MARKETING ACTUARY

CANCELLING THE WRONG APPOINTMENTS

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 29 May 2012 23:42:00 +0000

We can easily take for granted people who are important to us. I don't mean clients or family or ourselves. I mean external collaborators (e.g., centers of influence, partners, affiliates, team members).

Do you cancel, postpone or shorten meetings with collaborators? That sends a bad message about your

reliability (e.g., "I'll meet with you unless something more important comes along.")
planning (e.g., "I haven't finished _______ which is due tomorrow.")

Unforeseen

There will be situations outside your control. You or a family member might get sick. You might get a flat tire on the way. A freak storm may make the roads treacherous. You'll get some sympathy. If the other party faced the unforeseen, you'd understand too.

Other times, you can plan around potential perils. For instance, since traffic is unpredictable, you could leave a cushion.

Energy

There's anticipation for a meeting. There's energy too. Cancel and both are lost. The balloon gets popped. The spark may vanish forever. The consequences may not become clear until you’re looking for help later.

An appointment is a promise that rescheduling breaks. That’s hardly a way to build trust. Ditto for canceling or forgetting an appointment. Deduct points for answering your phone or checking email during a meeting.

Intentions

We judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions.
--- Ian Percy

What we do makes sense to us but that doesn’t mean others understand. Unintended harm is still harm. What would not harm you may harm another.

What Happened?

In the last year, I’ve had several situations in which a collaborator canceled or rescheduled an appointment with a day’s notice or less. The reasons looked relatively minor but the consequences are not. They lost out and I got the gift of free time. And content for a blog post.

I’ve been tempted to tell the offenders but decided they aren’t worth the time.

Controllable

Leaving too little time between meetings or for meetings saps energy. If the discussions are flowing well, they get cut short if you need to dash to your next meeting. Another solution is to leave ample gaps between meetings and use the time savings to do other work.

That’s the end of this rant!

ARE YOU A VISIONARY?

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Are you a visionary?

If you were, would you call yourself one?

Who would believe you? Are they credible or gullible? We're judged by the people around us.

Titles are earned and require signs of ongoing merit to maintain. There's no rest for the worthy. Think of a hot air balloon in flight. You've got to keep adding fuel and take time to refuel. Regular maintenance is a good idea too.

Pompous self-aggrandizement flops like the ears on a bored bunny. Whatever. Ho hum. La di da. Rather than impress, you might achieve the opposite result.

Claims

If you are a "visionary", what's your vision? Who's following you (voluntarily)? Who's spreading the word (without getting motivated by self-interest)?

If you're a "leader", what have you accomplished and who has followed you (voluntarily). Who has vouched for you (voluntarily)? Where's the evidence?

If you're a "best-selling author", have you done anything except make money or buy your books yourself? If you were well known, would you call yourself a "best-selling author"? Or would you say you're the author of The Hunger Games or Blink? If we don't recognize your name or your book titles, we don't know you. What does "best-selling" mean anyway? If that means #1 in sale of books, your name would be known.

If you're "award winning", have we heard of the award? Did you face real competition? How recently did you win? Is the award relevant?

If you're a visionary leader and a best-selling author of an award-winning book, congratulations. You're beyond the scope of this post.

Actions

Rather than make claims, act.

Describe what you've done (if relevant) and what you do. Be factual. Let people make their own judgments. They will anyway from the clues you provide and the ones they find.
Speaking of visionaries, I'm reminded of Minutes To Memories by John Mellencamp:

The old man had a vision but it was hard for me to follow.
I do things my way and I pay a high price.

If you're making grand claims about yourself, you're paying a high price in lost credibility. How do you meet or exceed expectations when you've inflated them? That’s not very visionary.

Links

PS Do you make pompous claims in your LinkedIn profile or biography? Get outside opinions.

TIPS TO MODERNIZE YOUR WEBSITE

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Old cameras become antiques. Old websites become embarrassments.

A website remains essential for small business. An outdated website is better than no website but not by much. An outdated website is an easy-to-spot sign of neglect that you're condoning. Clients might wonder what other shortcuts you've taken.

This post has ideas to freshen your website.

Life

A static website looks dead or neglected. Add life. Embed your Twitter feed. Have a plugin to show your latest blog posts.

Remove notices of upcoming events which took place last year. Post back issues of your newsletter so that visitors know what to expect before they subscribe.

Depth

Stop teasing visitors. They don't want to fill out forms to get contacted by you at your convenience. Tell them what they want to know. Post a price list or typical price ranges or your hourly rate. Give estimated completion times. Explain your satisfaction guarantee. Describe your process.

Don't worry about your competitors finding out. They may already know or can guess. Don't worry about potential clients balking. They'll find out eventually. Why not deal with the objections online? You'll save their time and yours.

Stock

There's nothing wrong with stock photos unless they look like standard stock photos. Avoid predictability. On your contact page, why show a too-staged-to-be-real smiling woman wearing a headset? We've seen that too many times before. Use real photos instead.

Size

Don't say "we" if there's only you. Use your size as an advantage. Tell visitors why smaller is better. Exude your personality. Leave bland for the big businesses.

You

Keep in mind that for visitors, "you" (meaning them) is powerful. Rather than saying "Our clients choose us for speedy service" how about "You get speedy service from ThisCo" or "ThisCo gives you speedy service". If your competitors also give comparable service, you'll need to come up with something that's different (and still true).

People

Your company has people. Show who they are with a photo and description. Include their contact information too. You want to be easy to reach. In the biographies, include links to LinkedIn for testimonials given and received. Embed their business-related Twitter feed, rather than having a link.
Use the same head-shot on LinkedIn and Twitter. Consistency helps with branding.

Design

"Most websites suck because HiPPOs create them."
--- Avinash Kaushik, Google Analytics

HiPPO means "highest-paid person's opinion". The design you like may not suit your clients. Don't give undue weight to your personal preferences. Use a professional web designer and pay some attention to their recommendations. Your site is not for you.

If your website gets lots of traffic, you can use real-time A/B testing to identify what works best (see Inside the technology that's changing the rules of business, Wired, Apr 25, 2012).

Mobile

Some visitors will visit your website on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. How does your site look? If you're using Adobe Flash, parts of your site won't function on iPhones or iPads.

Templates

You can create a business card using templates. You can also create websites with blogging platforms like WordPress or Blogger. You could even do the work yourself. Possible doesn't mean ideal. Your site might look generic and imply your work is too.

Contact

Make your contact information easy to find. Post real clickable email address like myname@domain.com rather than "myname [at] domain.com". With good spam filters, you won't get deluged with spam.

Overall

Appearances matter because clients and potential clients can't tell if you're good at what you say you do. Maybe you were, but are you now? Maybe you can still do good work, but will you for them?

You can provide content to allay the fears. If you claim to offer an excellent seminar, show live video clips. Show samples of the handouts. Consider video testimonials from attendees. There's lots you can do without much effort.

Links

PS When was your website last updated?

HOW TO GET YOUR AUDIENCE’S CONTACT DETAILS

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:57:00 +0000

When you speak, how do you collect contact information from your audience?

Your audience knows you want business. You can pursue them, or let them pursue you.

Pursue

Put your business card in the basket to win. And there are no losers because you'll all receive my wonderful newsletter filled with sales pitches.

You've probably seen that approach. How did you feel? I rarely enter. Privacy is too important to squander on trifles.

Last month, I saw a touted speaker use the Draw Ploy. The session was ho hum. We weren't told what the prize was. I entered to see what he’d do. The next day, I started getting weekly emails I did not request. That’s spam, Bye bye trust.

A slightly better way is get permission. For example, ask them to write “newsletter” on the back of the card or make a mark.

Sometimes there are attendance sheets with columns for name/email address and checkboxes for "add to mailing list", "request free ebook". The legibility of the handwriting can be a problem and contact information gets seen by others who sign up.

Maybe you offer an ebook or other enticement in lieu of a prize. Either way, you're buying attention with a lure. You’re also creating extra work for yourself.

Pursued

When you speak well, your audience pays you with attention, applause and business. There are lots of them but only one of you. Value comes from scarcity (the #2 principle of influence). Who needs who more?

You don’t need to give a prize. Worse, you're wasting valuable time with the draw. Speak well and interested audience members will want to approach you afterwards. Save time for this.

While chatting, you can exchange business cards and ask if they'd like to connect on LinkedIn. That’s a low key to stay in touch even if they don’t need your services at the moment. If they don’t invite you within a few days, you can reach out to them, Once connected, their entire network knows about you.

Coaxing

Provide easy ways to reach you. You can put your contact information on your final slide. You can have a business card placed at each seat. You can have a one-page summary that includes your contact information as a handout at the front of the room after you’re done.

Better still, reach your audience without collecting business cards or sending emails.

Let the organizers do the work. They already have the tools and permission to send emails. What do you have that your audience might want? How about your slides, a video recording and other resources? Tell your audience what you’re making available and how. You’re supporting the organizers and helping your audience. You’re planting seeds for reciprocity.

Bonus: the organizers can reach people who didn’t even attend. You can’t.

Destination

I usually create a web page with a copy of the slides, a video and additional resources. I send the organizers a link to share. No email accounts get filled with unwanted attachments. I can make changes or add more content. Also, I can track visits with Google Analytics. Here’s the most recent example. Next week, I volunteered to show the unemployed how to earn trust. Here’s the page.

A destination gives you another huge advantage. You're adding to your digital tapestry.

Have you ever seen lousy speakers? The organizers booked them on faith and got duped. If you build a page showcasing your presentations (like this), they can see what you’ve done with their own eyes. You reduce their risks immensely.

A-List

Some top speakers don't give their contact information. I asked one why. Because he's findable online. He said he wasn’t interested in anyone too lazy to do a Google search.

Instead of contacting your audience, give a great presentation, be inviting and be findable. Let them contact you. We value what we earn over what's handed to us. Be the one they want.

Links

PS Do you pursue or get pursued?

DEALING WITH DROPPING ATTENDANCE

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Where are they?

They used to come. They're getting what they said they wanted. Yet they aren't showing up. What's wrong?

What worked then may not work now. If you're organizing events, attendance may drop over time.

Here are three likely reasons why:

Wrong content
Wrong attendees
Wrong time

The Content

Your audience is investing their time and/or money to attend for reasons they may not clearly state or acknowledge. They may say they're attending to learn. Maybe they're really coming to find new clients directly or indirectly.

If you have speakers (especially unpaid ones), they're expecting something in return. One speaker said that when she's paid, she delivers value. When she's unpaid, she creates pain which her services can sooth. That's a disguised sales pitch. If the speaker at each event is doing that, doesn't the audience get weary --- especially if they’re paying? Commercials are free on TV.

Unless your group is particularly desirable (e.g., TEDx), you'll have difficulty getting speakers who normally charge.

What a bind. Speakers want better audiences and audiences want better speakers. In 2011, organized the perfect social media workshop but attendance was low.

Maybe you can find knowledgeable speakers who aren't selling anything. For example, retirees, professors, journalists, hobbyists, Toastmasters and bloggers.

The Attendees

What attendees say they want may not be what they really want. Answers can be noble and predictable. And uninspiring. Just because we need something doesn’t mean we’ll get it. Think of exercise.

If your members are entrepreneurs, won't they ask for topics like improving skills, getting more clients or boosting productivity?

We're overloaded with things we could do from past events, the media and even quaint sources like the books we bought but haven’t read.

We don't need more ideas.

We need help implementing the ideas we already have. Change is difficult. Can members give each other support and spur accountability? That's what a mastermind group does. Maybe peer mentoring would be better than speaker-based events? What a great way to share and show expertise.

The TimeS

Things change. With such excellent content online, there's less reason to attend live events unless there are other compelling reasons like networking or a need for continuing education credits.

Attendees get bored with routine and want novelty. Unless you have a timeshare or cottage, do you vacation at the same place every year?

In the past, I'd join organizations with annual memberships for two years before bailing out. Now a year is long enough. For pay-as-you-go events, I'm even less tolerant. How about you?

Links

PS Which events have you stopped attending?

MARKETING TO THE LAZY OR OVERWHELMED

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:30:00 +0000

This week, I got three requests that suggest the asker is lazy ... or overwhelmed.

How do I start using Twitter?
How do I find a Toastmasters group?
How do I find a Pick Four goals group?

The requesters could get the answers themselves. Why did they ask?

Each request points deeper. Since other people will share the same needs and wants, you've found a market. You can provide solutions or be the conduit to answers.

You might see a marketing opportunity in one or more of the requests. Let’s explore ways to proceed.

Getting Started With Twitter

The easy way to start using Twitter is by going to twitter.com and setting up an account. All you need is Twitter handle (e.g., @mActuary), email address and password. You can add a photo and 140 character description later. Done.

Issue: The mechanics are not likely the problem. There's plenty of help within easy reach of a web search. Perhaps the requesters feel overwhelmed or confused. Perhaps they're afraid of making a mistake or like personalized attention. Even if they did setup a Twitter account, would they feel comfortable tweeting?

Opportunity: You could compile a list of online getting-started resources or create your own. You could provide live in-person training. You might become a coach to develop and guide clients through their whole social media strategy. Or you could provide help as a “free prize” for being a client for your main offering.
Perhaps you simply direct the request to someone who can help them.

Finding A Toastmasters Group

The easy way is by visiting Meetup (toastmasters.meetup.com) or doing a web search. You can also go to the Toastmasters website to conduct a search. Aren’t search engines wonderful?

Issue: The requester may want a recommendation or help in selecting the right club.

Opportunity: You might prepare a guide on how to find a suitable club (not just Toastmasters). You might suggest finding potential clubs online, visiting several, joining the one that feels right and participating. Maybe you prepare other guides (e.g., how to find a restaurant). These can go on your website or blog, or get posted on an established How To site with links back to you.

Finding A Pick Four Goals Group

This is tougher. A web search may not be enough. Since Pick Four is a goals program, here’s an idea: start your own groups. If you don't know how, set yourself the goal of figuring this out. You could have your own solo two-week Pick 1 program to find the like minded. In the meantime, order the Pick Four workbooks (which come in a 4-pack). You'll then be ready to go.

Issue: The challenge here may be fear of talking to strangers, reluctance to be proactive or laziness.

Opportunity: You could make suggestions on how to proceed. Maybe you establish a group of your own or co-organize (as I have). If you help others meet goals, you’re establishing strong relationships.

Challenge

There’s no harm in taking a few minutes to help the requester and think about their reasons for asking. There's no telling where your generosity may lead.

Links

PS What makes you feel lazy or overwhelmed?

THREE WAYS FOR LAGGARDS TO BEAT THE MARKET LEADER

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Toyota owned the hybrid market with the Prius, which launched in 1997 in Japan and worldwide in 2001. So what? There are other choices now, possibly better. Some companies are launching their first hybrids. Does that mean they only need to be as good as the original Prius? No. Laggards must be as good as the third-generation Prius.

Laggards face higher hurdles. They may have avoided pitfalls but they lack the experience the pioneers earned by doing. This doesn't ensure the pioneers of ongoing market domination.
Let's look at three to beat the market leader.

complacency
incrementally
leapfrogging

Complacency

A complacent market leader is blind to competitors. Consider RIM. When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, RIM didn't see a threat to the Blackberry in the corporate market they dominated. Businesses wouldn’t want phones with less security and no keyboard. They were right ... in the beginning.

The market changed. As Apple dominated the consumer market, workers started bringing their own devices to work and demanded to use them. Apps made the arguments more compelling. Recently, the iPhone accounted for 53% of corporate smartphone activations among 2,000 companies (see study).

The iPhone is now the market leader, even in Canada, RIM’s home and native land.

Incrementally

The iPhone faces challenges from another upstart, Android. In the beginning, Android wasn't very good but the devices and operating system keep improving. Unlike RIM, Apple hasn't ignored the threat. The iPhone is now available from more carriers and improvements continue being made.

Over time, Android may win. When we upgraded our phones recently, we got one iPhone and two Androids. Since I must have a keyboard, the iPhone isn't a serious option.

Leapfrog

There's another way to win: leapfrog. A lead in fluorescent lighting may not matter as LED lighting becomes preferred. A lead in alkaline batteries may not matter when lithium cells are available. A lead in hybrid vehicles may not matter if there are new developments.

The new entrant might leapfrog overall all other companies. Isn't that what Apple did with the iPad? Since 1992 when IBM introduced the ThinkPad 700T, tablets have used Windows. Apple used their phone operating system (iOS) instead. In the beginning, that seemed silly. The iPad couldn't multitask and seemed like an oversized iPod. It was. The 10" screen was small by computer standards. It was. Buyers didn’t care. Since launch, the iPad has dominated and expanded the tablet market. We have two.

What the iPad offered was enough for the public. And still is, even though Android tablets with similar performance are now available and keep improving incrementally.

Your Choice

Being a laggard may not be the best strategy, but you can take steps to beat the leader in your market segment --- especially if you’re an early follower.

HOW TO PRUNE YOUR NETWORK

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:21:00 +0000

As time passes, your network grows and needs trimming. Cutting some branches gives you time and energy to devote to the rest.

For simplicity, consider your LinkedIn network where the pruned aren't notified of their fate.

Establish Criteria

You might want to limit your network based on criteria like geography, industry or interests. I'm more concerned about quality. For years, I’ve tended to connect to "good" people. Now I’ve become more selective and strategic.

I'm pruning three groups in particular

insurance advisors: used to be my clients (and the original reason for this blog) and then collaborators (see can an advocate serve two masters?); some have been annoying my connections with inappropriate behaviour
coaches: was looking for coaches to help my network; generally unimpressed; their techniques seem outdated
social media "experts": was looking for experts to recommend but found too many fakers
recruiters: hide their own connections; rarely show visible signs of sharing

Look For Clues

When I see misbehaviour, I make a note in a spreadsheet called LinkedOut. This is where I list contenders for pruning.

The inappropriate actions might be too much self-promotion, irrelevant information, too frequent updates or getting put on a mailing list without permission. Or worse.

I'm especially looking for connections who show generosity. I don't mean the buy-now-and-get-a-discount crowd. I'm seeking those who share valuable nothing-to-buy information on a regular basis without quitting. That's rare and valuable.

Cut

Occasionally, I'll check my LinkedOut spreadsheet and do the actual cutting. I'll make note of the date and reason for future reference. I have several other fields such as how many connections they have and how many we share.

This year, I've trimmed 3.06% of my network for various infractions. I found two big surprises.

1. Poaching

A connection with 112 connections shared 36 with me. It's very unlikely she'd know all 36 because I’m in diverse circles. I'm guessing she was burrowing into my network and adding connections by implying that I endorsed her. That wasn't true. How sneaky.

2. Camouflage

Some connections with over 500+ connections were sneaky too. They hid their own connections. Where's the reciprocity? They're guarding their own connections while wearing camouflage to add their connections’ connections. How can you trust someone like that?

Snip

Unless you prune regularly, your garden becomes unkempt. We're judged by the company we keep. Are you creating the right impressions?

Links

PS Repeat regularly

THE WHY AND HOW OF WRITING A BOOK

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:21:00 +0000

"I'm not a writer. I'm an author."
--- Charlize Theron's character in Young Adult

Why do authors garner such respect? It's not that all books are amazing or successful. By definition, most authors are close to average. Few books sell well. Few books get read. Still, more get written. Why add to the clutter?

For credibility.

Since writing a book is considered difficult, there’s an element of awe. Why not getting that working for you?

Why Not?

I've been advised to write a book for years. I certainly could based on my blog posts alone. With over 250,000 words, I’ve got lots of content. Some would be relevant and the writing skills are portable.

What about you? You probably have lots of content inside your head or as part of your visible digital tapestry.

You'll have portions of the year that are slower. Perhaps the summer. August in particular. If you're prepared, that's when you can do the bulk of your writing.

What's A “Book”?

There's such a range in what qualifies as a “book” these days. A speaker handed out an 8 pager. That's a lie, not a book. I’ve seen other self-printed titles that look puny compared with what you’d buy from a major publisher.

There’s no point padding a book with filler, large fonts or thicker pages. You need something worth writing about. And a potential audience.

How long should a book be? Answers will vary. I want a minimum of 50,000 words. Why? That's roughly what I write in a year of blogging (100 posts of 500 words each). I'll get a better estimate as I proceed. If I can't write at least 30,000 words, I doubt that I'd bother proceeding.

The Writing Process

I haven't written a book or read much about writing. As with blogging, there doesn't seem to be a "right" way. You can think of a book as a project.

I started with a mindmap to define the chapters. I then added brief summaries and did some re-arranging. A solid outline simplifies the writing. That’s based on my experience blogging and speaking.

I showed the outline to a several friends with connections to the world of books. They feel I can write a book. They see merit in my proposed topic (insider insights into insurance) but they don’t see a market. They’re probably right. However, there was one chapter they couldn’t stop talking about. That might be worth a book but will take much more work. I’m preparing a new outline.

The Tools

Writing the content can get complicated. Do you have one huge document or do you have a separate file per chapter? I'd prefer to work with multiple files but have an overall structure that includes all the components into a master file. Microsoft Word can do this but there are apps just for writers.

Scrivener

I stumbled upon Scrivener and have installed the trial version. Scrivener is an all-in-one solution that lets you keep your draft and research in the same work environment. You can have many subfiles and work on your iPad via Dropbox. I like using iA Writer. An iPad version is coming soon. You can create ebooks in both major formats (ePub and Kindle). There are nice video tutorials. I don't see anything major missing.

Using Scrivener already makes me feel like an author. The pricing is very reasonable ($40 for Windows, $45 for Mac).

How About …

If writing a book is too much to tackle, you could start blogging. While “blogger” won’t bring you the same accolades as an “author” or “writer”, you will be developing your skills, and showing your expertise. Maybe Charlize would play you on the big screen.

THREE TIME TRACKING TOOLS THAT WORK

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0000

What matters gets measured.
What’s measured gets done.

Five months ago, we looked at three gadgets that boost productivity. Now we look at tracking. Do you know how you're using your time? Do you know how long repetitive activities take?

I started paying more attention since I'm part of a Pick Four goals program. Here are three tools that work work together

time awareness
passive tracking
active tracking

Time Awareness

In his new book, How Your Best Got Better, Jason Womack makes an observation that's “obvious” in retrospect. If you divide your 24 hour day into 15 minute chunks, you get 96 blocks. That means that each block is about 1% of your day. Waste 30 minutes and you've wasted 2%. This simple observation made we understand the importance of time.

Can you focus for 15 minutes? Yes. If you have a 2 hour project, you have 8 blocks. You don't need to work on them consecutively but doesn't 8 blocks look more manageable than 120 minutes?

Jason recommends using a simple egg timer. If you're at your computer, you can use the free egg.timer website (try it). I didn't want to look at a computer screen because there are too many distractions. I got a physical digital timer from Wal-Mart for $9. It counts down or up.

I've been amazed at how my productivity improved.

Some activities can suck up time. Your trap might be web surfing, Facebook, LinkedIn, videos or gaming. Allocate 15 minutes and stop when you hear the buzzer.

Passive Tracking

There's an amazing web-based tool called RescueTime (affiliate link) that runs in the background on your computer and Android phone. RescueTime silently tracks where your time is going. A simple gauge shows how you compare with other people. A graph shows how productively you use your time. Users are said to save 3:54 hours a week.

You can improve your results by setting some parameters. The paid version ($6/month if you pay for a year) will even tell you which applications were running. I started with the free version and upgraded to paid within a few days. There's a free trial.

If you're mobile, you can run track using a mobile app on your Android phone. The results get logged and consolidated online.

Active Tracking

You probably work on repetitive activities or projects. For instance, you might prepare proposals. I blog but wasn't sure how long writing a post really took.

I started using a web-based tool called Toggl.com. There's a nicely-equipped free version. I got hooked and upgraded to the full version which costs $5 per month. This puts your activities on your calendar and has other features. Besides, you’re supporting the developers. There are apps for iOS and Android.

If you charge for your time, Toggl lets you set different projects for different clients. You can specify what's billable and what's not. You get reports too.

If you're mobile, you can run track using a mobile app. The results get logged and consolidated online.

Surprises

I was surprised to find that I use my time more effectively than I expected. The timer makes a huge difference. There's so much that we can get done in 15 minutes.

As a minimum, try using a countdown timer (even the free egg.timer). Next, try one either a passive or active time tracking. Or both.

LESSONS FROM THREE DIFFERENT MASTERMINDS (THANKS, NAPOLEON HILL)

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Do you have trouble meeting your goals? Do you want to discuss issues but don't know with whom? Do you want perspectives from outside your company?

A large company might have an external Board of Directors. There's a practical solution for smaller businesses too: a mastermind.

With a mastermind, you get peer support and are held accountable for meeting the goals you set. The idea comes from Napoleon Hill in Think And Grow Rich (1937). You only need two participants. He had three, including steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and his stepmother. (I finally got to use "steel magnate" in a sentence!)

Last year, I helped establish and run three masterminds updated for today. Two fizzled. One is going strong.

The Agenda

Each group followed this simple three step agenda.

1. Victories: What's working?

We start with good news. What are you bubbling to share? Your achievements could be personal or professional, minor or major. Avoid bad news.

Duration: 1-2 minutes each

2. Challenges: What needs work?

Have you met your commitments since the prior session? What challenges are you facing that you’d like our input on? This is the time to raise bad news.

Duration: 15-30 minutes each, depending on the group size (includes the group discussion)

3. Actions: What will you Ship?

What will you commit to complete by the next session?

Duration: 1 minute each

The Trio

Each mastermind is described in chronological order.

I. Online Mastermind (2-9 members)

Travel time in Toronto is lengthy and unpredictable. Selecting members based on proximity is suboptimal. After the initial session, this mastermind met online via free Skype videoconferencing.

To work out the kinks, this experiment started with two participants. The process worked well. There were glitches with video due to Internet congestion but audio worked well as a backup.

Meetings were originally weekly, then each two weeks and then never. There wasn't enough happening for two people to discuss. This group may start again.

Pro: Eliminated travel time; designed the format used in the other masterminds
Con: Didn't grow beyond the two initial participants

II. Mastermind Meetup (5-10 members)

This monthly mastermind was the most ambitious and had a Meetup group. The original members were going to help others by running other masterminds. Members of all the masterminds were going to meet for social events.

Each session included a meal. Gatherings became social. Members didn’t set goals or work towards them. Others wanted to join but weren’t suitable. The usual crowd selling real estate, investments or insurance.

Pro: designed to scale via Meetup.com
Con: members didn't set or meet business goals; became social; irregular attendance

III. Peer-To-Peer Mentoring (2-5 members)

This monthly group is the sole success. We meet in person at a coffee shop. Originally, sessions were during the day but shifted to evenings to accommodate more members.

Pro: equal participation, high support, visible progress, experimental/open-minded
Con: progress on some goals has been slow

Keys To Success

A successful mastermind, requires the right participants. Chemistry is essential. They must also be committed, open and trustworthy. Competitors can’t be admitted. What's discussed in the group remains strictly private. Complementary skills lead to better discussions and better results.

The Price

The above masterminds were free and member-run.

You may benefit from a paid mastermind run by an experienced facilitator if you

have more serious issues and don't want private coaching
can't find a suitable free group and don't want to start one
want the administration done for you

Sessions seem to run once a month for half-day or full-day. You might also get private coaching.

Pick Four

If you have goals you want to finish within 12 weeks, Pick Four from Zig Ziglar and Seth Godin may help you. I'm currently in week 8 of this peer-supported program. The experience has been positive.

LIQUID LUNCH: REASONS TO GET INTERVIEWED ON INTERNET TV

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:30:00 +0000

This is the year of video as a marketing priority. I just had my first interview on camera. This was on Liquid Lunch, an Internet show.

There are advantages over regular TV, especially for a beginner:

longer interviews (about 20 minutes)
more relaxing: like a living room, not a studio
less intimidating: "normal" hosts, not TV newscasters

Leveraging

You can buy the recording of your segment for re-use. That's probably the business model. There are several options. I got the raw footage since I'm learning to edit. You can see the results for yourself.

The Studio

The studio is just south of the Toronto bus terminal at Bay/Dundas. The building has character. I walked up four flights of stairs to the large open-concept facilities. One corner has the recording studio with a green screen to allow fake backgrounds.

There are lots of video cameras — at least four. These aren't the big ones you might find on a movie set or in a TV studio. These looked like the ones you might buy for yourself. The cameras were set to different spots and angles. There were no camera operators but there were three technicians. Two sat behind the controls. They applied the backgrounds and did the magic of live broadcasting.

To my surprise, the audience wasn't ordered to stay silent during the recording. We were but the microphones seem oblivious to distant sounds.

Hosts

The hosts are the key to a great interview. If you feel comfortable, you'll come across better. Two hosts are better than one. Hugh Reilly and Sandra Kyrzakos were excellent. They had rapport and seemed like nice genuine people. There were no off-camera tantrums about having too few red Smarties. In fact, I saw no Smarties at all. If there were any, they'd already eaten them.

I was concerned about how to sit. Sandra suggested I make myself comfortable while still able to speak. I followed her advice and didn't pay attention to my body. I sat back in my chair and crossed my legs at the ankles. .

Improvement Ideas

Liquid Lunch broadcasts at 480p, which is not very crisp by today’s standards. An upgrade to 720p or 1080p would be better. Maybe the lower resolution is an advantage since no one applies make-up to guests?

The sound quality could be improved too. The background hiss is noticeable and distracting. We’ll watch poor video with crisp sound but not crisp video with poor sound. Before publishing, I applied noise reduction to my clip and switched to 720p. This improved the sound but couldn’t do much for the video.
Perhaps upgrades are on the way.

Videos Of You

Have you seen those video bios where people describe what they do in a couple of minutes? The results often look choppy and unnatural. It’s as if the clips came from an assembly line using a standard formula and fill-in-the-blank scripts. Next, please. Reading from a teleprompter doesn’t help since we don't know how.
What’s the alternative?

You could get interviewed instead. There's much less for you to do. You're bound to look natural because you’re chatting with friendly interviewers who are on your side. When you focus on them, you won’t notice the cameras. You’ll also get much more usable footage.

If you're in the Toronto area and have something to say, you can apply to appear on Liquid Lunch. The experience is worthwhile.

APPLE’S RISKY MARKETING STRATEGY

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Apple faces a marketing dilemma. Steve Jobs had enough charisma to make the mundane and predictable look innovative. Look, the iPad 2 has a camera ... which the iPad 1 should have had.

Steve is gone but Apple fans will still camp out to buy the next new thing for the sake of having it. They’d camp out even if they didn’t know what they were getting.

Yet Apple is lagging in innovation. Instead of the wished-for iPhone 5, Apple released the less-than-groundbreaking iPhone 4S. It doesn’t even have 4G. Android devices are improving more quickly. For instance, Samsung with the Galaxy S II and beyond.

In the world of tablets, the iPad still reigns. Again, Android devices are getting better. I've talked to several iPad lovers and they have no plans to buy the iPad 3. That's partially because the prior models are so good. I haven't upgraded from my iPad 1.

The Hurdle

Apple's big hurdle is continuing to meet growing expectations. The next thing needs to dazzle (especially if the current one didn't). That strategy is tough to maintain indefinitely.

Another approach can win over the long run: incremental improvements. This isn't as splashy but works, especially with apps. Do you remember The Little Engine That Could? “I think I can ... I think I can” ... becomes “I did”. There's also The Tortoise And The Hare. Pacing won the marathon.

Windows

Microsoft also follows the next-big-thing model. Windows 8 gets touted as a big deal. I see no compelling reason to upgrade. I'll get Windows 8 preinstalled when I replace my computer, which isn’t imminent. Imagine if Microsoft made continual improvements to Windows 7 instead: 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.0.

You can't make incremental changes to gadgets like iPhones that you’ve already sold. You can with software that's designed for revisions. Windows isn't. Google services, iOS and apps are. Changes take place continually. There might not even be a charge.

If an app isn't quite good enough, you can still buy it without much worry since upgrades are likely. That's reassuring. You can make suggestions, which might change the developer's priorities.

Your Model

Which model do you follow: splash or incremental? Is that the best approach for your clients and your company?

Now that Steve Jobs is gone, I’m less compelled to buy Apple products. I only got the iPad 1. It's still my favourite gadget ever. Yet, next time I could easily get an Android device. The ThinkPad Tablet (review) has a stylus and looks well-designed for business. The next version may be compelling.

The Future

Apple is hardly a has-been. Yet hype gets ho-hum over time. There's the pending risk of getting overtaken. That’s not impossible. Samsung is getting better at designing products that work better and look better.

Do you remember when Sony was the company to watch? The Trinitron TV. The Walkman. The CD player. Samsung was second rate but kept improving and has become the company to watch. Imagine transparent, flexible bendable, foldable displays due this year (see the Daily Mail, Dec 2011). The tortoise may lack flash but can still win the marathon. And take a bite out of Apple.

Apple's next big announcements take place tomorrow on March 7, 2012. The frenzy keeps building. MSN says Apple could be the first company worth a trillion dollars. Maybe. Predicting the future based on the past is risky. Preferences change. Tomorrow’s Apple may be an orange.

MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION BETTER THAN A TED TALK

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:30:00 +0000

TED Talks deliver valuable content in an engaging way in 18 minutes or less. This raises audience expectations for “normal” presentations too. Yet still presenters under-deliver.

TED Talks have a drawback.

There's no opportunity for a group discussion after the speaker. That's where magic can happen. Theatre seating isn't designed for interaction and TED audiences are too big. Besides, there’s a schedule to follow. There’s time for discussions during the generous breaks but that’s not the same.

Allocation

As a presenter, let's say you have an hour for your session and a smaller audience where attendees can't easily hide. Let's also say they are attending voluntarily and can leave anytime.

Here's a proposed allocation of your time

presentation: 12-14 min
group discussion: 39-42 min
conclusion: 1-2 min

That's 55 minutes, which means you're done ahead of time. If there are delays in getting started, shrink the group discussion time to compensate and still finish early. If you’re given 30 minutes, you’ve still got time for your message and questions.

I've used this allocation as my primary format since 2011. It works well but is scary because the bulk of each session is unscripted. I watched Seth Godin field diverse questions for three hours the afternoon of The Linchpin Session. I was amazed at how quickly (and sensibly) he answered. I felt the magic in the room. You can’t get that with a fully scripted presentation.

Awkward Silence

If you don't get your audience engaged, they're prone to sit rather than participate. The solution isn't to revert to prepared hour-long presentations. Instead, add zing to your content and delivery.

You have help. If you're a guest speaker, your hosts want the session to succeed and will likely ask questions to spur others. If you're the organizer, you may have a helper in the group to get the discussions flowing.

If you talk to the early arriving audience members, you build rapport. Some may reciprocate by asking questions. You likely know what questions usually get asked and can ask yourself questions.

Sometimes I’ll show popular questions on the screen as a guide. I’ll also leave gaps in the prepared section to prompt questions.

If you don’t know the answer, audience members might. Invite them. This is effective even if you know the answer.

Boring

Routine presentations are boring for today's audiences. If your session doesn't require audience interaction apart from clapping, do us a favour. Record your talk. Upload to YouTube. Save our time and yours.

Warning

Preparing a shorter presentation takes more skill since you'll need to edit ruthlessly. You can't include content just because you like it.

Group discussions rely on the audience for success. The uncertainty can be unnerving. To practice and get insightful feedback, join a Toastmasters club (as I finally did in Dec 2010).

Rewards

A dynamic session benefits everyone. There's a reason to attend since the audience gets more than a canned presentation. There's a reason to attend more than once (depending on the topic) since each time is different. Like a Springsteen concert.

You also show your expertise. You're a pundit instead of a parrot. Isn’t that exactly want you want? Authority is the third universal principle of influence. You also have more fun ... once you're comfortable with interaction.

You learn what’s on your audience's mind. That's valuable. You may not be Springsteen (though if you are. leave a comment!), but you can make your presentations alive.

Links

PS Years ago, I did Ask An Actuary sessions for advisors. They could ask any question in this safe environment. I didn't know all the answers but sometimes other attendees did. If that failed, I could research afterwards. There was a solid reason to get invited back.

DO YOU DELEGATE OR OUTSOURCE THE WRONG THINGS?

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Situations change fast. To anticipate and react, you need control over your calendar. If you’re already working at capacity, what use are you?

I've been controlling my work time and priorities since the late 1990s. This includes making time to think and experiment. Productivity is important, which is why I’m currently in week 4 of the 12 week Pick Four goals program.

Making Time

You have more time when you delegate or outsource. It's tempting to pick

what you don't like to do
what you don't know how to do

Are those the right reasons?

You might get further by delegating what you like to do. This may be counter-intuitive (and unpleasant). Conventional thinking says do what you do best and delegate the rest. There is merit in this approach but also diminishing returns. There's little room for growth when you're already great. If you're a world class athlete, the small incremental changes matter. For most of us, we might be making a rut as deep as a grave. The 10,000 Hour Rule (see Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers) leads to mastery but is 20,000 hours better than investing the next 10,000 hours in developing new skills?

Contrarian?

If something is experimental or important, I personally get involved. It doesn't matter if the work is boring. When you do something dull or difficult, you learn and you set a good example for others.

Once I spent weeks developing spreadsheets that showed product performance vs. competitors insurance products. This involved numerous calculations for combinations of age, gender and smoking status. I input the results into spreadsheets and soon had pages of figures. This was overwhelming. To make interpretation simpler, I showed percentage differences in performance. Finally, I added colour coding: green if our product was better and red if we were worse. The colour coding made interpretation very easy. These pages became known as "green sheets" within the industry.

Once the prototype was working well, I delegated the preparation to my staff. If I delegated at the outset, the results would not suffered.

New Skills

Sometimes, new skills are needed. I don't know web programming but wanted to prototype brandable websites to help advisors sell life insurance via education and the opportunity to buy. That was in 2000. I learned how to use Microsoft FrontPage and soon created a prototype. Eventually, the Board approved the multiyear, multimillion dollar SaveTax Project. That's when I could delegate to real web designers and programmers.

Video

These days, I'm learning video editing. Last week, I learned how to insert slides from a PowerPoint presentation into a live recording of Building Trust With Blogging from Word11. I also put the audience questions onscreen and enhanced the audio. I'm using Adobe Premiere Elements, which I find unintuitive. There isn't much online help either.

Yesterday, I was asked why I didn't just hire an expert. The results would be better and I'd save time. That's true, but I'd lose out on the learning and role modeling.

My ultimate goal is to inspire clients to get ready for their video debut. If they agree, they're likely to outsource. Who to? Most video "experts" are close to average, by definition. That's not good enough. Unless I know the basics of video, I can't spot the fakers from the pros. That means I can't make recommendations.

Too Important

You might outsource video production, graphic design or even writing. You might have no choice. For instance, I don't have design skills.

When you delegate or outsource, you're creating a vulnerability. What they do for you, they can do for your for your competitors too ...

Sometimes what you do is too important to risk losing.

Links

PS What do you handoff to others to do?

BLOGGING MILESTONE: 5 YEARS | 500 POSTS | 250,000 WORDS

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:40:00 +0000

I just reached a milestone: five years of blogging. That's over 500 posts and 250,000 words. This feels like a big accomplishment.

Here’s the official tally

238 posts here
255 posts on Riscario Insider
24 posts on Spark Insight (dormant)

That’s 517 posts. Let’s look back to the days before the iPhone was launched.

Q: Why did you start blogging?

Blogging gave us a free, easy-to-use publishing platform with worldwide reach. I started in February 2007 as an experiment. I had things I wanted to say but never had an outlet before. No censorship. No delays. No excuses.

We just needed the courage to say something worthwhile. Over and over.

If blogging worked (as I thought it would over time), I wanted to inspire my clients to start too. In those days, my job was to help insurance advisors make more money. Blogging looked an ideal way for them to gain business by showing their chemistry (personality), credentials (expertise) and generosity (sharing information).

Q: What did you learn from blogging?

I learned that blogging is easy to start, easy to quit and very rewarding if you continue.

Anyone can start blogging within minutes. There are no external barriers. All limitations are self-imposed. We are fully responsible. That's scary and empowering.

Blogging is easy to quit. There are always other pressing demands on our time. We're busy. We might not feel well or be in the mood. We might be traveling. We have oodles of excuses. Overcoming obstacles on a regular basis builds confidence. You reach a point where you know you will ship because that becomes easier than letting the excuses win. Our intentions to exercise and diet face the same obstacles.

Blogging is very rewarding over time. There's power in helping others --- even strangers --- with our words. There's power in continuing while others quit (assuming they even started). The results are powerful too. You stand out from your competitors as you find your voice and your audience. You make a stronger impression on new visitors and a lasting one on regular readers.

Q: What frightened you about blogging?

I didn't know if I could write or if anyone would be interested in reading my thoughts. I worried about running out of ideas. I thought I might quit and feared showing my failure in public. I was especially worried about criticism. I worked for a large insurer and feared that a complaint might lead to trouble.

There was no corporate policy on blogging and I didn’t feel a need to ask for permission. Instead, I checked with two lawyers. Both said that what I did in my personal time was for me to decide but I could not imply the company sanctioned what I wrote.

Q: When did you know what blogging was right for you?

I had a hunch that blogging was an untapped wonder. I got external confirmation in 2007, when I

saw Robert Cialdini talk about the universal principles of influence
listened to Seth Godin read The Dip

What would you have done differently if you could go back to February 2007?

Two blogs is a lot to manage. Looking back, I should have had one blog with two posts per week, rather than two blogs with one post per week. However, I had two different interests. I struggled with that decision then and I still do. In the meantime, I keep writing.

Q: What did you know about marketing?

Nothing much. I'm puzzled at my audacity to write about marketing. I have no background. No courses. No multi-day seminars. No designations. I learned primarily by listening to audiobooks, reading blogs and thinking.

I found that marketing books generally:

dealt with products (not services)
focused on large companies (not small)
predated social media (and the impact of the Internet)

I saw that I could adapt the principles to services and entrepreneurs via social media. Since there was no "right" path, I was free to experiment.

I found current thinking in blogs, especially from Seth Godin and Mitch Joel. We operate at different scales but have similar thinking. I have had the opportunity to speak to both of them. I find they are genuine. They continue to inspire me.

Q: What surprised you most?

I wasn't sure that anyone would care about my amateur marketing ideas. To my surprise, I found that I was more credible than the experts because I had no marketing services to sell. Also, I was exploring new ways of marketing before the pros.

In 2008, I started getting invited to speak to groups about marketing. Entrepreneurs sought out my advice to understand WHY before hiring experts for the HOW.

I also saw there was pent-up demand for my core area of expertise: taming financial risk with life and health insurance. In 2009, I started my own business built on the trust I earned via consistent persistent generosity. Giving ongoing, unconditional gifts to strangers made me a better person and this attracted clients to me. Blogging opened doors and still does.

I now describe myself in three inter-related words: actuary | blogger | advocate.

Q: Did you really write 250,000 words?

I haven’t counted. My typical post is 500 words or more. The numerous comments I’ve left on other blogs should more than make up any shortfall. In case you’re counting, this post is 986 words.

SHOW YOUR ROUGH EDGES TO UNLEASH REVENUE

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Do you offend enough people? If not, unveil more of your personality.

“Offend” may be the wrong word. “Polarize” may be better. Do you attract/repel people? Yes, you do. There’s not much you can do about this.

Inappropriate Photo?

Your reaction to the photo will depend on your opinion of cats and what you think is funny. If you're offended, would you feel differently if you knew this cat likes sitting here when the equipment is off? Would you mind if this were a cartoon?

Here’s the core question: do you atrract/repel the right people?

Blatant Ways

Consciously or not, you bring others closer or push them away. For example, you may

use profanity
tell off-colour jokes
express your views on religion, politics or current affairs
gripe
blame others

Even if no one objects out loud, you're offending some and attracting others.

Subtle Ways

Your rough edges also show in other ways. There's no right or wrong.

are you technician or a personality?
do you pay attention to detail or focus on the big points?
do you answer your phone whenever it rings or only when you're in a quiet environment?
do you focus on quality or prefer to cut costs?
are you a specialist or generalist?
are you big-city or small-town?
young or old?
educated or self-taught?
spender or frugal?

Each has an effect.

The Wrong Fish

If you're not happy with the clients you're attracting, you'll need to make changes. Since we can't see ourselves objectively, you'll probably need outside help to see what's wrong. You can soften some edges while remaining true to yourself.

Try This

You may have difficulty overcoming first impressions and stereotypes. That's why you want to help shape the initial opinions and confound expectations. Let people see the real you as quickly as you can. They’ll learn the truth eventually. If the interpersonal chemistry isn’t there, will they buy from you? It doesn’t matter how much time you spend with them or how logical your arguments.

Can potential clients experience you without the hassle of meeting you? Yes. Online with text, audio, video and photos.

Links

PS This post was written years ago but never published.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR COMPUTER BREAKS DOWN?

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:44:00 +0000

My Lenovo ThinkPad W520 workstation will be out of service for at least four days.

Granted, that includes Saturday, Sunday (today) but I had things to do. My warranty provides onsite, next business day service. That would mean Monday but ... the technicians are booked. I get to wait until sometime on Tuesday.

What Happened?

When I startup my computer, an error message says

Detection error on HDD1 (Ultrabay HDD)

I have two fast internal 500 GB hard drives configured to act like one huge hard drive (RAID0 striping). This high performance option writes portions of a file to each drive at the same time. This helps when editing video and doing other disk intensive tasks. (Another option is RAID1 mirroring which puts the same files on two drives. This is safer because if one disk stops working, you have a backup.)

There is likely a problem (in decreasing order) with

the connector between the hard drive, Ultrabay and motherboard
the motherboard
the hard drive

Why So Slow?

If next day repairs aren’t available, that means

too many defective machines and/or
too few technicians

Both problems are resolvable and each is a concern. In today’s world, any day can be a work day. Restricting service calls to Monday-Friday feels arcane. After all, Lenovo sells 24/7.

Don't Panic

I can't afford to be out of service for days. Thanks to pre-planned redundancy, I'm not. The cloud is the main reason. That's where I have key files (Dropbox), email, contacts, tasks, etc. I can access them with my iPad, netbook and smartphone. Multiple Internet connected devices provide cheap insurance and more productivity.

I can keep working with my netbook for simple tasks requiring Windows. For instance, I composed/posted a blog post and podcast 153.

I'm definitely less productive but reasonably functional. I can catch up in other areas, such as thinking and creating more content. Phone calls and meetings aren’t affected.

Can't Do

I can't work on two PowerPoint presentations. One is for a live session in three months but the organizers want a draft to start the slow process of applying for Continuing Education credits for attendees. The second is for a live presentation this Thursday.

I can't work on video. I wanted to practice editing and publish at least one. That's one of my Pick Four goals (see Reach your goals with Pick Four from Zig Ziglar and Seth Godin).

Don't Know

If a hard drive is defective, I will lose some files. Mainly raw video. The core files are well-protected by Dropbox, SugarSync, JungleDisk and an external hard drive.

Why aren't the video files backed up? Uploading to online storage is slow and bandwidth caps get in the way. I could have local backups but was compiling all video in one place first. Also, my backup drive is nearly full.

Next Time

I don't want a next time. Here's what I could do

have another computer, rather than a netbook
have real-time syncing to an external hard drive (in addition to overnight incremental backups)
read the warranty fine print

I can't do anything about the fine print but can become better aware of the limitations.
In the unlikely case that I lose anything, the damage will be limited. If you are not using Dropbox or SugarSync, do consider them.

GET READY FOR YOUR VIDEO DEBUT

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:01:00 +0000

Video is a very powerful marketing tool. I've been ~~deferring~~ procrastinating because video is such a demanding medium.

Quick

You can create video by hiring an expert. You'll get fast results, but they may look generic. Skeptical? Consider TV newscasters. How different is one station from another? Professional doesn’t mean distinct. Stock photos have a similar staged look. They look a little too good.

Video bios look generic too. These days, many feature different camera angles and many cuts. The subjects look like they are

being interviewed with the interviewer edited out
reading from a teleprompter without enough practice

Expedient doesn’t mean desirable. You're not a Hollywood actor in an action movie needing microsecond cuts. You're a real person. If you know your subject, can't you talk articulately for a few minutes? You probably do all day long.

The professional/generic approach isn’t authentic enough for me. As with blogging and podcasting, I wanted to master the basics myself but …

The Fear

I haven't liked the way I look on camera. I'd feel stiff, sound unnatural and forget what I wanted to say. The solution is practice. I don't notice the camera any more. I realize that mistakes can be edited out, reduced with more takes, or just left in.

That leaves the fear of forgetting.

As a writer, I want to say exactly what I've drafted but I'm not good at memorization. I've tried using a teleprompter (Teleprompt+ on my iPad). This works well when giving a live speech but when I talk directly to the camera, you can see that I'm reading.

I now sound reasonably natural when reading a script. Even so, speaking impromptu is 100% natural. Thanks to Toastmasters, I finally can. I'm glad I finally joined. Live but unscripted may be the ideal solution. If one take isn't quite right, you can do more. When you the recording and production yourself, there’s no cost and you improve your skills.

You'll have your own concerns. Practice is your best tool. You no longer need fancy equipment. You can start by using the video camera in your smartphone or your web cam. A separate video camera is probably best but you don't need an expensive model.

Broadcast Yourself

YouTube now allows you to publish HD videos of unlimited length. The maximum used to be 15 minutes, which is a problem for live presentations (though perhaps a relief for viewers). Here’s an example of a recent recording. There’s room for improvement but the results are good enough to ship.

You don’t have to appear on camera. You can narrate a PowerPoint presentation instead. With sharp images, the results look great when projected or viewed on a smartphone. Here’s the latest example.

If you're recording your screen, please don't use the ancient 4:3 aspect ratio (1024x768). Switch to widescreen 16:9 (though the 16:10 above is workable).

Expert?

I'm hardly a video expert yet. I'm comfortable adding narration to PowerPoint. I'm comfortable speaking live and presenting live. I can now do basic editing using Adobe Premiere Elements. The next --- and most important --- step is live talking-to-the camera video.

You may want to hire a videographer but there's no harm in getting comfortable appearing on camera. Your TV debut may be next.

MARKETING IDEAS FROM WASTING WATER

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:30:00 +0000

You’ll find marketing ideas where none are intended.

This morning, I went to the Ivey Idea Forum for the first time. The topic was Water and Agri-Food Innovation: Does our future profitability depend on it? That means fresh water usage by food companies. That’s a rather narrow focus but I was curious about the issues.

We’ll skip the scary statistics and predictions. Instead, we’ll look at the marketing hurdles in the path to change.

Four Marketing Hurdles

Why aren’t food companies doing more? Kevin Jones (LinkedIn) gave four reasons. He’s the President and CEO of The Bloom Centre for Sustainability (website).

The risk isn’t visible
The financial benefits aren’t visible
Ignorance abounds
Current proven solutions aren’t known

You probably have similar issues with your own clients. Let’s explore what you can do.

Make The Risk Visible

Water: the risk isn't visible. If food companies see water as cheap and abundant, why would they bother with conservation?

If your clients don't see the real problem you solve, you've got a huge hurdle since they have many squeakier wheels to oil. You won't get far as a prophet of disaster if you get the rewards from being right. You can still educate, ideally using independent reports. Maybe they’ll then hire you to slay the now seen monster.

Show The Financial Benefits

Water: The financial benefits of conservation aren't seen. If there isn't a connection with profits, how do you motivate companies to spend?

Do your clients see you as an investment or an expense? Can you develop simple metrics? For instance, the equivalent of a hurdle rate or payback period. You probably have something already. How can you you make the benefits more compelling?

Do your clients trust what you're showing them? Too-good-to-be-true benefits or shaky assumptions are impair your credibility. Wait, there’s more!

Overcome Ignorance

Water: Ignorance. If companies don't know how or where they are using water, is change likely?

Even if your clients use the type of product or service you provide, do they know how or where? For instance, we take electricity for granted. Would automatic water faucets, soap dispensers and towel dispensers work during a power outage? Depending on the business, that might be important.

Show Proven Solutions

Water: Food companies are unaware of current, proven solutions. If they don't know what's available, they may not know they can do something today.

Few businesses want to bear the risks and costs of innovating in a noncore area. Do you show clients what's already adopted elsewhere? Relevant case studies help you use a powerful principle of influence: consensus.

Your Clients

How do you fault clients for inertia?

These four marketing hurdles are inter-related. Education is one solution. You can share content that's already available (like a parrot) or create your own (like a pundit). Since awareness takes time, staying in contact with valuable, timely information helps.

THREE WAYS TO START THE YEAR WITH THE WIND IN YOUR SAILS

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:26:00 +0000

If you want your year to go well, start strong. Here are three ways to kick the year into gear:

Celebrate last year
Be your own guide
Show courage in public

Let’s explore each.

Celebrate Last Year

Make a list of what you shipped last year. Are you surprised at how much you got done?

Since we’re busy, we may not notice or celebrate our accomplishments. Don’t expect anyone else to notice or remember either. Gently remind them by putting your highlights someplace they can see and send to others.

If you’re gutsy, you can include selected failures and personal elements too. Just remember you're in marketing not therapy.

Example

This is part of my email signature:

SHIPPED IN 2011: Interviewed in The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. Spoke about building trust at CALU and Word11. Elected President of Goodyear Toastmasters. Celebrated Dad's 75th birthday and my 50th. Published 103 blog posts about risk and marketing. Nominated for a Business Excellence Award from the Toronto Board of Trade (lost, but the sole candidate from financial services out of 49 nominees in 8 categories). How was your year?

The same details are on my personal website in bullet format.

Be Your Own Guide

Resolutions sound so serious — easier to break than keep. There’s a simpler way to achieve your goals:

choose three words with meaning to you (mine are health, harvest, advocate)
think of them daily
act accordingly

This approach works better than you might expect. It’s based on ideas from Chris Brogan.

Show Courage In Public

Write one honest testimonial on LinkedIn each week for (at least) three weeks. Here “honest” means there’s no perceived self-interest or hidden business dealings with the people you praise.

Giving recognition is free but priceless. Spotlighting linchpins rewards them. They may not realize the impact they’ve had on you. They may be questioning whether they are making a difference. Your words could be the boost they need.

Praise in private has very little marketing value for the recipient. Besides, you show courage when you take a stand in public. When you see that nothing bad happens, you can be even more courageous going forward.
Giving testimonials has an important “free prize”. Seeking the treasure in others helps you unearth the diamonds hidden within you. You become what Zig Zigar calls a “good finder”. The world needs more positive people.

Momentum gives a great start to the year. Get set, go!

YOUR FAVOURITE POSTS OF 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:12:00 +0000

Why break tradition? Let's start 2012 by looking back to what you read here on the Marketing Actuary blog in 2011.

If you're a new reader, this post gives you a quick sample the content before you decide to subscribe.

The Top 10

The best buying experience: Audi vs BMW vs Mercedes-Benz
The six most influential word groups (from 2008) [was #1 in 2009 and 2010]
Let's Get Real: Mahan Khalsa brings ORDER to sales chaos (from 2010)
Five marketing keys from Google’s Chris O’Neill (from 2010)
Rediscover Selling The Invisible by Harry Beckwith (from 2009) [was #5]
Why join the Toronto Board of Trade?
Improving Google’s Get Your Business Online (GYBO) initiative
Nicolas Boothman on creating your 10 second commercial (from 2009) [was #8]
Reciprocity: The first universal principle of influence (from 2007) [was #4]
LinkedIn’s Jonathan Lister discusses social media

Once again, six of these posts are from previous years. Four made the top 10 for 2010. Old content keeps getting read. That's an excellent reason to publish online where search engines look.

More Statistics

There are 232 previous posts all accessible and improving my digital tapestry. They are the key reason traffic grew by 93%. There are now more visits in a month than there used to be in a year. How can that be bad?

Marketing goes beyond borders. The top five countries are the United States, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and Australia. There was one visit from Uzbekistan.

Mobile devices account for 3.9% of the traffic. Of these visitors, 62% used iPads, which the design accommodates.

ARE YOU SICK OF SOCIAL MEDIA TOO?

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:59:00 +0000

Would you attend a session on how to use an air conditioner (or question the ROI)? Stay cool when it’s hot! How about a workshop on five reasons to get a mobile phone? Make calls wherever you are! How about an all day course on how to use email? No more stamps to lick!

We take those things for granted.

Social media has become routine for me (and perhaps you?). It's part of daily business life — like checking email and answering phone calls. And air conditioning (though not in the Canadian winter).

Skeptics

If you're unconvinced about the merits of social media, maybe you’re a late adopter. Think back. How quick were you to

get an email address?
put your email address on your business card?
answer email from your smartphone?

That's fine. Innovation isn't for all. Not everyone wants to explore or risk making mistakes in public. Some people aren't generous.

Social media is the best tool to demonstrate consistent persistent generosity to the world. You can't fake this for long and quitters are easily spotted. When the focus is on sharing for free, does the question of ROI arise?

Converts

If you "get" the benefits of generosity, you just need to use the tools. As with exercise and diet, good habits take time to develop and discipline to maintain.

The real benefits come after mastery. The real opportunities arise after you routinely use tools like LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Meetup and Google Plus. You can then think about what's next now that your clients' expectations have changed.

This Year

This year I wrote about social media extensively because I was doing live presentations on the "why". That was my final attempt to convince the skeptics and congratulate the converts. I've got speaking engagements for the next four months and am not seeking any more.

It's time to move on. I'm not planning any more posts specifically about social media. That's my New Year's Resolution. Let's see if it sticks.

This is the final post of 2011.

The best to you and yours during the holidays.
May your 2012 be swell, swell, swell!

Links

These posts from 2008 and later are related to social media.

PS If you're not a social media master, the holidays are a great time to catch up.

HOW MANY EXPLORERS DISCOVERED YOU TODAY?

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:20:00 +0000

The days of explorers on the quest for uncharted lands have passed. Now a search takes an Internet connection and a comfortable chair. Progress!

Now that sites encourage visitor comments, you'll discover people everywhere. You may be attracted by a particular person’s photo or message. A quick click shows you more about them. Maybe you’d like to stay in contact?

Maybe they’d like to stay in touch with you/

Found

In the beginning, there’s satisfaction in getting discovered. Over time, the “gee whiz” fades. Traffic is good but for results, you want the right explorers to discover you.

Some techniques help you get found. Analytics show you which ones. The problem is that you rarely know who your visitors are. That’s where LinkedIn helps. You can see who some of the explorers (more with a paid account) and then visit their profiles. Maybe you’d like to stay in touch with some of them.

Hello

Can you reach out to them? They will appreciate this and often say yes. I've experimented on LinkedIn and still find that over 91% of my requests to connect are accepted by strangers. What do they know about me? Little beyond what my profile shows.

If they visited my profile and then I invite them, the rate is still 100.0%. It's as if they are happy that I took the time to reach out. Some say they wanted to contact me but were reluctant. Some of these connections even led to business, though that was not the goal. It's a nice side benefit, though.

Pruning

Since my LinkedIn network has grown larger than intended. I’ve taken steps to show up in fewer searches. For instance, I’ve removed some keywords and made my profile more specific.

Since we’re judged by the company we keep, I’ve started pruning and pulling out weeds. Here are examples of disappointing behaviour that’s likely to break a connection without warning:

too salesy: their goal is to take money from your wallet and fast
lack of generosity: they don’t helping others by curating or creating original content (neither parrots nor pundits)
inconsistency: they start and then quit
incompetence: they say things that are incorrect or misleading

There are exceptions for most silent connections. They aren’t doing anything offensive. They aren’t doing much at all. Some may be strategic. Others may eventually start sharing. You may have different criteria.

What are you doing to attract and get discovered by the right explorers?

Links

PS If you’re uncharted territory, leave clues for the explorers ... unless you don’t want more business.

FIVE PRESENTATION LESSONS FROM SETH GODIN

noreply@blogger.com (Promod Sharma) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:39:00 +0000

In less than two years, I've seen Seth live four times: twice in New York City and twice in Toronto (most recently at The Art of Sales on November 22nd). That's more than I've seen any other speaker. I didn't buy any t-shirts but did pick up five presentation lessons we can use. Here they are:

recycle
show
give
inspire
follow-up

Need more detail? Read on.

Recycle

When you see Springsteen, you expect to hear Born To Run (and do). Seth doesn't have such a staple. I don't think he mentioned Purple Cow at all but he did wear a purple tie. Yet Seth reused some content and slides. That's because they are still effective.

In contrast, other presenters recycled out of laziness. Keith Ferrazzi yakked about his tough upbringing which was unmoving in his 2005 book Never Eat Alone. Sally Hogshead again used vile-tasting Jägermeister as mildly amusing filler (video clip). In each case, we can predict the outcomes. Wake me up when you’re done.

Seth’s content improves with age. He's building on what worked before and is still relevant for tomorrow. You get a sense of continuity and see his growth. He's certainly not in a rut or out of ideas.

Do you recycle — and for the right reasons?

Show

Seth uses lots of visuals (mainly photos) and many stories. He has the knack of connecting what seems disparate into a larger theme. That shows craftsmanship. The visuals don't always match what he's saying but add to the effect. Either the slides play by themselves (which seems unlikely) or Seth practices a lot.

Seth uses very few slides with words. Compare that with typical business presentations where the slides with visuals are rare (and rarely effective).

You'll see Seth's style in this TED Talk about the tribes we lead.

Are your presentations engaging and easy to follow?

Give

We remember generosity (and notice the absence).

Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerry's was the final speaker. He talked about how giving the company was but what did he give us that a video recording would not? He could have wowed us by handing out free ice cream. That would have been unexpected and appreciated. Think of the word of mouth. How much does ice cream cost when you buy in bulk from your own factory?

Seth gave us brain food. Our souvenir was a hardcover copy of Poke The Box (Amazon.com). Isn't that brilliant? You're not going to throw the book away. You'll probably show it to others. Once you've read it, maybe you'll pass it on. In the worst case, you can re-gift it.

Also, Seth took questions from the audience for about 30 minutes. Interaction brings a session alive and shows whether the speaker is also a thinker.

How do you show your generosity beyond what’s expected?

Inspire

You need excellent content that’s fresh and delivered in a way no one else can match. Seth does research (and gives credit) but what you see is his unique creation.

In the corporate world, I used to develop presentations that the marketing team could use across the country. Since the slides were also the speaker notes and the handouts, the content was a tad bland and corporate. I then started creating presentations with zing that only I could deliver. This was much better for the company and me (except for the travelling).

Do you inspire? How do you know if you are?

Follow-up

The follow-up is where presenters usually flop. The messages they bring are easily forgotten, especially when they're part of a daylong speaker series. If your goal is to take the money and skedaddle, that's fine. If your goal is to truly help people, you need a follow-up system. No, I don't mean a seminar or book. Something free.

Seth blogs daily. His content is there waiting. If you're interested, you subscribe. He has no mechanism to put you on a mailing list because he doesn't have one. Seth had no slide with contact info. If you want to reach him, you must be interested enough to do a web search. Tough huh? In contrast, Keith Ferrazzi was trying to build a database via email and texting.

What do you offer for follow-up that's free and opt-in?

Overall, Seth gave another excellent presentation. I especially liked his hidden lessons on presenting.

Links

PS Which amazing speakers have you seen lately (live or online)?