#(in the original sense of that expression‚ i.e. that you should sell what the customer wants and not what you think they should want)

[obstinatecondolement]

The thing that is probably most difficult for me in work that happens on a regular basis is that all the other staff and 99% of the customers call all yarn "wool" whether it has any wool in it or not.

[fremedon]

Brickclub 2.8.7, “In Which We Find the Origin of the Saying, ‘Ne Pa Perdre la Carte’“

The conclusion of the caper. 

A fifteen-franc fine--three hundred sous--is a horribly harsh thing to hold over the head of a workingman. It’s so inordinately steep, but the horrible thing is that I can actually see it not having been punitive in intent--a chain of “for sanitary reasons, we need to make sure no one gets into the graveyard after dark because of the dangerous miasmas!” “Yes! Let us impose a fine--one high enough to act as a deterrant--on anyone trespassing there after dark, where no one has legitimate business being anyway.” “But what about the gravediggers? They might be detained there after dark.” “Ah yes. We will issue all the gravediggers passes, and anyone caught without a pass will pay the fine. This solves the problem completely with no unintended consequences whatsoever.”

But of course there are unintended consequences, as of course we see when Fauchelevent, his ruse with the card having successfully gotten Gribier out of the way, comes to his garret to return the pick:

Lids were displaced, ragged clothing was scattered about, the jug was broken, the mother had been weeping, the children had probably been beaten: signs of a distraught and bad-tempered search. It was plain that the gravedigger had been frantically hunting for his pass and held everything in the garret, from the jug to his wife, responsible for its loss.

Gribier is not a good person. The incidental beating of the children is not neutral in this book, but it would have been in some books of the day, and that last line seems meant to make certain readers don’t give him a pass (as it were): Gribier is desperate and frightened, but his first instinct when frightened is to blame and punish other people for his mistakes.

But the text goes on: “But Fauchelevent was in too great a hurry to bring this adventure to a conclusion to notice this sorry side of his success.”

THIS. THIS IS BAD. This is a level of neon flashing bad I can’t believe I never noticed. The text even echoes the title of the chapter where Fantine sells her hair and teeth: “Consequences of Her [i.e., Mme Victurnien’s] Success.”

Being unaware of the collateral damage of one’s actions does not excuse them--the book has made that very clear and Valjean knows that; he feels his debt to Fantine all the more keenly because he did not know the harm his policies had done to her, and he should have. He feels, ultimately, grateful for his chance to save Champmathieu, rather than live ignorant of the level of harm his existence as Madeleine would have caused.

(I am also reminded of how Valjean’s attempt to get the wheel fixed en route to Arras is thrown into relief by Champmathieu’s speech about working as a wheelwright, in winter, for pushy customers who want things done immediately--retrospectively showing how things look on the other side of a transaction.)

Valjean is outside in the street, and when Fauchelevent stole the card he was unconscious, but this is still his plan, and its success has done harm that Valjean cannot remedy because he doesn’t know about it. This is a WRONG TURN.

And yet, on their way to Gribier’s, Fauchelevent, who one page ago was weeping, says “How well everything’s going! What a good idea that was of yours, Père Madeleine!”

Fauchelevent had the right of it before, when he thought Valjean was dead: “But how did he get inside the convent in the first places? That’s how it all started. People shouldn’t do things like that.”

(And, a bit later, asking a question that’s equally relevant to Valjean’s next burial: “What would you expect me to do if you’d died? And your little girl?”)

For all that Fauchelevent is happy--”Joy is the ebbing of terror,” Hugo remarks, as though that’s a normal thing to say, Victor are you ok?--he and Valjean are still feeling the Gothic uncanniness of the cemetery: “Even restored to their senses, these two men without realizing it were troubled in spirit and felt a strangeness inside them, which was the sinister effect of the place.”

And we see it in Valjean, who in contrast to Fauchelevent is completely impassive: 

Jean Valjean had some difficulty in moving and walking. He had grown stiff in that coffin and become a little corpse-like. The rigidity of death had taken hold of him inside that wooden box. He had, as it were, to thaw out from being in the grave.

“You’re numb,” Fauchelevent says, and Valjean’s response is “A few steps, and my legs will be fine.” Except it’s not just his legs, it’s his everything--and his manner continues to be weirdly numb all the way through his interview next chapter. Look at what he says in this chapter: “I fell asleep [i.e., passed out],” “I’m cold,” the line about his legs, and, in answer to Fauchelevent asking him to point out number 87, “This is it here.”

He doesn’t express any joy over being alive, or over the plan having worked.

He doesn’t ask after Cosette.

He doesn’t ask after Cosette.

Fauchelevent mentions Cosette! Valjean doesn’t, not even after Fauchelevent brings her up. That, more than anything, underscores what a very, very wrong path he’s on.

One character note I liked a lot--when Fauchelevent conceives of the ruse with the pass, the dialog shifts from Gribier addressing Fauchelevent as “Peasant” or “Provincial” to Fauchelvent addressing him as “Novice” or “Newcomer.” Fauchelevent is very, very aware of where the power lies in an interaction.

[ncmagroup]

So, knowing some key sales definitions can help make the process of learning how to become your own salesperson a bit easier.

If you’re a new small business owner, you might not have necessarily come from a sales background.

After all, you got into business because you have a skill or product you know someone needs—but you might not have considered the fact that you may have to convince them they need it.

These sales definitions will help you feel more confident going forward with sales for your new small business—so be sure to keep reading.

Like many freelancers, entrepreneurs, and new small business owners, I didn’t come from a sales background. However, even as a freelance writer and content marketing specialist, sales still comes into play. Sure, I might know that it’s important to have optimized website copy—but what if my prospective client doesn’t think it’s necessary?

That’s right—it’s time to become a salesperson.

Sales definitions A t0 Z

ABC: A bit antiquated, in the sales context “ABC” stands for “always be closing,” referencing the idea that everything you do should be part of the process that leads up to successfully closing a sale. Not only that, the idea assumes that the act of closing a sale is all that matters.

Rather than this type of thinking, modern sales techniques rely more on relationship building than a pushy sales attempt; the reframing of “always be connecting” is perhaps a better way to think about it.

Adoption process: Otherwise known as the buying process, this references the stages through which a potential customer goes—from hearing about your product or service to inquiry, all the way to potentially becoming a customer.

Average dollar per sale: Quite simply, your total sales dollars divided by your number of sales. Simple, right? It’s a helpful metric to keep your eye on, however, as it’s one you should be continually striving to push higher.

Bad lead: A lead that, for one reason or another, is unlikely to be converted into a customer. Perhaps they are more interested in browsing or testing the waters, and have no intention of actually becoming a customer; or worse, perhaps you know enough about them to determine that their business will be more trouble than it is worth (because you’ve heard wind that they’re a terrible client to work with or similar). Either way, it’s best to identify “bad” leads early on, so as not to devote too much time to them.

BANT: Originally developed by IBM, the BANT formula stands for “budget, authority, need, and timeline.” Essentially, it’s a way for a salesperson to determine whether or not their prospect has the ability to become a customer.

To determine this, ask yourself these questions about your prospective client or customer:

Do they have the budget to make the purchase?

Are they the person in their department/organization with the authority to make purchasing decisions?

Do they have a real need for your product or service?

What is the timeline for implementation?

Benefits: When it comes to sales definitions, “benefits” are what your prospective client or customer stands to gain from using your product or service. Note that these are different from “features”; for example, a feature of an insulated coffee mug might be its double-walled insulation, but the benefit is that the customer will be able to keep their coffee hot for the entire duration of their commute.

Bottom of funnel: Your sales funnel is the process by which prospective clients or customers become actual clients or customers.

The “bottom of the funnel” stage illustrates the stage closest to your prospect making a purchasing decision, and you converting to a customer. At this point, it’s your responsibility to effectively close the sale.

Buyer behavior: Understanding the wants, needs, goals, and general behavioral patterns of your buyers. Conducting plenty of market research and creating a buyer or user persona will help you get a sense for buyer behavior in the beginning; once you have paying clients, make note of the process you went through prior to converting them to from prospects to clients, and begin to build out your understanding of buyer behavior based on real customers, not just hypothetical guesses.

Buyer persona: As mentioned above, a buyer persona represents your articulation of your customer or client base—their needs, interests, goals, and even personal attributes like gender, location, hobbies, age, and so on. Refine your persona as you go; you may realize that some things you initially thought about your buyers is different than you expected, and perhaps your product or service actually serves an entirely different intended audience than you had imagined.

Buying criteria: Essentially a list of things your potential customer needs to know before they make a purchasing decision. This could be anything from price to length of time the project will take, to reviews, to a clear explanation of why they need your product or service, and so on.

Call (sales call): Some sales definitions seem so obvious that it’s almost unnecessary to include them—but the “sales call” is exactly what it sounds like—calling up a prospective client or customer to chat over the idea of trying your product or service. You’re delivering your sales pitch, and hopefully closing the sale. That being said, a sales call isn’t just on the phone—you can turn up in person and ask to speak with your potential lead. However, nowadays, beginning with a lighter touch (i.e. via phone or email) is often preferred.

Closing ratio: The number of deals closed (so products successfully sold, new projects commissioned, and so on), compared with the number of sales pitches you’ve given. Clearly, the higher the percentage, the better.

Cold call: If you drop by unexpected to chat up a new potential client, or call them on the phone when they are not expecting you, you’re “cold calling” them. Cold calling is a difficult task; not only are you approaching someone who may have no prior knowledge of you or your product or service, but you’re also catching your prospect off guard. Sending a preliminary email can be a good way to warm up your cold call.

Conversion: Turning a prospective customer or client to an actual, paying customer or client. “Conversion” is often used in the context of whether or not a prospect has been “converted” and signed on the dotted line, so to speak.

Conversion path: The path by which your prospective client or customer goes from a prospect to a real customer. Similar to buyer behavior, but while buyer behavior is more of a general understanding of how prospects learn about and interact with your product or service before buying, the conversion path is more specific, and involves taking a look at the actual trajectory—for example, where they landed on your website, how they found you, what links they clicked before they purchased, and so on.

Conversion rate: The number of prospects who take a desired action—most likely purchasing your product or services. Calculating the rate depends on exactly what you’re measuring; for example, if you’re looking at sales via your e-commerce site, you might measure conversion rate based on how many people enter your site over a month period, compared with how many make a purchase.

Cross-selling: You likely offer more than one kind of product or service—and cross-selling involves offering prospects complementary products or services, in addition to what drew them to you in the first place. This might look like a graphic designer who has been commissioned to design a logo also offering their services for creating customized business cards, for example.

CAC: CAC stands for “customer acquisition cost,” or the amount it costs you to close a sale and obtain a customer. Even if you close a sale, if you’ve spent an exorbitant amount of money to actually get that customer, your CAC is too high. A large marketing spends that brings in very little business, an expensive trade show booth that only nets a few customers—these are some situations that can result in an undesirably high customer acquisition cost.

CRM: If you have a lot of customers, you probably need a way to keep track of them all, and make sure they’re happy. CRM, or customer relationship management, is pretty much always said in the same breath as “software”—and there are more CRM software options than you can swing a stick at (and that’s another article).

Churn: Customers who “churn out” are those that stop buying or using your product or service over a given period of time. So, if you’re a subscription-based business, you’ll likely be considering how many customers churn out over the course of a month, three months, a year, and so on. The idea of churn is more relevant to SaaS or other subscription-based businesses (one-time purchases are not really subject to measurement via this metric) but it’s an important sales definition to know nonetheless.

Lead: Your leads, your prospects, potential customers—it’s all essentially the same thing. These are people who are potentially interested in your product or service, either based on their match with your buyer persona or based on interest they have expressed in a more tangible way (such as signing up for your newsletter).

LTV: The LTV, or lifetime value, is how much you stand to make from each client or customer over the course of their tenure doing business with you. Think about it: Customer A may commission your services for a bigger project, but you can tell that they are likely to be a one-off client. At the same time, you’re approached by Customer B, who is asking for a smaller piece of work, with the potential for a longer-term relationship. You know that the potential LTV of Customer B is higher, so it’s potentially wise to choose them over Customer A.

Middle of funnel: Middle of funnel content is, unsurprisingly, the stage of the sales funnel between top of funnel and bottom of funnel. If top of funnel is how clients are first brought into your sales funnel, and bottom of funnel is the point right before they buy, middle of funnel content has the job of moving clients forward effectively and leading them to the bottom of the sales funnel.

Pain point: What problem does your product or service solve for your customers or clients? This is their “pain point,” and the fact that you can solve this pain will likely be one of your main selling propositions. A pain point isn’t only something “painful” in the literal sense; to use the insulated coffee cup example from earlier, the pain points customers experience is an inability to keep their coffee warm long enough. If your double-walled insulated cup can effectively keep coffee warmer longer, you’ve solved this pain point.

Positioning statement: How do you introduce what you do or offer at a dinner party, or in the context of an elevator pitch? It probably sounds something like, “I make [your product or service] to help [your target customer] solve [their pain point].” This is essentially your positioning statement; it is a succinct summary of how your what your business does, and how your business solves your customer’s problem. Sales calls often open with a positioning statement, as a way to clearly convey what you do and the value you can bring to your prospective customer.

Prospect: A potential client, customer, lead—someone who may be interested in your product or service.

Prospecting: The act of finding prospects—and the process of prospecting will be different depending on your industry. Maybe it means a deep dive into your LinkedIn connections or an audit of a certain type of small business in your area.

Qualified lead: Anyone potentially interested in your product or service is a lead, but not all leads are “qualified.” A qualified lead (also called a “sales qualified lead”) has been researched and vetted—for instance, does your lead actually have the power to make decisions within their business? If not, they’re not a qualified lead.

Sales pipeline: The sales pipeline is the process by which you move prospects through the sales process, and ultimately make a sale. While generally the sales pipeline is often used in reference to traditional salespeople, while the sales funnel often refers more to online content, there are definitely areas of overlap between the two.

Top of funnel: As you’ve probably guessed by now, the top of the sales funnel is how your leads are introduced to your product or service, and essentially “sucked in.” Think about the shape of a funnel, as well; the top is wide and narrows as it goes down. Similarly, your top of funnel content will likely appeal to a broader group than will actually become clients.

Value proposition: What sets your product or service apart from the others like it in your niche? Do you offer exceptional customer service, day or night? Do you have the fastest shipping? Does your unique process enable you to offer your product for less than your competitors? The aspect of your business that sets you apart is your value proposition; it’s how you stand out from the crowd.

Are there sales definitions you are still unclear about? Anything else you’d like to see defined? Let me know in the comments.

Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

Sales Definitions: The Ultimate A to Z Guide So, knowing some key sales definitions can help make the process of learning how to become your own salesperson a bit easier.

[pkfrenchwords-blog]

Any Good Hashtags I Can Use?

I’m in one of the greatest areas in all of Denver: 9th and Santa Fe. A perfect mix of the old poor and the new bohemian — where the microbreweries and niche-diet coffee shops have only just begun to usurp the chain-link neighborhoods of the pre-boomtown days. “Just four years ago,” Mike Jennings, owner of the local MMA gym (Train. Fight. Win.) says, “we had bars over the windows.”

It’s the romantic margin. It’s the proto-gentrified. It’s the not-real poverty — the one artists like to imagine — that’s still in view. There are no fancy cars. Rather, privilege takes the form of an elected personality, a raw arrogance that says, “We’ve chosen to live this way.” And, like all of my favorite bullshit, it’s the kind that tries real hard to be exceptional. 

A young woman approaches the counter in the coffee shop I’m wasting time in. She’s thin and tight-haired. Yoga pants and a butter-yellow shirt. Just the kind of customer you’d expect in Mmm...Coffee: A Paleo Bistro. One of the owners (it’s a really nice husband and wife thing) greets her warmly. The patron 'hello's back, but keeps her head ducked; she’s tapping on her phone. “Do you know of any good paleo hashtags I can use?” she says.

There’s a pause before the owner replies. I sit in the corner idly judging. Paleo hashtags? Why? Why would a walking, cognizant, non-Portlandia-lampoon human being ask such a thing? What the hell is the point of using an established hashtag to describe this minute’s personal dietary decision?

“Oh, there’s lots, let me see,” says the owner. “There’s #paleolife, #foodnotcrap, #realfoodpaleo,” and she lists several more. She’s not just humoring the customer either, at least she doesn’t seem to be. She’s totally into it. And then there’s me — the twenty-six-year old paleo-coffee-shop-attending scruffy white guy — who should also, demographically speaking, be totally into it.

But I’m not of course. Like I said, I don’t see the point. More than that, I don’t see the motive. There are plenty of things I do that could be described by others as pointless, but these things are usually done for my own silly pleasure (like watching a tutorial on how to do the rumba and dancing to “Jump in the Line” over and over again for twenty-minutes in front of my tired wife while she slips into madness, #lastnight). But even having such inane pursuits, I find it difficult to project pleasure onto attaching a phrase to a pound sign. I guess I’m wondering, What exactly do you get out of it?

Before I begin this axiology, I should clarify that I’m talking about apolitical hashtags, ones not tied to a movement of any potential social consequence. Hashtags like #occupy and #blacklivesmatter have actually been instrumental in spreading political awareness and are probably the only thing halting some young people at the door of total apathy.

Researchers have shown that you can track and even forecast the potential of political movements by analyzing twitter feeds. And that makes perfect sense. Hashtags are the new banners, the new rally-cries; they’re what happens when a generation content to sit on the branch puts its beak to the megaphone. And, as regards most tools of dissent, our corporate overlords have caught on. Recently brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Nationwide have started plugging hashtagged phrases into million dollar ad campaigns (with mixed results; see Forbes).

Corporate and not, these entities have a rhetorical purpose behind their octothorpe chants. All of them are vying in a crowded marketplace for the ever dwindling attention span of the commoner, who, in some cases, has taken to mocking them.

Indeed, I also understand the need for tweets that scoff at the tweet system. Self-aware, ironic tweets (perhaps the acme of hipsterdom, aside from not being on twitter altogether) make sense to me, as with any attempt at humor. Just like advertising, comedy has to work in the vulgar parlance to be successful. Hashtags, for better or worse, are part of our generational discourse, of our language.

I struggle with that last bit. If they are a part of our language, then who am I to jeer at them? Am I just being a #grandpa here? Maybe…

Then again, in front of me there is a grown adult woman consulting with another grown adult woman on how to use eight criss-crossed lines and a phrase to describe her dining experience. I don’t know if the defense, “Well, it’s language,” can face that kind of absurdity. What would George Orwell say?

And if you think this is some kind of anomaly (and before I started this article, I was on your side: i.e., optimism) there are hundreds of sites (like this one) that provide (and even sell!) stratagems to private citizens looking for the best way to vapidly express themselves.

I take a walk around the neighborhood. Pitbulls, noses stuck in the wild yards, asleep. Guys with gray tank tops sipping generic soda. And suddenly, the uniform stumpy clapboard houses of the old give way to the new market. The more money, the more names. Renegade Brewing is selling souvenirs. A guy walks by, his body lifted on Nike shoes. Every art gallery has some creative sign, decorated with wild flourishes, intersecting greens and reds. I look down and notice that I’m wearing a faded cotton RVCA t-shirt and expressing myself as vapidly as I can.

It’s true. We capitalists love our big brands. We’re more likely to buy Cheerios over CeriO’s. We’re also likelier to have a more pleasurable experience if we associate our actions with a recognizable brand. “Coke” and “Pepsi”? These are words. In one word, these are language.

And, as the study I just linked discusses, if you put this language in front of people, their soda tastes better. This isn’t just a soda. It’s a widely, lingually confirmed soda. It has a place in das kapital and in our world, this soda. The same is true for my stupid t-shirt and, I assume, for a piece of chicken, once you stick #paleolove on it.

What the hashtag offers is an immediately enriched (might be too strong of a word) experience of a thing, because that thing is now more than a thing. That thing is now an idea, with a potential to catch the attention of numerous others it agrees/disagrees with (a potential that would take a biblical miracle for a regular piece of chicken to achieve).

Is it vain? Yes. Is it selling out? Yes. Is it pointless though? No. Pleasure within any system is still pleasure. And if I want to call it out as being trite or phony I need only look down at all of the hypocrisies I’m wearing. 

This was originally published (with a terrible but fairly candid title) in Rooster Magazine: http://www.therooster.com/blog/pleasure-stupid-hashtags

[minnievirizarry]

#SproutChat Recap: Incorporating Snark Into Your Social Strategy

In a social-first era, more and more brands are coming out of their shell and becoming a little more brazen in their activity. This brazen behavior often comes with snark and a sense of humor is often referred to as “savage”.

In this week’s #SproutChat, Sprout Social’s Social Media Manager, Darryl Villacorta, shared his thoughts on how brands should converse with their audience and where the future of social media engagement is headed.

Remain Professional & Genuine

Maintaining professionalism on social doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your brand voice. Being funny or entertaining  doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be mean. A good social marketer knows their audience and should be able to connect on social while being genuine.

A1: Keep it professional. That doesn't mean you can't have fun, but you need to be sure posts reflect your brand positively. #SproutChat

— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) May 24, 2017

A1. I'm a firm believer that honesty never goes out of style. #sproutchat

— Darryl Villacorta (@TheMiddle) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A1) They should just be themselves. Don't think to much about best PR practices. #SproutChat

— Jake Yeaton (@jakeyeaton) May 24, 2017

A1: This all starts with your brand voice BUT also your strategy in case that voice gets just a little too loud #SproutChat

— Jeff Higgins (@ItsJeffHiggins) May 24, 2017

A1.

Brands should be

transparent engaging conversational empathetic listeners proactive professional intentional

on social#sproutchat

— Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial Al) human human human. And a bit of humour in there for good measure #SproutChat

— Queenstownlife (@Queenstownlife) May 24, 2017

A1 helpful, humble and most of all – personable and detailed. A cheeky sense of humor is a great bonus too 😉 #sproutchat

— Jennifer L Kirk ✈️🍴 (@The_Jenius) May 24, 2017

Consider Your Audience

As n you’re crafting your brand voice, keep your audience front and center. Humor isn’t always universal but friendliness can go a long way. Before you launch into a snarky response, first think about who you’re talking to. Listen to how your audience perceives messages and understand why they’re interacting with your brand.

A2. If you're going to talk to someone, listen first. It'll give you a better sense of tone. #sproutchat

— Darryl Villacorta (@TheMiddle) May 24, 2017

A2.

Consider your BRAND WHY.

What do you wish to do?

What value do you wish to add and to whom?#sproutchat

— Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) May 24, 2017

A2: Identify message points Identify spokespeople and Figure out how to make it social!#sproutchat

— Deserae_Dorton (@Deserae_Dorton) May 24, 2017

A2: You need to know who your target audience is. Your voice should align with the vision for your brand, but also attract them. #SproutChat

— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A2: Brand voice should be in line with your product/service. Consumers trust a goofy candy company but maybe not goofy CPAs. #SproutChat

— Katie Lewis (@kathryndlewis) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A2: Determine the tone, how you want consumers to feel about your brand, and your overall goals–to be funny, educational, etc. #SproutChat

— Sortis Marketing (@SortisMarketing) May 24, 2017

Always Remain Authentic

Brands that remain authentic and true to their audience are the brands that. Stand out by adding humor and wit without sounding condescending or mean. If your audience is coming to your brand looking for support or help stand out by giving outstanding customer service.

@SproutSocial A1: whatever the real one is. People ain't dumb! #sproutchat 😅

— Abby Lee Hood (@AbigailLeeHood) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial Entertaining. Most people don't follow brands to be advertised to. #sproutchat

— Probably Geoff (@mynameisGEOFF) May 24, 2017

A3 those that are helpful, engaged and reliable! Those that are perceived as just like "me" #SproutChat https://t.co/3vnFBMk7pl

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A3. Some personalities that stand out are humorous and witty, "meme funny", and friendly – of course. #sproutchat

— Social or Nothing (@socialornothing) May 24, 2017

A3) People who are naturally curious, enjoy conversation, & know how to keep things moving #sproutchat pic.twitter.com/mU34OzxK7g

— Gordon D (@gordondym) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A3. Funny, hip, helpful, creative, inspiring, engaging #Sproutchat

— Tobi (@TobiGbemisola) May 24, 2017

Don’t Feed the Trolls

It’s inevitable that your brand is going to experience a handful of trolls on social. Don’t get caught up in the heat of the moment. Take a step back and weigh the pros and cons of engaging with a troll before you respond.

A4: Do the best to resolve legitimate complaints, but my banhammer is always ready. #sproutchat

— Brad Lovett (@Brad_Lovett) May 24, 2017

A4) Cut them off & drop the mic. Trolls waste time; customers express legitimate concerns #sproutchat

— Gordon D (@gordondym) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial Don't pay the toll (i.e., don't take the bait). #SproutChat [AR] pic.twitter.com/SsN3Y7GWAD

— ModSquad (@modsquad) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A4: With that said, if someone is being negative 👹without reason . . . that's why we have a "block" button. #SproutChat

— Jasmine Glasheen (@GlasheenJasmin1) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A4: Keep it professional and block if totally necessary. #Sproutchat

— Stephanie Zatyko (@ExperianDQSteph) May 24, 2017

Everyone in Your Community Is a Potential Customer

Think of any social response as a customer interaction. Publicly shaming your audience should be avoided.

@SproutSocial No, never. Take the higher road and stay professional. pic.twitter.com/JEqqCaBiKn

— Erin Van Horn (@VanHornSMC) May 24, 2017

A5: That's a brand decision that needs a full team monitoring sentiment and a major plan in place to take left turns if needed #SproutChat

— Jeff Higgins (@ItsJeffHiggins) May 24, 2017

A5.

Some brands do this intentionally to be funny &/or clever

Wendy's for ex

Not my ish. Not appropriate for all brands.#sproutchat

— Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) May 24, 2017

A5: I wouldn't. I can't think of a circumstance where that would go well. Call me unhip I guess. #sproutchat

— Brad Lovett (@Brad_Lovett) May 24, 2017

A5: It is always bad PR to escalate arguments. Think of the brand image! #sproutchat

— Alvomedia (@Alvomedia1) May 24, 2017

A5) Always treat your audience with more respect then you would receive. Take the higher road #sproutchat #sproutchat

— Gordon D (@gordondym) May 24, 2017

The Future of Social Engagement is Evolving

Marketers know that their industry is always changing and social engagement no different. As our industry evolves, response times may be even faster with the efforts of bots and live-streaming. But one thing that won’t change? Brand consistency.

A6: Sadly prob more selling, lead gen, and news coverage. WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT REVERT TO MORE COMMUNITY/SOCIAL ASPECT #sproutchat

— Conversion 💸 Corner (@ConvertCorner) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A6: Hopefully in the opp way of bots but with AI and VR it's exciting to see! Keep talking to people #SproutChat

— Queenstownlife (@Queenstownlife) May 24, 2017

A6" More AI and bots, which while convenient, won't be as personal. #sproutchat

— Brad Lovett (@Brad_Lovett) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A6) I think it's going to increase as social media platforms are slowly taking over old media. i.e Live Streaming #SproutChat

— Jake Yeaton (@jakeyeaton) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A6) Much higher rates for customer support teams as more people are running away from email. #SproutChat

— Pinely (@Pinely_io) May 24, 2017

@SproutSocial A6: Video is the new photo. #SproutChat pic.twitter.com/1kxFhACNML

— Jasmine Glasheen (@GlasheenJasmin1) May 24, 2017

Join us next Wednesday, May 31 at 2pm CDT for #SproutChat to discuss geolocation on Facebook with Sprout All Star, Jeff Higgins. In the meantime, check out our Facebook community to connect with bright folks in the industry.

This post #SproutChat Recap: Incorporating Snark Into Your Social Strategy originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie https://sproutsocial.com/insights/sproutchat-incorporating-snark/

[pushingsocial1]

What Does B2B Content Marketing Success Look Like?

B2B content marketing success is hard to define, especially when your boss is looking for answers.

It’s 9:30 AM on a Monday.

Like most weeks, you clutch your Starbucks Americano in one hand and last month’s content performance report in the other.  You settle into the slightly squeaky chair that always seems to be the only one available when you arrive.  It feels like another typical status meeting.

Your marketing manager seems more distracted though. She quickly gets to this morning’s curve ball. The CEO wants to sit in the meeting and talk about the content plan.

Normally this is an easy conversation. Talk about SnapChat, influencer marketing, and the latest blog post subscription numbers.  You expect a stale joke about why being 30-something is critical for understanding the “social stuff” and it will be over.

You’ve got this.

The CEO arrives with the CFO who has a P&L printout in hand.  The SVP Marketing arrives a moment later, sliding into a chair flanking the CEO.  The expression on your bosses faces hints that chit chat is not on the menu, but you begin to wonder if your butt will be.

The CEO turns to you and asks…

“We’ve increased your content marketing budget by 50% this year.  We’ve taken money from important areas to make this happen.” You catch the shadow of a  smirk from the sales manager as the CEO moves to the question.

“We’ve reached the end of Q2, is the money we’ve spent been put to good use? Can you tell me if your content marketing strategy is working?”

Vanity metrics and $10 words won’t cut it today.  You need to know what content marketing success looks like and most importantly – are you headed in the right direction.

That’s what we’ll discuss today.

How A Well Oiled Content Marketing Strategy Performs

It’s helpful to examine what works rather than get tangled in the weeds of dissecting your strategy. We rely on a concept called “First Principles” to clarify the factors that drive a content strategy.

First Principles are basic facts that underpin a complex system. In your case a content strategy works if it does three things well: attracts traffic, converts traffic into visitors, and turns visitors into leads for sales follow-up.  Other factors, while important, are secondary to the first principles.

Let’s examine how to use these first principles to evaluate your content strategies performance.

Unorthodox Traffic Acquisition

Are you efficiently attracting quality traffic from a diverse set of channels?

Traffic is the fuel for your content marketing funnel. Effective strategies strive to attract traffic that is both efficient (cheap) and effective (quality). Generally, Google will be your top traffic source making SEO an important ongoing tactic for ongoing traffic growth.  Social network traffic rounds out the lead generation portfolio.  Most will stop there relying on flogging Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook for incremental traffic.  This is a mistake.

B2B companies need to outhustle their competitors by finding new (or revitalizing old) traffic sources. While the common traffic sources still work, competition and costs are continuing to increase.  To survive you’ll need to get creative.

For example, we’ve seen results with:

Free photo sites: This is clever.  Bench Accounting, an online bookkeeping service, has uploaded original photography to Unsplash, a popular royalty-free stock photography site.  Why? Unsplash is used by content creators who are often the founder, owner, or marketing lead at a company. These people often influence key decisions, such as what online bookkeeping service to try.

Post Syndication: Niche industry content sites aggregate articles on one topic.  They rely on their community to share high-quality articles. Take a look at Medium.com, Inbound.org, and Zest.is to get a feel for how these sites operate.  We’ve helped clients republish/syndicate their most popular articles to these sites and have seen great results.

Apparel: Yes, t-shirts, mugs, baseball caps, and hoodies are excellent traffic generators for certain types of businesses.  We often use apparel to generate traffic for locally-based companies.  We send a t-shirt or 3/4 zip sweatshirt to top clients as appreciation “surprise and delight” gifts.  These clients wear their casual gear to soccer practices, BBQs, and errands, silently advertising the company name.

These examples are unorthodox.  That is why they work.  These tactics grab new visitors from sources that are overlooked or ignored.

Turning strangers into visitors

Can you reliably turn a portion of your traffic into repeat visitors?

First-time web visitors will not become a lead unless you earn their trust.

Trust is built by acting with integrity, demonstrating your competence, and showing that your information is relevant to them.

It’s easy to focus on converting strangers into leads and overlook this important trust-building step.

You can measure performance by evaluating the following leading metrics:

Return Visits: This metric shows that your audience enjoys your content and return to your site for more. You can view this metric by visiting Google Analytics -> Audience -> Behavior -> New vs. Returning. Set the date range for the last 6 months and compare it with the previous 6 months. This range will show if your content is attracting more repeat visitors.

Blog Update Subscriptions: People guard their email inboxes like a pit bull guarding a bone. Getting permission to send an email alert is a clear indicator that your content is worth reading.

Systematically converting web visitors into marketing qualified leads

Do you have a system in place to turn visitors into leads ready for sales follow-up?

Once you’ve educated your visitors and earned their trust its time make an offer for problem-solving content in exchange for their contact information. At this point, your visitor is a lead that can potentially turn into a sales prospect.

You will need to create what HubSpot calls “Evaluation Stage” content that helps visitors with a specific problem. Your goal is to demonstrate that you have unique information that can make your leads life easier.

The easiest way to track leads is by creating a landing page that offers the content Heres an example of a landing page for our free B2B business blogging special report.

Next, create a thank you page that is shown to leads after submitting their contact information. This page instructs the lead on how to access your content.

Use the URL of the thank you page to setup a goal in Google Analytics by visiting your Google Analytics profile then navigating to Admin -> View -> Goals -> New Goal. Click the graduate cap icon to get instructions on how to set up your goals.

Once set-up, review your lead performance weekly. Be careful, these leads may not be ready to hand over to the inside or direct sales team. These leads are potential prospects. You may need to collect additional information such as title, phone number, decision time frame, and company size to qualify these leads for sales

Content Marketing Strategy Disaster Check

Your Content Marketing Strategy is underperforming if:

You can’t prove that content is contributing to revenue growth.  Frankly, it’s difficult to attribute content campaigns to closed deals.However, you should be able to track a person’s interaction with your content.  Conversion-focused CRM platforms like HubSpot makes it relatively simple to do this.

Activity and content marketing costs increase without a proportional increase in marketing qualified leads, earned media (i.e. public relations), or website traffic and/or engagement. Rising content costs may be attributed to higher creation fees associated with writers, graphic designers, and other content production resources.  These costs make sense only if the content is working, meaning you are seeing web traffic, content engagement and lead generation increase.

The sales team will not use your content during the sales process. They feel that the content isn’t relevant to their target prospect. Sales professionals are a pragmatic bunch.  They will only use what works. They can’t be bothered with spending time and energy distributing content that hinders their success.  Ask your sales team to give you honest feedback on your content’s effectiveness. Listen and adapt the content based on what you hear.  This process will increase your content’s effectiveness and win advocates among the sales team.

3-Steps For Getting Your B2B Content Marketing Strategy On Track

Step 1: Focus on generating qualified leads

Our definition of content marketing is storytelling that sells.  At the end of the day, your content must move the revenue needle for your organization.

Start with your sales team and work backward.  Get a clear picture of your buyers by creating buyer persona. Unearth the terms your customers use to learn about their problem and identify solutions. Develop content that educates first, informs second, and after trust is built, closes the deal.

Step 2: Get sales feedback on topics

In our experience, we find that the #1 problem for most content strategies can be traced to poorly defined content topics.

As marketers, we tend to dream up an editorial calendar without input from critical teams.  Save yourself the hassle of learning the hard way and run your editorial calendar by your sales team, product development team, and if appropriate your customer service group.  These folks will help you keep your topics focused on the customer.

Step 3: Align content performance and sales metrics

We will beat this point like a Cherokee drum – you must get real about performance and fall in love with analyzing your numbers. Link content performance with sales metrics and you’ll earn the sales team’s respect, your leadership teams appreciation and create a defensible position of authority in your industry.  The numbers will get your content strategy on track if you work hard to find and learn from them.

The good news is that any content strategy can be refined and recalibrated for success.  The tough part is frankly assessing your strategy’s strengths and weak points and moving decisively to correct any problems.  Time is on your side if you act now.

via Pushing Social http://ift.tt/2oryTmN

[madzdenz-blog]

Project 2 Revised: Kicks By Carly at Cuse

Carly Fleischer, a Syracuse University student and founder of the clothing company, Kicks by Carly, has been constantly expanding her brand locally, and her designs can now be seen throughout the country. Carly and I became good friends this year because we are both in the same sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi. She is currently a junior, and her intended major is sports management. Her clothing company originally started a couple years ago when she would customize sneakers for incoming/current college students all over the world. She then expanded her brand by creating a website and an Instagram page, and by adding her own designs on these forums. Carly has always enjoyed fashion and design, and she has found a unique outlet for her creativity through this initiative. Recently, she has started selling her shoes as well as other clothing items at one of the most popular on-campus clothing stores, Shirt World, located on Marshall Street. She has also had multiple trunk shows in Schine - to not only promote her business, but to also help promote awareness for one of our sorority’s philanthropies, which is called Sharsheret. I decided to interview Carly because she is a self-starter, and because she is such an inspiration - not only me, who has an interest in both business and art, but also to young girls all over the country, who love fashion and want to be different.

In order to prepare for this interview I did some prior research on the creative process and on how to start a business. Some key components of the creative process include: preparation, incubation, illumination, evaluation and implementation. These five stages within the creative process have helped me to ask provocative questions, and to then analyze the content of my interview with Carly. The analysis will be included with the interview below:

Me: Hello listeners, we are live and this is Maddy Dennis in the Morning. Today we have a very special guest and one of my good friend, Carly Fleischer.

Carly: (laughs) hi everyone and hi maddy

Me: Carly is currently a Junior at Syracuse University, majoring in sports management, but what makes Carly more than just a typical college student is that she has started her own clothing company while at school.

Carly: Yes, I did! Its called Kicks By Carly and we actually have our own website up and running, as well as an instagram page where I am constantly uploading pics of my own friends and other students wearing KBC all over campus.

Me: Wow, that is truly amazing! I am so proud of you!

Carly: (laughs) thanks maddy! I was also recently given the opportunity to sell my clothes at Shirt World on Marshall Street, which is beyond exciting.

Me: Yes i forgot to tell you the other day that when I walked by that store, the first shirt I saw was one of yours, and my jaw dropped. I am so proud of you. that is truly amazing you should be very proud.

Carly: I am so so so happy and it is such an honor to be here to discuss... I have to say, that when I am walking around campus I sometimes laugh to myself when I recognize my own designs on people who don’t even know me!

Me: That is probably such an exhilarating feeling. I was wondering what inspired you to get into the fashion business in the first place?

Carly: I would never really have considered it the fashion business before, although I realize now that it definitely is. I am more creative than artistic, really, and I wanted a new way to express myself. I decided that a person’s shoes were an aspect of their style that tells a story about them, and so I originally got into the business through designing and painting sneakers. Eventually, I expanded my line, and I am now making custom apparel as well.

Me: Oh, so that’s where the name Kicks by Carly comes from? Totally makes sense. I I pretty much wear the same sneakers every other day, so ya, shoes matter.

Carly: hahahah yes. if you scroll far back on the Kicks By Carly instagram page, it's mostly sneakers, and then only recently has it become more of a full-fledged clothing line.

As can be seen here, in this first part of my interview with Carly, she indicates that before she started her business, she engaged in the preparing part of the creative process, in that she recognized an “artistic problem,” and linked that problem to an entrepreneurial possibility. This matters because in Carly’s case, her art is about a form of design that succeeds when it is marketed and bought - i.e. the fashion industry. Basically, it was necessary for Carly to not only recognize that her creative designs would not only be new and unique, but also that they might be of interest to others.

Me: All of your designs are so original. i'm curious - what did you not like about the college apparel designs that were already out there, and how did that motivate you to shift from shoes to other clothing items?

Carly: I felt that everything that was being offered in stores was too basic, boxy, and boring. I wanted to add some personal flair to the standard designs, and felt that I would be able to make things more interesting by incorporating my own unique designs into what people were already wearing.

Me: Totally agree especially because you are designing clothes for not only your close friends, but also for our generation. It seems like you saw an opportunity to solve an existing fashion problem, and you just went for it! You have an innovative sense of style, if I do say so myself.

Carly: Thanks Mads! Yes I definitely try and put myself in the customer's’ shoes as much as possible, so that my designs will be appealing to others. Then, I make my roommates try on the clothes before I post them, and I ask their opinion before I finalize a design for sale.

Me: What kind of clothes do you design? Why?

Carly:  I design almost everything that college students would want to wear. From t-shirts to sweatshirts to tank tops and more, I think there is a ton of possibility hidden in each different item of clothing. In Syracuse, obviously, my sweatshirts and jacket designs are some of my most popular items that are in demand. However for warmer schools, the tendency is to purchase more tanks and tshirts.

Me: Yes it is beyond freezing here, and I can’t even feel my feet right now it’s so cold. I know my friend from U-Miami purchased one of your lace tank tops, and she absolutely loves it.

Carly: Aww amazing - I’m so glad!

Me: What do you think it is that makes your clothing line stand out?

Carly:  I think Kicks By Carly is unique and different because of the time and effort I take to prepare and research what will make each one of my customers happy, and to ensure that they get exactly what they want. In comparison to other tailgate apparel brands, who use the same shirts and cuts for everyone, I take the time to get to know many of my customers, and offer them the apparel that they are envisioning. In many ways my designs are the result of this collaboration process with others.

As can be seen here, in this next part of my interview with Carly, she indicates that as she was starting her business, she engaged in the incubating part of the creative process, in that she collaborated with others, but allowed the creative problems that she was facing to be solved somewhat passively. By doing this, she was able to more quickly get to the illumination part of the process, in which she could weigh out what she would be good at doing, and be able to provide that to her customers.      

Me: I’m curious - once you started designing for people, how long did it take before your designs were appreciated by others?

Carly: It happened almost instantly. I remember walking out of my freshman year dorm room with my shoes on, and there was an immediate buzz about them. This is when I started listening to other people’s feedback, and incorporating their ideas into my next round of designs.

Me: I was looking on your website the other day prior to our interview and I noticed that you really do take the time in getting to know your customers,and you give them so many options on not only the cut of the piece, but the color choices as well. That is definitely one thing that sets you apart from other tailgate brands. How did you discover that other people would be interested in your willingness to individualize your designs?

Carly:  As soon as I started making shoes for myself, my roommate immediately wanted a pair. This eventually spread down our hallway, throughout our building, and across campus. After a month or so, I was getting orders from people who I had never met before. Essentially the same thing happened with my clothing line, but this process was faster because people were purchasing gifts for their friends who had just selected their schools.

As can be seen here, in this next part of my interview with Carly, she indicates that as she continued with her business, she engaged in the illuminating part of the creative process, in that she realized that her design solutions were recognized almost instantly around campus and on the internet. One of the major reasons her brand expanded so quickly was because of her unique marketing plan. She first made an instagram account for her customized sneakers and immediately she had tons of orders just because it was such an original idea to take a plain pair of white sneakers and customize them using different colored sharpies. She then customized sneakers based on different colleges and then decided to start making other kinds of apparel. Her use of social media and word of mouth worked to her benefit as Kicks By Carly went viral and as she established her designs as an art form. This matters because as she was engaged in the illuminating part of the creative process, she was also beginning to evaluate and implement new ideas.

Me: It’s crazy how word of mouth and social media are essentially the two other things that made your business grow. Since it seems like Kicks By Carly is constantly evolving and expanding, I’m wondering this: is it hard to take time away from creating your designs? If so when do you take breaks?

Carly: Over the summer I work at Camp Canadensis in Pennsylvania. I wouldn’t necessarily consider it time off, but I definitely take a break from doing as much work as I typically would be doing throughout the rest of the year. I think it’s always a good idea for me to take a step back and relax a little, so that I can come back to look at my work with fresh eyes.

Me: Yes I totally get that and can relate completely. In general, creative ideas do not happen overnight, and I’m sure that the same is true for your designs. Tell, me, do you ever become discouraged during your creative process? If so when? Why?

Carly: Sometimes there are certain customer requests are harder to accommodate than others, but I have never really become discouraged, I always find a way to work through it somehow - especially if I take the time I need to get it right.

Me: How long does it take before you are happy with your own designs?

Carly:  I am definitely a bit of a perfectionist, and so my first pair of shoes took me about 15 hours to complete. Now I’ve got it down to a science, and so currently, I can finish a pair in 5/6. At a certain point, I needed to take a step back and realize that not everything will come out perfectly, but I realize now that this is part of the beauty and appeal of my designs.

Me: How do you find the balance between knowing what people have wanted in the past and making something new and “different”? What struggles have you faced through this process?

Carly:  I would definitely say that this was a balance that was hard to find at first. Some things that I have advertised have just never really caught on, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s been difficult to decide how much of what I would personally think is cool should go into my designs, and how much of my designs should be about what others may like. This is why I have come to rely so heavily on collaborating with people, because then the designs are a good blend of the two, and my customers will like what they are getting.

Me: How do you know when each of your designs is “done” - ready to share/market to others?

Carly:   I usually send pictures to a group of people and ask what they think. If the response is mostly positive, it’s usually ready to go public. If not, I ask what they think should be changed or modified. This is another way that I actively seek feedback as I create.

Me: How do you test your designs to see if people will “take” to them?

Carly:  Again, I love to bounce ideas off my friends. Sometimes it is hard to determine the difference between a friend saying “I like it” vs “I would buy it/I want it”. Some designs will fail, and that’s okay because it’s just part of the process. Ultimately, I will not spend time or money reproducing the designs until enough interest has been shown from people around me, or from online likes, etc. 

As can be seen here, in this next part of my interview with Carly, she indicates that as she continued with her growing and expanding design business, she engaged in the evaluating/implementing part of the creative process, in that she came up with new initiatives and solutions, and she brought her ideas from thought to action. This matters because in both business and in art, it is important to balance one’s own satisfaction with the audience and/or the potential customers. Carly seems to have really found herself a niche market and a successful creative process that she is confident about going through again and again in her collaborations with her customers. It was important to me to understand how she was able to find this balance, as, from what I have found,  many artists and entrepreneurs struggle to do so. In the final part of the interview, I checked in with Carly about how her designs fit into the fashion industry as whole, and asked her about her future plans for the business.   

Me: How do you feel that your designs fit into other people’s fashion aesthetic?

Carly:   I think a big part of my designs are that they don’t really fall into a particular aesthetic. Some of my designs are more fun, some are edgier, and some are based off other inspirations. I think something that is really unique about my brand is that my designs aren’t catered to one specific style, but many different people can wear them, and style them as they like.

Me: How long do you plan to continue with this brand? Is it the best way for you to channel your creativity in the long term?

Carly:  I think for now, I’ll agree to continue KBC through my college years. After that, I’m not exactly sure where life will take me, but I do plan to continue with clothing design for as long as I can. I do really enjoy it, and I get a lot out of filling the different orders for my customers.

Me: Amazing - can’t wait to see what the future holds for you - and for kbc!

Carly: You will definitely be kept in the loop. It was so great to be able to talk about all of this with you! Love your show!!

Me: Well, thank you! We are live, and this is Maddy Dennis in the Morning, and that’s all for today folks - thank you to everyone who tuned in today, and a special thank you to our special guest  - Carly Fleischer!

Carly: Thank you for having me!

Me: If you want to learn more about Kicks By Carly, check out the website! The link is below, and so is the link to her instagram account. Bye for now everyone!

Overall, I found that the process of interviewing my friend about her clothing company, Kicks by Carly, was enlightening, in that I was able to get a behind the scenes look at her business and understand the creative process that Carly goes through when she is designing, branding and establishing herself as a designer.Also, I got to analyse some of the key components of the creative process that were identified according to my research, and share with her some of the ways in which her work is an inspiration to me. I have come to see that fashion design is a legitimate art form, and that much can be gained from knowing about the different ways in which art and business interact.  

Kicks By Carly Website: http://www.kicksbycarly.com

Kicks By Carly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kicksbycarly/?hl=en