Buddy-ing Contacts

by Jared on June 30th, 2006

When was the last time you refreshed your professional contact network? Then again, when was the last time you refreshed your personal contact network…most likely known as your AIM buddy list?

If you’re like me, your buddy list probably has a mish-mosh of old friends, family, casual acquaintances and some folks you might not even keep in contact with anymore. Your professional contact network is the same way.

The only difference is that most of us don’t have the professional network in a handy, easy-to-use medium like AIM.

What happens is that unlike your AIM list where re-connection is only a click away; your professional contact network may languish unused most of the time in a card file or an electronic address book. In order to make it easier for you to tap your professional contact network like you AIM, you need to do a couple of things.

First of all, you need a network medium that makes your professional contacts as easy to connect with as your personal one. This means you not only need a system that organizes your contacts in an easy-to-view manner (like an AIM list), you need one that helps you associate those contact with particular causes.

Personally, I try to use a card file that lays out business cards I collect like CDs. On the back of each one I write a note to myself about what they do and how I can refresh that network contact. I then send an e-mail to them, saying it was nice to meet them and reminding them about who I am.

Later on, as I riffle through those contacts, I am always reminded of my network. Just like AIM, I am more prone to keeping those contacts top-of-mind and maintain regular contact with them.

Small things like forwarding on an article of interest or inviting them to a professional reception can help feed your network so they are warmed up when you eventually do need them.

20SMF Episode #44 – Such Is Boycotting, Such Is Life

by Jared on June 29th, 2006

Show Description:
Risk, shame and luck are all a part of this weeks’ show with a nod to the Marketing Sherpa Winners, Boycotts, and my Atlantic City Weekend.

Show Notes:
I) Sherpa Update, Audience Growth Update
II) Fleishman Hillard’s Out Front Survey
III) Game Plan: Luck & Life in Atlantic City

Referenced Links:
Dousing the Flames at Fleishman-Hillard
Marketing Diner Podcast – New Episode This Week
20SMF Skypecast – Get in on next week’s show LIVE!

Next Week’s Show:
20-Something Marketing Skypecast
Wednesday, July 5th
9:30 EST / 6:30 PST
Click Here For More Information

Podcast:

Right Click And ‘Save As’ To Download Full Show

The Friday Line – Marketing Service?

by Jared on June 23rd, 2006

Today, I read that the renowned “20 Basics” of Ritz-Carlton Service are being paired down to just 12. Since the early 1980’s, these rules have been the hallmark of the Ritz, compelling every employee to treat every guest like royalty. (If you don’t know what I mean by this, go into your local RC and ask where something is, you’ll see soon enough).

Ultimately, the shift is an attempt to make the Ritz brand a bit less stodgy. It calls upon employees to do more “thinking for themselves” in order to adapt to the younger, hipper “blackberry and jeans” business traveler.

As a former student of hospitality I can see why they are doing this. In essence, it comes down to how you serve someone. For instance, U.S. waiters are taught that you only serve from the guests left – allowing for the fact that most people are right handed. What happens when the guest is either left handed or is actually engaged in conversation with someone on their left? Serving the plate in that manner might actually be considered rude.

That’s what the Ritz is doing here; promoting the thought that every service rule doesn’t always apply to every situation.

Of course we can’t do this for every prospect in marketing but we can think about it in terms of debunking typical rules. For instance, the idea that every prospect is completely internet illiterate may alienate you from the 20% that you need to make 80% of your profits.

My line for Friday is this – if you have to think in terms of service, think of how the prospect would want to be served, not just how you would like to be.

20SMF Episode #43 – The Office Politick

by Jared on June 22nd, 2006

Show Description:
U.S. News and World Report Contributing Editor, Dr. Marty Nemko drops by the show to engage in a discussion of office politics and shares his unvarnished opinions on work-life balance and getting ahead of drama in the modern workplace.

Show Notes:
I) 20SMF Nominated For A Marketing Sherpa Award – VOTE NOW
II) Interview With Dr. Marty Nemko, US News And World Report Contributing Careers Editor
III) Game Plan: Powerful Perception

Referenced Links:
MartyNemko.com – 500 Free Career and Office Place Politics Articles
20SMF Nominated For A Marketing Sherpa Award – VOTE NOW
Win At Office Politics Without Selling Your Soul - By Marty Nemko

Podcast:

Right Click And ‘Save As’ To Download Full Show

VOTE NOW: 20SMF Nominated For MarketingSherpa Award

by Jared on June 20th, 2006

Today, the MarketingSherpa nominations came out and guess who got one for specialized best blog/podcast? THAT’S RIGHT – You’re favorite place for marketing, business and life!What do you say?….Let’s clinch this thing!

1) Send your friends, family, (in)significant others, co-workers, dogs, cats, gerbils, reptiles and any other entity with an IP address to http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/surveybk.php?2) Scroll about 1/3rd of the way down to “Marketing to a specific consumer demographic (ie. women, Hispanics),” 3) Vote “Excellent” For 20SomethingMarketing.com!4) Feel good that you are advancing 20-something content across the web!Your support is incredibly valuable to me and will allow us to bring even bigger and better content to you!

Toxic Gossip

by Jared on June 19th, 2006

Nothing and (I do mean NOTHING) has ever been more of a hindrance to my professional life than gossip. Most often occurring because of the “need to elevate one’s status by lowering the status of others” (Words That Hurt, Words That Heal), gossip in my mind is hypocrisy given voice.

Now, I am as guilty as anyone else of the secretive whispers and side-hallway meetings. However, experience has lately yielded a truth that if it can damage anyone, it can damage 20-somethings more than anyone else.

Think about it; we grew up during the emergence of talk shows like Oprah and Jerry Springer. Because of them, never have other people’s lives been such the target of juicy gossip with such a level of acceptance.

Granted, office gossip is about as old as the invention of the water cooler but in this new reality-obsessed culture, office gossip has reached new levels of intrigue. This has prompted underlings to gossip about their bosses, bosses to gossip about their underlings and none of it is good. In fact, gossip has evolved into a currency of social office status and has turned many office places into cold war battle zones for ego-driven superiority.

Gossip, in any form, has become toxic. Anything that can’t be shared openly and honestly is only going to get someone hurt. To avoid this, just don’t participate. If you are in a conversation and it turns to gossip, just politely walk away. You’ll be doing yourself a favor by inoculating yourself from the pitfalls of gossip.

Refuse to let toxic gossip get in the way of good intentions and be a bigger person. Its tough, its not the ‘cool’ thing to do but then again, its an office, not the set of Jerry Springer.

The Long Tail of 20-Something Content

by Jared on June 16th, 2006

It goes without saying that we’re living in a very different world of recorded history than our parents did.  Once upon a time, company and college recruiters have had little more to go on than a resume and some references.  The rest of an application process was left up to the applicant to shape and spin as they saw fit and that helped to present them in the best possible light.  In short, there was a lot more control on the part of the applicant.

Today, online publishing like blogs and podcasts have completely changed the game.  Those same recruiters (and now even love interests) now have literally reams of unvarnished testimonial about what we really think and that, sometimes, can be a problem.

Just like products often have long tails in adoption our content that we produce now, sometimes in the heat of the moment, can still be picked up long afterwards.  For instance, I like to blog about my hatred of Starshmucks.  The danger with that is who knows when I might get into a situation when a recruiter might think those comments are childish and inflammatory, disregarding their context?

My point is this; sometimes we are so quick to prove ourselves that we disregard that long tail of content.  Remember that what you put out there now is probably still out there years from now.

20SMF Episode #42 – Sneak Peek at ‘The Diner’

by Jared on June 15th, 2006

Show Description:
Get a sneak peak at the new show – [The Marketing Diner] as Jared and Wendy talk shop about creating effective web marketing strategies, high-end condo clubs, and more!

Show Notes:
I) Intro The Diner
II) Condo Sales, Bouncy Balls
III) Effective Web Strategies
IV) Just Deserts: Websites Are Like Sandwiches…Or Strawberry Shortcake

Referenced Links:
[The Marketing Diner] – The new show
Weigh in on the new show!Send your comments and thoughts….like, now people! Don’t Wait!

Podcast:

Right Click And ‘Save As’ To Download Full Show