Mistakes.  They happen.  They are going to happen.  The best you can hope for is to avoid them as much as possible and minimize their damage.  Mistakes.  They are what make us human.

In social media, mistakes are going to happen.  There will be miscommunication, misunderstanding, and failure to recognize opportunities.  Should this be the end of the world for your business?  No, and it should not be the end of your business’s foray into social media either.

The best way to minimize mistakes is to plan.  The best way to minimize the damage from the mistakes is to learn from them.  The best way to move forward is to recognize that mistakes can have hidden golden opportunities.  The only way to do that is to have a plan.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting – Buddha

Social Media Plan

Each interaction in social media needs to be coordinated against a larger plan.  This plan is your business’ overall approach to how you are going to use social media.  This plan will be adjusted as new initiatives and opportunities to arise.

Your social media plan should have the following components:

• Determine who is responsible for initiating, monitoring, and engaging in social media.
• Determine the goal of each message.
• Develop a decision-making model for conversations.
• Develop metrics to be measured for success/failure.
• Develop time frames for each initiative, conversation, and response.

These components will have to fit with the platform you have chosen as your social media platform.  That will have a determination on how important each component is.

Planning should involve all the key actors for your business.  This should include the decision makers all the way down to the communicators that will be implementing your social media plan.  This will help your team understand their roles, understand the decision-making model being used, and have the important buy-in by all parties involved.

During the planning sessions role-playing should be used to extrapolate the diversity and breadth of potential conversations that can be had.  This time can be used to discover where mistakes can be made; test assumptions of your social media plan and help create confidence in the use of the platform you have chosen.  Role-playing will help your team be able to identify weaknesses and opportunities when they arise.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure.  Continue to reach out. – Benjamin Franklin

Recognizing Mistakes

What social media planning helps your company do is be prepared for when mistakes happen.  They are going to happen.  It is in those mistakes that serendipity typically reigns and only well prepared companies are able to turn them into opportunities.

If you have a plan then you can make a decision.

Without planning and practice – through role-playing – your company will not even know when a mistake has been made and how to respond to it.  Take for example when Kevin Smith, the director, was asked to get off of a Southwest Airlines flight due to his size.  He got off and tweeted it immediately.  This could have caused a huge firestorm for Southwest Airlines if it did not have a social media plan in place.  Since Southwest did have a plan in place it was able to respond quickly and get all the facts out.  The result was a healthy conversation about the policies of Southwest and questioned motives of Mr. Smith.  The final verdict was left to those witnesses this social engagement and the potential for a bad public relations day was avoided.

The mistake was on both parties.  For Southwest, it should not have allowed Mr. Smith to take the earlier flight (it was packed) because of his size and their policy of charging larger passengers for two seats.  The flight he was on did not have enough.  For Mr. Smith, tweeting about this incident near the release of a new film of his made it look like it was self-serving to get free publicity.  The result was healthy education through social media engagement on the policies of Southwest and the steps they took to accommodate Mr. Smith.  Both got exposure and both got their side of the incident out.

Without planning, the mistake by Southwest would not have been able to be forward leaning to have a conversation about its policies online.  It would have had to approach everything in a reactive and defensive mode.  Southwest would not have been able to be part of the conversation.  Southwest would not have been prepared to respond.

The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way. – Dale Carnegie

Accepting Responsibility

Having a social media plan helps your business take responsibility when there is a mistake.  In a hyper-litigious society most companies never really say sorry and take responsibility.  The British Petroleum accident in the Gulf of Mexico has a sideshow of finger pointing as part of its narrative.  While there are about 35,000 barrels (roughly 350,000 gallons or 1,400,000 liters) of oil a day spilling into the waters.  The CEO of BP even made matters worse by complaining on his Facebook page.  Talk about not having a social media plan and making a mistake worse!

Social media – which allows for companies to have a direct conversation with customers while others watch – allows for companies to take responsibility.

A perfect example is in Chicago.  The Dominos Pizza franchise of Chicago uses social media to promote specials, engage with its customers, and to own up to mistakes.  In one instance one of the stores made a mistake with an order.  In response to a complaint that was tweeted, the store manager and the employee that made the mistake owned up to it.  Instead of ducking behind policies, procedures, or even finger pointing this Dominos franchise said sorry.  They did it by posting a video and engaging the customer directly while others watched.  The result: accolades and increased business.

This could not have happened without a social media plan.  Roles are assigned, conversation is thought out and dynamic, and individuals engage with other individuals in sincere conversation.  The social media plan of the Chicago Dominos franchise is focused and involved.  Through their social media plan they are a part of the conversation and a part of the community.  A local business taking advantage of a free platform to stay engaged.

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.  I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. – John Wooden

Mistakes Help You Learn

Mistakes.  They are going to happen.  As you start your social media engagement or you are already in one and your reassessing it, you will make mistakes.  It is through those mistakes that you will learn and grow.   Some may be costly and while I will not say that it is okay, how you rebound from it can be the biggest boon to your business.

A mistake made in front of the world.

If you are watching the World Cup then you may have heard about one of the largest mistakes made on the world stage by Robert Green, England’s Goalkeeper.  It was a simple mistake that allowed the United States to tie the match.  Mistakes in such a high-pressure event – especially at a key position – have repercussions for the team and the player involved.  Everyone watched as the mistake was made and now they are watching to see how Robert Green rebounds.

He and his team have learned a lot from that mistake.  He will be more aggressive to get behind the ball.  The team will clamp down to stop outside shots like Clint Dempsey’s.  Other teams are telling their keepers not to pull “a Green.”

So it will be when you make a mistake in social media.  Others will learn from your mistake and you will learn as well.  You cannot react and find the opportunities in your mistake if you do not have a social media plan.

How do you plan for your social media use?

Physics is governed by laws and theories that help scientists understand how our universe works.  There is the Theory of Relativity, the String Theory, and Newton’s Laws.  So it is with business.  While there are theories out there that you can put to use in helping make your business successful, there are also business laws that you violate at your own peril.  One of the most famous laws is the Law of Location.

Your office, your shop, your website, and you attendance at networking events are proof of the Law of Location at work.  If you are where your potential clients and customers are then you will most likely be successful.  Conversely if you are in a place where there are no potential clients then… it is going to be very hard to be successful.

The same Law of Location applies to where your business should spend its time in social media.  Your chances of having successful engagements and conversations will be best served if you are in the right location.

I want to put a ding in the universe. – Steve Jobs

Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn Oh! My!

Facebook and Twitter are household names.  You may have a personal profile on both of them.  There is no doubt that both are growing and being used more by businesses to communicate with their customers.  The latest stats show that the trend for the use of Facebook will most likely eclipse the use of Google.1 Yet is that the right platform for your business?

A great place for a high traffic newsstand?

Twitter is a real time streaming platform that only allows you to communicate in 140 characters or less.  Dell, Starbucks, JetBlue, and Whole Foods are considered the most successful corporations that use Twitter.  Dell is even reporting that it has earned up to $3 million in sales through its use of Twitter.2 Can your business really provide value in a rapid-fire environment like that?

The answer to these questions comes back to knowing your market, your business, and your customer.  Before you even jump into social media, you better have that knowledge firmly researched and understood.  The best way to do that is… ask your customers!  Ask them if, when, where, and how they engage in social media.  Doing this diligent research will save you the time (which always equals money) that you will invest in your social media effort.

So get cracking and do the necessary research before you even begin your campaign.  You might even discover that social media is not right for your business.  Yet, I highly doubt that.  The reality is that you will most likely discover that there are only a few platforms that are right for your business.

I like the atmosphere, the food and the beer.  The location is perfect, very easy to get to. – Arun Das

Communicate Correctly At Your Location

This sounds like that should be something that is easy to do, but sadly many businesses do this incorrectly.  Each social media platform has its own rules for engagement and the community expects you to get it right.  Otherwise you will be ignored or worse… labeled as a spammer!

It is the same when you would research a physical location for your business.  Not only would you look at the traffic that will place clients at your doorstep, but also at the rules and laws you have to follow to advertise to that traffic.  The same applies to social media, although without the official laws and codes that can land you with fines.

Shouting! The best way to shut communication down!

One of the bet ways to understand the nature of the communication of the social platform you have chosen is to observe.  Watch how your clients communicate with your competition, other customers and in other markets outside yours.  Passively observe your competition and how they communicate with your market.  By listening – which can only be active when applied to social media – you will learn what works, what offends, and what is… boring.  This information will help you create content that engages and builds a conversation around it.

Remember that business is a transaction between people.  For that transaction to take place ideas, concepts, and values have to be communicated in a means that is easily understood by all parties involved.  That means you have to listen to be an effective communicator in the real world and in social media.

I like to listen.  I have learned a great deal from listening carefully.  Most people never listen. – Ernest Hemingway

Successful use of social media is being in the right location and being involved.  That means a give and take and letting the conversation flow like a river.  To allow that conversation to flow you have to give up control and trust those you have engaged with.  Most businesses have a hard time doing that.

Yet, if you are in the right location and you trust your customers, then there is nothing to worry about.  In the process you will learn the underlying needs, ingenious uses of your products/services that would remain hidden, and of new opportunities all by being open.

Do your homework.  Find the social media location where you and your business belong.  Listen, engage, and communicate in the correct way for your social media location.  Allow for the serendipity to begin!

What other ways are there for you to find the right social media location for your business?

2 Miller, C. C. “Dell Says It Earned $3 Million From Twitter” New York Times, 12 June 2009.

In a previous post I discussed five guidelines a business should follow when it comes to engaging in social media.  They are question, plan, location, test, and measure.  In the coming posts I will be discussing each of them in greater detail.  This post will focus on the questions you need to ask yourself and your business before you begin.

Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.

Tony Robbins

The Foundation Question

Why should anyone listen to you?

Is anybody listening?

That is a pretty humbling question.  It makes you have to justify your existence in social media.  It puts you on the spot and can make you feel narcissistic in answering.  Yet, in its answer you will find the foundation for your social media plan and how you will measure your success/failure.

When you started your business you asked yourself the same question.  Slightly different in its wording – Why would anyone buy your product/services? – but basically the same.  I am sure you answered that question with a burning passion to fulfill the unmet needs of your customers.  Only you could make them be better off.

You must have the same faith in yourself in engaging in social media.  You have a profound message and that those who listen to you will be better persons, will learn something new, will find answers to their questions, etc.

My client Rocky Mountain Roots knows that their services will lead their customers to lead healthier lives.  They know that their community has a few misunderstandings when it comes to alternative medicine.  So my clients engage their community to educate them.  They hold the passionate belief that they are the best people to educate their community.  That is their why.

What will yours be?

We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us.

Friedrich Nietzsche

The Voice Question

Some confuse this with persona, which is how your network perceives you.   Your voice is how you will write, post, tweet, and otherwise engage with your audience.  You need to determine what your voice is going to be and make sure that it is consistent across all social media networks your are engaging in.

Typically most businesses engage in the third person as their voice.  This only gives credence that companies are cold faceless entities that care little for their customers’ needs/complaints.  It is best to have a first person voice.

Speaking in the first person has to match with the social media persona you are going to be using.  The first person creates an individual bond with each person you are engaging with.  They feel as if they are speaking with a real person as opposed to a faceless entity.

Understand that you will not please everyone.  That is okay, because pleasing everyone pleases no one.  So define your voice that best represents your business and make sure that it is personal.

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway

The Listening Question

If you have been engaged individually in social media already you know that some people and/or businesses are only focused on themselves.  Just like in real life.  It is all me, me, me, and more me.

One of the tenets – one would say laws – of social media for businesses is to listen.  The question that needs to be answered is what kind of listening will you do?

Will you listen just to customers and potential clients?

Will you listen to your markets?

Will you listen to your competition?

Will you listen to learn?

Will you listen to bad/good news?

Will you listen to comments about you?

The answer should be a resounding “YES!” to all of them.

I hear what your saying but I am not listening

The great thing about the different social media platforms is that you can set up searches for items you want to know about, keep tabs on, and to educate yourself.  With many social media platforms providing real-time updates, you can passively monitor and listen.

The key to listening is being active in it.  This means that you cannot listen to everything or it becomes white noise.  When you develop your social media plan you will need to identify specifically what it is that you want to listen to.  Therefore you will be more actively engaged and focused on the information that matters to you and your customers the most!

HINT: Listening is always about them, never about you.

It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past.

Karl Von Clausewitz

Once you have answered these and the other questions mentioned in the previous post, you will have a strong foundation to build a social media strategy and tactical plan.  You will be able to engage your audience and create loyal fans.  You will be in position to outmaneuver your competition and grow your business.  You will become a social media success!

Additional Reading For Your Success

Make Twitter Successful For Your Business

22 Traits of Successful Happy Bloggers

13 Truths About Social Media

5 Social Media Guidelines For Beginners

What questions would you ask your business, customers, or yourself before you jump into social media? Don’t be shy; share!

I ran into an old colleague in the supermarket yesterday. (No, no one got hurt.)  We were discussing the current business climate and how our respective businesses are going.  His is in a breakout stage right now, which means he feels a bit overworked but happy.  He is working for a medical device company that does not make a unique product but has improved on current technology.  Which got us into the conversation about what makes a successful start-up company and how do entrepreneurs discover new ideas.

The Secret Recipe

We are all bombarded through media about those who discover a break-through product or a completely new way of doing business.  The pressure on most entrepreneurs, or would be ones, is to discover a fantastic new way to do business.  Yet, there is tons of money to be made by improving existing products, services, and methods of doing businesses.  In fact, if you review most of the break-through products of the last decade and they are improvements on products/services that were already out there.  iPod: improvement on portable CD player and the Walkman.  Notebook computers: improvement on the laptop.  Facebook: improvement on MySpace.

These improvements represent a new direction on existing products/services that were not meeting a need by the market.  That is what it all comes down to in the end… meeting an unmet need.

So, if you are looking to start a new company or create a new product it has to meet the following test:

• Will it meet an unmet need? This is the test that must be passed in order to have any success.  It would do you no good to launch a buggy-whip business where there is not a need for them.  You must do your research to make sure that there are needs that are not being met.  If your product meets and exceeds those needs then you are well on your way to launching a successful business.

If it is so easy then why do most companies fail?  Well, the answer to that question is a hydra of responses.  It could be poor quality of the product, bad business plan, unsuccessful value propositions, et cetera.  Regardless, most of the time it is because the unmet need has been overstated and not vetted.  Think of Crystal Pepsi (I think I am the only person in the world that drank it) and New Coke.  Both of those products were failures because the need was overstated in the research.  There simply was not a need for them.

If you have a great idea, don’t keep it to yourself.  Well, keep the secret recipe and all to yourself, but not the idea.  You need to test if there really is an unmet need that your business idea will fulfill.  That means that you need to seek out beyond your social circle to receive feedback.

This is the toughest part, because the feedback can be brutal.  Yet, it is important as it helps you gauge how much desire there is out there for the services you wish to offer.  It also helps you not be myopic in your vision.

Coming back to my conversation with my friend.  We were both shopping for groceries for different reasons.  It was time to stock up the fridge and cupboards for him.  For me, I needed a few ingredients to complete a recipe I was trying on items I already had.  Another trip, that when you add time and gas, was becoming costly.  If only there was a website where I can plug-in the basic ingredients and it could spit out a recipe.  Hey! That’s an idea!

How would you test if your business idea is ready?

About the author:

Erroin A. Martin is a Business Advocate with the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, a business coaching and consultancy provider for business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs. He has fifteen years experience working within the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, natural resources, medical devices, software, technology, business services, and agriculture industries in various levels of leadership across six continents. He has led diverse teams in sales, marketing, planning, and in the Army.  He currently coaches business leaders and physicians in the tools needed to plan for their success. Learn more about the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC at www.vongehrconsulting.com or call +1 203 433 8079.  You can follow him on Twitter at @Erroin

The Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, was founded by Erroin A. Martin to provide business coaching, business consulting, and other services to companies both large and small.  The primary goal is to have his clients be passionate about their business and reach the unachievable.

Many businesses and entrepreneurs are great at making plans.  While it is one of the toughest things to do initially, it is easy to create plans once you get the hang of them.  Where things go wrong is the failure in execution of those plans.  The problem is trying to execute too many things at the same time spreading resources out with no depth.  Success comes from practicing and executing on your strengths, which are only a few items, with intense depth.  Therefore you are executing a mile deep and an inch wide.

Watch Execution Is A Mile Deep Process in Educational & How-To |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

What Have been your experiences?

In my previous blog about business planning, I discussed the method of backwards planning.  Whether you are planning a marketing campaign, a social media initiative, a sales plan, or even something unheard of yet… it is best to execute those items in manageable pieces.

…break up the tasks into those easily executable, manageable chunks.

It is best first to understand that backwards planning sets your milestones.  It helps your lay down the timeframe expectations for the various pieces of your plan.  Now you have to execute it.  This is where the principle of the 30 60 90 day execution comes in.

Strategy & Planning

There is no secret sauce to this. No eleven herbs and spices.  No special cola formula to using a 30 60 90 execution plan.  You look at your backwards plan and you break up the tasks into those easily executable, manageable chunks.

Where people go wrong in using a 30 60 90 day execution plan is when they overload the first thirty days with too many tasks to complete.  What was once a manageable tool is now filled with traps of failure of “too much.”

…you need to cross off what is completed and update it at a regular interval.

The next area where business executives tend to fail using this execution plan is that they forget it is a rolling plan.  Once you make it the clock starts.  The thirty days starts now and when they pass, what was on the 60-day portion becomes the 30-day portion and the 90 the 60.

To ensure that you do not stack too much in the first thirty days break it into three buckets of what needs to get done.  So think of the 30 as what needs to get done now.  Think of 60 as what can get done later.  Think of 90 as what can only be accomplished after 30 and 60 get accomplished.  This helps you make sure that you do not stack too much in the first thirty days.

Remember backwards planning is assigning a date and time of when you want to accomplish a particular goal, finish a project, or meet a deadline.

To avoid the second pitfall, forgetting that this plan is rolling, you need to cross off what is completed and update it at a regular interval.  Every month is definitely not a proper interval.  If you do that you are not really looking at or utilizing your plan.  Every day is obviously overkill.  It is best to pick a day in the week.  I am keen to Sundays as this is when I begin looking at what needs to be accomplished for the upcoming workweek.  Sunday I review what I completed (or not, I am human) and update my execution plan for the next 30 60 90 days.

Steps To Success

One of the keys to making this work is that you need to cross off items as you complete them.  It keeps you looking at your plan and not letting things pile up on you.

Remember backwards planning is assigning a date and time of when you want to accomplish a particular goal, finish a project, or meet a deadline.  You are working from that point in time backwards to where you are now so that you can align your resources, assign teams, and avoid unnecessary tasks.  Think of this as a walking the field before the big game or match. You are getting a lay of the land before you actually play.  The 30 60 90 day execution plan is a forward looking business planning tool that works within the frame work of the backwards plan to meet your major milestones.  Think of this as the actual plays you are executing during the game.

I am always interested in know how other people plan and execute their work, how do you plan?

About the author:

Erroin A. Martin is a Business Advocate with the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, a coaching and consultancy provider for businesses and medical practices. He has over eleven years experience working within the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, technology, business services, and agriculture industries in various levels of leadership across six continents. He has led diverse teams in sales, marketing, planning, and in the Army.  He currently coaches business leaders and physicians in the tools needed to plan for their success. Learn more about the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC at www.vongehrconsulting.com or call +1 203 433 8079.  You can follow him on Twitter at @Erroin

Marketing and PR have long been fields dominated by women and, as we move into the world of new media, especially all things related to social mediums, it’s no surprise that this is an area where women are amazingly adept. I’ll be the first to admit that, right now, men seem to dominate the field. You can’t toss a stick without hitting guys like Chris Brogan, Brian Solis, Jay Baer, Gary Vaynerchuck and other heavy hitters in the world of new media.  My advice to those talented gentlemen: enjoy it while you can, because it won’t be long until you’re overtaken by the Estrogen Team.

I am joking – but not. I just read a brilliant post Why Women Thrive In Social Media written by my good friend and occasional colleague, Owen JJ Stone, a/k/a @ohdoctah on Twitter. Owen is a big presence in the social media realm and is especially well known for his vlogging.  He understands video in a way that not everyone does, and is a sought after consultant when it comes to businesses wanting to integrate video and other tactics into their social media marketing efforts. But the beautiful thing about Owen is that he also understands women – and why they are so good at what they do.  His latest post on women in the social media realm is insightful and right on target.

Women make the majority of the purchasing decisions in most households

Women make the majority of the purchasing decisions in most households and nearly one-half of the workforce is comprised of women. In fact, in a recent poll done by Time magazine, some 40% of women surveyed indicate they are the primary breadwinners in their household. So, when it comes to brands and their never-changing objective of reaching their target audience, it’s a no-brainer that that audience is, in most cases, women. And women instinctively know not only how to connect with other women in effective ways, they also know what moves women and compels them to make buying decisions.

Our male counterparts… have to work infinitely harder… men are not, by nature, givers.

Power Exercised In Social Media

As such, it only makes sense that women are front and center when it comes to marketing and PR. And, in no time, we’ll see them really dominate (if they aren’t already) the world of social mediums. Women have been unloading on one another since the beginning of time. We dish dirt, we ask advice, we share tips and ideas, we offer shoulders upon which to cry and take them just as willingly when needed in return. We are often unflinchingly honest, with ourselves and one another, and share pieces of ourselves that would – and often do – horrify men. We are empathy personified and are conditioned to nurture from literally the earliest stages of toddlerhood on. As such, with the very fibers of our beings, we completely and totally “get” how important it is to listen within the social media world. And to give before we ever expect to get. Women are born givers. As such, we understand that giving is a natural part of the equation. Our male counterparts, no matter how accomplished, have to work infinitely harder to understand that concept, simply because men are not, by nature, givers.

And so, I leave you with this. The world of social mediums, while filled with manly movers, shakers, book writers and pontificators is, ultimately, a world that will be lovingly and most capably conquered by and led by some amazing women. They are out there already, quietly doing their thing. Some members of the Estrogen Team to whom I look for inspiration are @Laura_Lake @adamsconsulting @BuzzEdition @LizStrauss @Nongling @BethHarte @SSmirnov @zenaweist @BridgetAyers @SarahRobinson and @AnnEvanston. Some of them don’t even know me, or barely know me, yet they still inspire – thus, the beauty of Twitter.  And, please know, this is only a drop in the bucket of the many, many female voices singing so beautifully in the social media choir that so consumes me on a daily basis.

Who inspires you?

About The Author

Shelly Kramer is a Co-founder of V3 Integrated Marketing and founder of Kramer & Co, both headquartered in Kansas City, MO, and doing business with clients all over the world. She’s a sought after consultant and speaker, well-known for her “keeping it real” persona. She’s irreverent, irrepressible and possessed of a wicked sense of humor.  In short, when she’s in the room, you know it. And, when it comes to business her clients will be the first to tell you she is, without question, their secret weapon.  You can read her blog here: http://www.v3im.com/blog and find her on Twitter @shellykramer http://www.v3im.com

You have worked diligently in identifying who your ideal customer is.  You can picture exactly in your mind how they look, dress, eat, drive, and most importantly spend their money.  Yet do you know who influences their decisions?

Now I am sure you have noticed that I have not written what, but who?

It is the “Who” that has a tremendous amount of power over how your ideal customer purchases your product and/or services.  If you have not identified the “Who” for your ideal customer then here are three things you can do to start today:

1.  Ask Your Customer

How weird is that? Talking to your customer? Yet that is something that many businesses still do not do.  I have not quite figured out why that is.  Maybe it is because they fear the answer will be no or something else that is negative. The reality is your customer will tell you “Who” influences them.  A great example is when you ask for (close for) the business and they say,”I have to talk to my spouse.” or “I need to take this to the committee.”  Your ideal customer is telling you who has an influence over the decision.  Asking them ahead of time will let you in on that information.

Engage in an open conversation with your customers and tell them why you want to know who else is involved in the decision.  Remember that people love to talk about themselves.  Ask and listen.  You will be amazed what you will learn.

2.  Ask Your Competition

Look at your competition.  How are they marketing their products/services to your customers?  Who do they target their ads towards?  Are their ads directed towards children, spouses, or how they will win with their bosses?

Your competition maybe wrong, and they maybe right, either way your competition is a wealth of information.  You should never ignore them.

3.  Look At Their Community

They are many factors that go into this last part and you really need to do your homework.  One trap that can easily be sprung is the trap of assumptions.  One thing customers hate is when you make the assumption that they are not in control of their decisions.  Yet, the community where they live, work, network and shop has an influence on them.

If your ideal customer is a heavy user of social media sites like, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. You can see who their influencers are by participating in their conversation.  (Keep this mind, sometimes the influencers do not have the largest network.  This means their voice is not diluted.)  Twitter has many great third party tools that are free that can help your identify a users influencer like Klout.

What is key to all three of these secrets is listening and observing.  By doing this you will be able to learn much more than you could ever know.  With that information you can engage in meaningful value driving conversations with your customers that will result in higher sales.

Listen to our Podcasts

Download our Business Coaching White Paper

We have had the honor of having written a guest post for the pharmaceutical industry blog pharmaphorum.

Our post touches upon the changes currently being debated in the U.S. Legislature on Healthcare.  The changes will have a profound impact in how the industry sells its products.

Enjoy! and we look forward to reading your comments!

Pharmaphorum Post on US Pharmaceutical Sales

An article in the recent edition of the Harvard Business Review talks about the need to bring conflict into the workplace.  Picking a fight about the future direction for a brand, product, or company can be key in bringing out innovation and a stronger plan.

The article gives you the tools you might need to set the conditions and manage the fight within the organization.  Allowing for controlled and open “combat” can let the company challenge assumptions and keep “lemming thought” under control.

An Earnest Fight For The Future

While a company will benefit from the open conversation and honesty that comes with fights, if it is not clear that the winning side has total victory the grudges will lie in wait.  This means that the leader must have clear rules on who wins and who loses in the fight.  The losers must set the example that once they have lost the fight they will follow without question.  The winners, after winning, will not gloat.

We have two examples to draw from here that demonstrate the pros and cons of fighting within an organization.  The first is from the fashion industry and the second from history.

“…after the clear winner was chosen the other three fell in line…”

A fashion designer takes her woven sweater design to a Chinese knitting factory.  In order to determine the best method in making the sweater, the factory owner assigns four master seamstresses to make the sweater by hand through their interpretation of the design.  After one day all four seamstresses came back and shared their knitted product with the designer and the factory owner.  After inspection the designer picked one winner.  The other three seamstresses matched the winner’s style and duplicated the sweater. The lesson here is that after the clear winner was chosen the other three fell in line and followed the plan of action for the launch of a successful sweater.

“They, the defeated, paid him back through the ultimate boardroom revolt.”

A look at history is strewn with lessons of losers holding grudges and winners gloating over the defeated.  We will pick just one for today’s blog, Julius Caesar.  One could argue that the civil war between Julius Caesar and the Senate was an organizational fight over power in Rome.  Caesar’s victories over the armies of Pompeii Magnus and the Senate were total and complete on the battlefield.  Yet, Caesar did not follow the clear Roman rules of dealing with the defeated, which usually meant killing them.  Instead he “forgave” them of their offenses and tried to co-opt them.

This did two things.  The first is that it did not give the signal of a total victory and second, it made the defeated feel beholden to Caesar and therefore stoking their feelings of revenge.  Each action Caesar took after his battlefield victories looked as if he was gloating over the defeated.  They, the defeated, paid him back through the ultimate boardroom revolt.

How do you apply confrontation to the betterment of your business?

Listen to our podcasts