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A Special Kind of Signing Day

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 08:27:01 +0000

In almost every high school across the country, athletes sign their national letter of intent to celebrate a scholarship with a particular school. It’s usually a big deal. Schools set up a table with the college colors. Athletes wear a shirt or hat to indicate where he/she will attend college. Family and friends attend the event to support the athlete. For big-time athletes, members of the media cover the press conference. The athlete then signs the letter to make it official.

However, at Henrico County Schools in Virginia, they hold a different kind of signing day. Students who have elected not to go to college, and instead have accepted vocational and tech jobs, are celebrated. Just like the athletes, these students wear the hats of the business they will soon be working for. Family and friends applaud this decision. The business gets recognition and the athletes smile as they sign their employment contract.

Joe’s Perspective: These athletes deserve a special celebration of their accomplishments. Good for them. They undoubtedly worked hard for a long time to receive this scholarship. The same can be said for these students who have chosen a path in the trades. They will become electricians, plumbers, welders… These students will make good money in these professions and they will begin making that money right away. It is a solid life decision. Good for them. And, in my opinion, they deserve just as much recognition for their accomplishments.

Your Turn: What do you think of these students who are signing employment and apprenticeship letters with employers?

AdMall Advertising Response Helps Close $40,000 Construction Ad Campaign

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 08:26:53 +0000

Haley Johnson was new to her role as a multimedia account executive at KKTV, being on the job for only five months, when she approached a local construction and restoration company that had never advertised before.

“The [construction and restoration] company had not advertised before so they were not quite sure where to start,” said Johnson. “[They] have three locations in Colorado, with the Colorado Springs location, coincidentally, having the largest market and opportunities, but bringing in the least money. They wanted to promote this location and try to push the team to their highest level.”

Knowing AdMall would benefit Johnson’s sales pitch, she turned to one of AdMall’s most popular sales tools over the last three years, the AudienceSCAN’s advertising response section.

“Knowing their background and goals of the campaign, I recommended they start with streaming OTT and a broadcast schedule,” said Johnson. “After reviewing AdMall’s AudienceSCAN, it complemented my idea to show that people were responding to streaming advertisements. Therefore, when this was presented along with my ideas, they signed the deal immediately.”

The construction and restoration company signed a 13-month campaign worth a total of $41,000. Almost immediately, Johnson received positive feedback from the new client.

“The campaign has only been running for about two and a half months, and they have seen a great change in their volume,” said Johnson. “They are very happy with their results and are transitioning the Colorado Springs office to be their headquarters now. Finally, their sales revenue increased, and they have attracted many new clients. They are continuing to increase their traffic on their website and be that ‘IT’ company for those who know about them.”

10 Essential Life Lessons for Aspiring Leaders

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 08:26:46 +0000

Life throws us countless chances to lead. Sometimes we’re out in front; other times, we’re the silent force behind a success. Each moment, each challenge, teaches us. Who are we? How do we shape our world?

Here are ten life lessons for those who lead—or aspire to. They touch every slice of life, from quiet moments alone to the triumphs we share with a team. They offer advice on riding the highs and handling the lows.

The first six of these lessons have been circulating online. I’m not sure where they originated but appreciate the simple wisdom. I decided to add some of my own thoughts about the six, and then add four more that came to mind.

1. When you are alone, mind your thoughts

When we’re alone, our thoughts can be loud. If we don’t steer our thoughts positively, we might drift into negativity or worse. Our goal should be to cultivate a mindset that promotes growth and strength. If a gardener carefully tends to his plants, ensuring they grow healthy and strong, shouldn’t we take equal care of our thoughts?

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.

Colossians 3:2

2. When you are with friends, mind your tongue

Conversations with friends are almost like playing an instrument. Each note must be played with care and consideration. The wrong word can be like a sour note, jarring, disruptive, out of place. Always aim to harmonize with the group, adding value and warmth to the conversation.

With friends, make your words as harmonious as a well

played melody.

3. When you are angry, mind your temper

Anger can ignite like a spark in dry grass. The damage can spread quickly and destructively. Controlling your temper is like using a firebreak to stop the spread of wildfire. It protects you and others from the destructive forces of unchecked emotions. Most of us can look back at the times we lost it, and feel a twinge of regret for the resulting damage.

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

Ambrose Bierce

“The greatest remedy for anger is delay.”

Seneca

4. When you are in a group, mind your behavior

In a group, your behavior is like a mirror reflecting your character to others. Act as the person you aspire to be seen as. This consistency is what builds trust and respect within the group. Your behavior influences others in powerful ways.

In groups, let your behavior mirror your deepest values.

5. When you are in trouble, mind your emotion

During turbulent times, managing your emotions can be a challenge. You’re in a storm, and it’s rough. Staying calm can help keep the boat steady, even when the waves are high. Emotional steadiness in crises can inspire and stabilize those around you.

Trouble is a storm; calmness steers the boat.

6. When God starts blessing you, mind your ego

When success and blessings come your way, think of them like rain nourishing the earth. Just as rain benefits the humblest plants, let your success nourish your humility. This way, your growth remains grounded and fruitful, benefiting not just yourself but those around you. The egotistical way to manage blessings is to focus on self. This leads to pride and arrogance.

Let blessings nourish your humility, not your pride.

7. When you are successful, mind your gratitude

Success often brings joy and satisfaction. Regularly acknowledge those who have supported you and the fortunate turns that have come your way. This not only keeps you grounded but also enhances your relationships and sets a positive example for others to follow. It also allows more blessings to flow your way.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Oprah Winfrey

8. When you are learning, mind your openness

The process of learning is continuous. It touches every aspect of our lives. Embrace new ideas and different perspectives with an open mind and heart. This expands your knowledge but also enhances your ability to connect with others.

9. When you face failure, mind your resilience

Facing failure is an inevitable part of life and leadership. Minding your resilience in these moments is like using a compass to help you find your way back. Learn from each setback and use these lessons to build a stronger, more adaptable approach. Resilience isn’t about avoiding failure; it’s about learning how to recover and move forward.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”

Maya Angelou

10. When you are the leader, mind your influence

As a leader, every action and decision has ripple effects. Minding your influence is like steering a ship in calm waters—it’s essential to maintain a steady course that others can follow confidently. Embrace the responsibility that comes with your role, understanding that your words, decisions, and even your demeanor set the tone for the entire team. Effective leadership is about more than just guiding—it’s about inspiring others to achieve their best.

As a leader, steer your influence carefully; your team’s course depends on it.

Every day, I learn more about resilience, gratitude, and how to handle negative emotions or anger. Each challenge, every stumble, and every victory adds another layer to my understanding. This isn’t just about sharing knowledge—it’s about growing alongside you.

Remember, we’re all continuously growing. We’re all students in the grand classroom of life, and the lessons never end.

“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”

George Washington Carver

“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

Benjamin Franklin

“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”

Stephen McCranie

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”

Jim Rohn

Image Credit: Mohammad Nohassi

The Red Car Theory

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 08:26:36 +0000

This is a short blog with a simple message: Opportunities are all around you, but you have to be looking for them in order to take advantage of them. Here is a 30-second video that illustrates this point.

Joe’s Perspective: I can’t state it any better than she did. “That’s how opportunities work. When you go through life and you are not looking and you are not aware, opportunities just pass you by and you don’t even notice. Anything can turn into an opportunity, but you have to be aware and you have to keep looking.” So, keep your eyes open and be open to new opportunities. This reminds me of a great quote, “Instead of waiting for your boat to come in, swim out to it.” No line is going to form in front of you that says, “Opportunities here, come and get it.” If you want to be successful, you have to be your own advocate. Be willing to take the bull by the horns. Seize the day. Take some risks.

Your Turn: What are your thoughts on today’s blog and how can it positively impact your life?

Advertisers Stand Out with Pioneering Influencer Marketing Campaigns

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 08:26:31 +0000

Influencers are a great way to help your client target the world’s 4.76 billion social media users. According to a report by influencer intelligence, nearly 60% of consumers across the globe are active on social media. Here’s what your client should keep in mind when crafting influencer marketing campaigns.

Don’t Just Target Younger Generations

It’s a common misconception that only Gen Zers and millennials are active on social media. Maybe they once were, but now every generation, from baby boomers to Gen Alpha, view social media as important. And they’re also likely to be influenced by influencer marketing campaigns.

According to influencer intelligence, the age groups brands that utilize influencer marketing target with influencer content include:

20–29-year-olds: 82% of communications specialists target this age group

30–39-year-olds: 77%

40–49-year-olds: 50%

17–19-year-olds: 30%

50–59-year-olds: 29%

60–69-year-olds: 11%

Consumers under the age of 17: 7%

Consumers over the age of 70: 3%

“This broadening targeting of age groups presents fruitful opportunities for organizations,” says influencer intelligence. Additionally, it’s “supported by research that reveals Gen X and Baby Boomers are showing a growing interest in discovering new products on social media (up 10% and 41% respectively, YoY).”

So, if your client is only using influencer marketing campaigns to target younger generations, they’re missing out on sales.

Let Influencers Do Their Thing

Handing influencers a script or being overly involved in their creative process can actually lower their credibility with the public. If consumers only wanted your client’s opinion of their products and services, their own ads would be enough. But consumers want and trust user-generated content more.

According to a previous SalesFuel blog based on data from Bazaarvoice, user-generated content:

Gives consumers more confidence in a product, service or brand: 78% of consumers agree

Is something consumers rely on, especially during economic difficulties: 43%

Influencers’ user-generated content takes credibility to the next level. Another SalesFuel blog, based on data from Traackr, points out that:

“70% of consumers are more likely to buy a product from a brand if they work with an influencer they know and trust”

“59% of consumers are at least somewhat likely to purchase a product because it was recommended by an influencer”

But, again, you have to let influencers do their thing without interference to see these kinds of results. Their followers (your client’s potential customers) follow each influencer because they love that influencer’s style and voice. If a product or service is genuinely recommended by an influencer without brand interference, its popularity will skyrocket.

When influencer marketing campaigns allow influencers to have complete creative control, brands can see benefits like:

New creative content that your client can use on their own channels: 85% of marketers agree

Increased trust and loyalty among customers: 80%

Brand introductions to new audiences: 75%

Increased user-generated content: 75%

Increased engagement on the brand’s channels: 75%

Positioning the brand as an expert in particular sectors: 66%

Focus on Video Content and Choose the Right Social Platforms for It

Of course, for influencer marketing campaigns to be successful, they need to be where consumers can see them. Influencer intelligence says that the top social platform for influencer marketing is Instagram. But TikTok is quickly catching up.

Videos are one of the most effective influencer marketing media types and TikTok is a leader in video content. They showcase the product or service well and help the influencer appear more personal. Videos are also easier and more fun to consume and leave lots of room for creativity.

So, influencer intelligence expects TikTok to be the leader of the influencer platform pack soon.

Want to see which social platforms your client’s target audience is most active on? Check out their profile on AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel. The right social media platform is the first step to successful influencer marketing campaigns.

Photo by: No Revisions

3 Most Important Attributes in a Teammate

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 07:05:16 +0000

I have to be honest. I have no idea who this guy is. My guess is he is a special forces guy in the military. My guess is he is part of an elite fighting force. My guess is he has had more training and leadership development than any of us will ever receive.

Given all that, he says there are three things that he looks for in a teammate. 1) Dependability – be where you say you are going to be when you say you are going to be, 2) Skilled – that you are very good at completing the task that you are charged to do, & 3) Selflessness – making sure the needs of others are taken care of before you take care of your own.

And, the one he says is the hardest to do and the most important to do is selflessness. Putting the needs of others before yourself – not once in a while or when it is convenient, but when it matters.

Your Turn: On a scale of 1-10, how selfless are you? How well and how often do you put the needs of your teammates/classmates/friends/family ahead of your own?

Mastering Conversation Starters is One of the Best Sales Strategies

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 07:01:09 +0000

What do you want out of your first conversation with a potential customer? One of the best sales strategies is to structure a relationship. Additionally, you can gain valuable insight or instill a sense of trust.

Whatever your goal, you must realize that conversation is not a competition. However, improving your skill at initiating a conversation is. But, if you’re trying to be the most interesting person in the room, you’re doing it wrong.

Building rapport with casual conversation is a prerequisite for nearly all social settings. Still, when you find yourself among potential business prospects it pays to have an agenda. Your goal is to gain information to segue into a more substantive business discussion.

Nevertheless, jumping directly into business is awkward and can be a turnoff. A better approach is to be relevant and bring things up in context. Communications instructor, Matt Abrahams, suggests it’s about curiosity.

Bridging topics and setting hooks for conversation requires active listening and emotional intellect: two more best sales strategies. Still, the smartest shift to learning more is to ask appropriate questions.

Small Talk Can Produce Large Relationships

Small talk lets us learn more about others, see parallels and collaborate — if only for a few moments. Occasionally, these fleeting exchanges add to our friendship network. Consider how many friends you initially met through small talk.

The same thing goes for professional relationships. Open-ended questions about a person’s role or industry can be revealing. With several well-placed questions you can move toward your goal.

Everybody’s Favorite Topic

The easiest thing to talk about is something you know. Adrian Ward, writing for scientificamerican.com, found that people spend about 60 percent of conversations talking about themselves. The simple reason: it feels good.

This Harvard neurological study confirmed that humans gain pleasure from talking about themselves. Therefore, people generally welcome the opportunity to share of themselves more so than other topics.

Armed with this information while seeking the best sales strategies, smart sellers can leverage personal communication to their advantage.

The Goal is to Be Interested, Not Interesting

Ultimately, this could be a challenge for the outbound, unrestrained, never-met-a-stranger salesperson. Hence, keeping a lid on enthusiasm long enough to actively listen may be a chore. As humans we are all subject to the findings of the Harvard study.

Matt Abrahams maintains, “A lot of us put tremendous pressure on ourselves to be interesting.” He likens the banter to a tennis match where we volley and try to score. Better is to envision Hacky Sack where the goal is to serve, have it handled and returned.

Engaging prospects by discussing surroundings, the event, their interests, hobbies, or passions is a creative beginning. Sincere compliments and simple curiosity can compel people to reveal themselves. But remember, it’s not all about you. Rachel Greenwald, author and matchmaker says, “the goal is be interested, not interesting.”

The Transition from Small Talk to Sales Pitch

Using phrases such as: “That reminds me of…”, or “Speaking of…” can redirect the flow toward your goal. Remember to be genuine in your approach and authentic in your purpose.

Much like your eventual sales pitch, be clear in your delivery and take a sincere interest in their pain. Once you’ve engaged the prospect, be bold in your quest for discovery. This is often a good time to test their interest in a follow-up conversation.

Curiosity and a genuine interest in the person comprise one of the best sales strategies for mastering conversation. Skills developed during casual exchanges will pay huge rewards.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto Pexels.com

How to achieve sustainable success

Administrator — Fri, 31 May 2024 06:58:28 +0000

Is success ever a “one time event?”

When we think of successful people, companies, and even sports teams, we don’t think of people who had one great idea, one excellent product, or a single outstanding game. We think of people who have made a difference over the entire course of their lives. We think of companies that bring new products to market year-after-year. We think about the sports franchises that created winning dynasties across decades or even a century of play.

And yet, in our daily lives as workers and managers and leaders, we are often way too willing to define success based on this quarter’s earnings, one project’s outcome, or one product’s sales figures.

“Sustainable success doesn’t mean perfection.”

Drew Bordas

On this episode of “Aim Higher,” we discuss what it truly means to be a leader with a sustained success mindset. Why does this matter? Because research shows, again and again, that the companies who create sustained success do so by focusing on a healthy tension between adhering to some important core values while also embracing change.

In other words, you need to understand both how you got to where you are and have a strong vision of where you’re leading your team to, as well.

“Leaders who want to create sustained success need to bring energy, determination, and an always-on A-game.”

Skip Prichard

During our discussion, Drew Bordas made a great comment about how direct interactions with customers can really help in this way. Listening to what’s going wrong—and right—with the people who use your products and services can give you some great, short-term ideas about things that you’re doing well and ways to improve. But if you listen long enough and to enough customers? You’ll start to see patterns. And those will lead to systemic changes that can improve the lives of all your customers.

How do you do that in your work and for your teams? How do you, as a leader, balance getting the “worries of the day” taken care of while remembering to look up at the horizon? My guests, as always, have some great ideas. Listen in and start thinking, today, about what success will look like for you when you look back in ten or twenty or even fifty years.

“Sustainable success requires a roadmap, resilience, and relationships.”

Tammi Spayde

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”

Winston Churchill

Image Credit: Edu Lauton