Eight Things I Learned From Social Selling
I have been using social media to connect and engage with people for a number of years. While I was not one of the first 100,000 members on LinkedIn who received an email from Reid Hoffman, I was one of the first 200,000 and have actively used the platform to find and connect with people […]
Your LinkedIn Profile: Proof You Didn’t Peak in High School
Were you in the chess club in high school? What about the A.V. club? What were you voted most likely to? Prom King? Prom Queen? Jock? Cheerleader? Waterboy? A member of the Plastics? Did you win the science fair? Did your report card show that you met or exceeded expectations? Was high school the best […]
Old School Selling: How’s That Working Out For You?
Years ago, I worked in sales in the automotive industry, and only we knew the true cost of the cars we were selling and the amount of room we had to negotiate. We were in a position of power. This was before the internet, when the seller was the most informed party in any given […]
Social Selling: From Buzzwords To Reality
I need the leads. I need them now. – Shelley “The Machine” Levene (Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet) Some people feel that LinkedIn is a glorified repository of résumés while others see it as the place where people go to look for a new job. As the world recovers from the financial crisis and […]
Customers Expect Speed in Social Media
In a recent survey about customer service, speed topped the list of customer expectations. Of those surveyed, 55% expected companies to respond to Facebook and Twitter posts within 4 hours. Inspired by that information, I rallied a bunch of friends to help me conduct my own stealth form of customer service survey. Given my background […]
The Art Of Storytelling Part 2
It was a dark and stormy night… No, that’s not how were going to start, but, admittedly, it has become a bit of a cliché for how some stories begin. I still want to talk about stories and storytelling, but before I go any further, please take three short minutes and watch the video above. […]
It Has Always Been About Business Objectives
There is no denying the impact of social media and the increasing part of every minute spent online devoted to it. Just look at what Chris Hadfield accomplished over five months on the International Space Station for space, research and astronauts using social media. Most people’s perspectives regarding social media are personal, as the early […]
On Moving Beyond the Social Media Bubble
Recently, I gave a presentation about social media and reputation management to approximately 100 entrepreneurs and business representatives. Two things were evident with the audience that are not uncommon when I present – people were keenly interested in social media but some of them seemed to be hesitant, overwhelmed, or unconvinced about it. Additionally, while […]
Big Data: Value and Concerns
Recently, I was asked to moderate a panel on big data and my panel members were Sandy Perlman, CMO for Points.com, Adam Eveline, VP Customer Insights & Portfolio Analytics for PC Financial, and Shelagh Stoneham, SVP/General Manager Brands & Marketing for Rogers Communications. Big Data certainly garners a lot of discussion and the panel weighed […]
Lessons From a Menswear Store
During high school and university I worked in a menswear store. Every Christmas, a woman would come in shopping for her son. She did not speak English very well and I suspect writing in English presented some challenges. I would help her pick something out for her son and when it came time to complete […]