Working with the Enemy....

We’ve all heard of the movie ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’, right? Well, what if you have to work with the enemy. There is always going to be someone within the office (or your company) whom you dread working with. From personality differences to professional differences, no one gets along with everyone all of the time. However, you do have to overcome differences in order to keep your job or your business. Hey, if you're the boss, you still have to work alongside people you may not like. This is a part of life.

My best advice is to gently exploit your arch enemy if kindness fails. This doesn’t mean go after him or her or their job, it simply means make it noticeable, nicely, to your boss or other employees what this person is doing wrong. If it is a client, you're going to have to help him or her realize they are wrong. This can be touchy since they are the one signing your paycheck!

For example, if the person constantly forgets to put in a proper computer code- you may want to send out an email stating “I know Tasha keeps entering “z” into the “y” spaces. Don’t worry, I had some free time to go in and correct all these mistakes as I am sure Tasha didn’t realize the error and I wanted to be a team player.”

If someone truly is becoming a rival, it has to be addressed. Sometimes a face-to-face can make it worse so polite exploitation may be the right way to go. Use your best judgment but also play fair. Don’t look for trouble unless you are pushed.

Yes, we have to learn to get along with others but there are some times when we're going to have to speak up and take charge.....

Until Monday,
Twyla N. Garrett

Networking, Is It A time Waster?

I blurted out laughing in line at my favorite coffee house today. Why? Well, I heard someone discussing how terrible they felt about heading to a marketing conference next week. He didn't want to do the "go team" thing during any conference activities because - frankly- "that stuff doesn't apply in my day-to-day operations." His honestly was brutal, his candor made me laugh, and he was 100% right!

Here's the thing, conferences don't have to be a waste of time. Networking events can benefit you. The trick is to know how to navigate these activities.

If you don;t head into a conference thinking about what you will not learn, chances are you will capitalize on the extra time (yes, away from your desk and your clients) to do the following;

Meet new people and potential new employees
Hear amazing speakers and generate ideas for your firm
Crystallize strategies you may have been considering
Forge partnerships with other co-managing PR firms
Learn about new technologies and figure out how to be ahead of your competition
Un-learn bad habits - which happens
Create a notebook full of smart tactics to take back to the office and implement

I think life is all about attitude. Sure, the things learned at conferences will not always fit into your day-to-day operations' plan. But, if you implement them correctly, they can elevate your business overall.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Stop Being Positive. Start Working!

People ask my all the time about business. After all, it is what I do best. I've been invited to The White House to talk about it. I've self-funded a million dollar project. I've failed and succeeded many times over. So what is the key?

DON'T BE POSITIVE!

Did I not sugar coat the truth just then? Well, i'm not sorry. People in business tend to see failure and make excuses for it. Don't. Accept the failure and either make improvements or make an exit strategy. Don't be blind and go down with the ship. There is no honor in it. There is honor in moving on or moving up- well, they really can be the same thing.

Have a sales person who isn't pulling his/her weight? Don't feel bad, feel lucky. Catch the problem and find a better sales person. Don't make excuses and try to remain positive. If sales have been lagging then the sales person isn't the right person for that job. Being too positive can hurt you in business. Be a realist. Be productive. Be honest with yourself and your employees!

Now, go be successful!

Twyla Garrett

Can You Sell Yourself / Your Business?

Business owners need to know how to sell their products / services. If they can't sell a product / service then how can they convince others to buy or invest?

The ability to sell is directly related to how successful an entrepreneur really is. In business you need to know how to negotiate (from buying paper in bulk to obtaining clients), to deal with "no," to build industry confidence, and to communicate effectively with a wide range of people. Relying on sales people may be needed to streamline business but YOU also need to know how to sell!

Sell and work! Selling is what makes you successful but you also have to put the time in. An eight hour sales day isn't going to cut it. True entrepreneurs work long hours and don't mind doing so.

Want to know more about selling and putting in the time to make that dime? Contact me! I am available for speaking engagements.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Don't Make the J.C. Penney Mistake!

Today I want to talk about the J.C. Penney mistake. Marketers will use the J.C. Penney brand for years to come when teaching students what NOT to do. So, what is the mistake and how do you avoid it?

Well, the first thing you need to learn NOT to do is apologize for change as a company. Yes, you should apologize if you provided a service that wasn't up to standards or made a mistake. But, you should never ever apologize for going in a different direction or rebranding as a company. J.C. Penney did this and it was a disaster. Shareholers were mad, the public didn't care about the change but more that they had to hear about it so many times (apology included), and so forth. Companies change, it happens. You shouldn't ever apologize for moving into a new direction or going with a new look or logo.

You should always keep the customer's perspective in mind. Another hole that J.C. Penney has to climb out of is ignoring what their customers wants and desires were. The company has spent the last two years focused on their needs and not the needs of the customers. This means the needs of the customers were not met- perhaps why their customer database has shrunk by such a large margin.

When you're in business there are going to be times when you need to change direction, rebrand and ask yourself if you're making decisions based on your needs or that of your customer. Try to spend today pondering these points and addressing on what side of the fence you currently stand.

Until next time,

Twyla

What is your business marketing mistake?

Marketing mistake... the biggest one most companies make!

Did you know many businesses create their brands based on their products? Did you know this is a huge mistake? It is true!

Businesses shouldn't brand based on product. Instead, businesses should brand based on a customer's emotions. Think about Starbucks. Their coffee is expensive, yet many of us go there a few times a week- if not every morning. Why? Can we don't make our own coffee? Is their coffee really THAT good at $4.00 a cup (around $100 a month)? Or, is their something personal about your visit to Starbucks? Maybe they call your name? Maybe your order is personalized to reflect your taste? Maybe the music your listening to in line is inspiring and comforting...

Hmmm - sounds like Starbucks sells more than just coffee. The company sells an emotional experience that brings you back day in and day out!

When you brand don't ask yourself about the products/services features. Ask how you feel when using the product or receiving the services. If you can connect your products/ services to an emotion then you will have a brand!

Need more info?
Contact me!

Twyla