Grassley joined the fun, met the attendees and gave opening remarks, I thought his presence added a level of credibility and visibility to the day.

I was honored to be a part of the team and thought it was a great new event to usher into the community. Kudos to the following tweeps for making it happen today – @jensenrf @rendadmregister @benstone @benfromgog @mikesansone @admavericks @smash50309 @tomflynn3 @catchfiremedia @shanereiser @justbrady @richdrake @bretttrout @davisbrownlaw @smartkindling @clairecelsi @doug_mitchell @andybrudtkuhl … and the tons of others I met and networked with – sorry if I neglected you on the list!

When Will Passion Strike LinkedIn?

What are you passionate about?

I love bicycles and am a member, lurker and poster of a handful of bike-related user groups since I got involved in late 2000. The people I watch and engage are thoughtful, knowledgeable, and approachable. I’ve learned quite a bit about the sport and the personalities involved.

I share my love for two-wheelers in a group of like-minded individuals.

So why don’t you show it on LinkedIn?

When we spend 40-50-60 hours a week doing something, it is hard to determine whether it is a passion or a necessity. Work is… well, work and if it was anything else, they’d name it appropriately.

This is the rub with professional social networking. It’s bland. It is sterile. It needs help and you’re the right person for it.

1. Ask what professionals need to be successful. Seriously. Ask people what their hot buttons are and listen. Engage and develop a relationship.

2. Introduce people to the network. If you think the network has potential, ask others to join and add content.

3. Put your personal brand out there. Social media is all about the personality, brand and message. Stick to it and be consistent.

4. Comment, critique and add value. Now, I’m not advocating flaming posts, but point out opportunities and ways to improve strategy and action.

5. Share your passion and bring out the passion in others. Thank people for their insight and compliment their commitment to the conversation.

Now, this isn’t exactly rocket science, but the ones who can help develop and drive the conversations will provide real value to the network.

Be passionate – people will thank you for it.

Networking Critical Mass

Look at my tags for this post on networking – advertising – branding – events – public relations – strategy – they all apply to getting out and involved.

Reading Mary Gottschalk’s Guest Opinion in this week’s Business Record about no-pressure networking reminded me of the power of relationships. I’ve been fortunate to build strong relationships across the business community through my passions of bike racing, running and triathlons. It helps me find a peer group to have a good time with, but also bounce business and networking ideas as well. Go where the rest of the business people are is the subtle advice – if they run – run with them.

Run with the leaders, influencers and connectors.

It also stimulated a brainstorm of how to add value to networking events.

I’ve been a regular at the Downtown Council presented by the Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce meetings for almost a year now and call it my mega-networking meeting. Not only do I get the opportunity to socialize, but I meet important new people who can help drive the marketing and business development functions.

What can you do to add value to meetings like this? Consider volunteering and inviting others to participate. If you become an advocate and evangelist, others will definitely notice. Do you have a skill set you’d like to develop? Unleash it and see what you can do to build on that networking critical mass.

Once you’ve got it started, then apply the magic to other groups in the community and you’re bound to be noticed.

Check out the Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce and upcoming Downtown Council meetings on Facebook.