Against the Grain: Networking

Some of the most powerful and influential people in the industry don’t work for a manufacturing company. They don’t work for the trade association and they don’t work for the government or a university. They write and edit the industry trade pubs.

Having good relationships with the writers and editors of industry trade pubs is essential.

These pubs are hungry for content. They need stories to tell. And if you’ve got a compelling one (hint: you do… we promise), they’ll likely be happy to tell it for you. Complete with the perks and benefits that come from a third party endorsement.

Yesterday, I sent out a tweet about my aversion to the RFP (request for proposal) selection process when looking for marketing services. Yes, I understand they are necessary for some clients, but are they really the best way to find an agency partner?

Looking back, RFP’s were first created as tools for purchasing agents to make a specific comparison of similar products or services to make an informed decision. It’s a way to compare apples to apples when buying supplies, equipment and specific services. Here’s how much Company A charges, here’s how much Company B charges, etc. The problem with using RFP’s to compare marketing services is that the approach is rarely apples to apples. For example, a simple television commercial assignment. It can be wide ranging in its use of talent, location, quality, message and therefore cost.  And in the end isn’t it about results?  The commercial driving the desired action is infinitely more valuable than the one that doesn’t, regardless of the price tag.  There is no way for an RFP to judge effectiveness, only its price.

The other problem is the lack of collaboration in this type of process.  I would agree that it can show some creativity, thoughts and philosophies, but this is a relationship business. Chemistry, the most important part in my opinion, of the client/agency relationship is completely ignored.  You can learn more about an organization over dinner and drinks, than you ever will through an RFP.

The client/agency relationship isn’t really all that different from an interpersonal relationship, is it? Can you imagine getting married after two or three dates? It happens, but long-term compatibility is a long shot at best and the shorter process certainly doesn’t increase the odds of success.  That’s what an RFP is – signing on the dotted line after barely getting to know someone. I think the client should be courted, complete a small project, spend some time getting to know the agency staff and see if their work is for you. And then, when you feel like it’s the real deal, sign on that dotted line! I’ve often said to prospective clients if they feel like our personalities don’t mesh, or if they couldn’t picture us sitting back and having a drink, we’re probably not the agency for them.

Before I start to sound like sour grapes, we regularly participate in RFP’s and frankly, win more than our fair share.  If you have to do them why not be great at them, right?  Some of those relationships have turned into great partnerships that have lasted, and some wins turned out to be a bad fit. Are we going to keep responding to RFP’s?  Of course we are.  I just hope that a few people on the other side of the desk will think about the process from a different perspective and try and bring in the human element. It will ultimately be better for both sides.

Image courtesy of National Pork Producers Council and the 2009 World Pork Expo.

Trade show season is upon us and many companies are busy designing booths for the biggest events in their industries. There are several tactics that companies commonly use to lure traffic to their booth – food, interactive displays and games, and prize giveaways. But trade shows are only as valuable as you make them. If you actively engage attendees, you will identify new business prospects, re-connect with current customers and see a valuable return on your investment.

Consider these tips to make your trade show experience successful.

Perk up!
Grab some caffeine, get off your caboose and smile! Make eye contact with attendees and engage them in a conversation so they don’t stroll right on past your booth. Ask about their business. What is their role in the company? What are they looking to accomplish at the trade show? A knowledgeable sales person can explain how your products will meet their needs. You want customers to leave your booth with a positive impression that sets you apart from your competitors in the next aisle.

Drive traffic to your booth.
Send a mailer to your current and prospective customers a few weeks before the event to alert them that you will be at the trade show. Include your booth number and a free admission ticket to increase your return rates. The customer may not place an order during the show but they’ll probably stop by and say hello. This gives your salespeople the chance to promote the company’s new products and services. Another strategy is to schedule meetings with key customers to ensure you make contact during the show. This will help exhibitors use their time more effectively. 

Turn off the phone.
Smart phones are a great way to stay connected while you’re out of the office, but if you spend more time responding to e-mails than chatting with attendees, you’re bound to miss valuable business opportunities. Plan a mid-morning and mid-afternoon break to check your messages, and then put the phone away and focus on the task at hand.

Put down the food.
People will shy away from your booth if you’re finishing up lunch. Coordinate with your co-workers so everyone gets a chance to grab food without leaving the booth unattended. On that note, steer clear of messy foods or attendees will pay more attention to the stain on your shirt than your sales pitch.

Measure your ROI.
There are entry fees, travel expenses and productivity costs associated with attending trade shows. How will you measure your return on investment? Identify your goals and objectives before the show. Do you want to identify 25 potential new customers or place 10 product orders? How will you reach your goals? Develop a sales strategy to ensure a more rewarding experience.

When the trade show ends, the real work begins. Your efforts are all in vain if you fail to followup with prospects. It is critical that you make contact with potential customers within a week to increase your chance of closing the sale. Develop a plan to capitalize on this trade show season, put it into action and watch your business grow.

Three years ago, a colleague invited me to attend a National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) meeting. She explained the event would last about an hour and included lunch. Free lunch? I'm in!

When I arrived, I was surprised to see a small conference room filled with local up-and-comers in the Ag industry. I wondered what they knew about the trends and challenges facing the market that I didn't. It turns out, they knew a lot because they met each month to discuss issues and share strategies. Then it dawned on me...I wasn't leading the next generation of marketing professionals, they were. Unacceptable!

Three years ago, I was given the opportunity to get involved and I took it. Sure, monthly meetings give you a great excuse to sneak away from the office for a few hours, but it turns out there are lots of benefits to professional associations. Case in point:

1. Getting involved provides networking opportunities with other professionals who share like interests and face similar challenges on a daily basis. Your peers can be sounding-boards and wonderful sources of inspiration. Your next big idea may come from a quick brainstorming session over lunch.
2. You can raise awareness about your company and generate new business prospects. At the next meeting, introduce yourself to your fellow tablemates. Tell them where you work and prepare a 30-second "elevator speech" about your company. You never know who may need your services. On that note: be a good ambassador for your company.
3. Marketing strategies are always changing and evolving. Pursuing continuing education opportunities is the only way to stay on top of the game. A "Lunch and Learn" has more to offer than a three-course meal. For one hour, you can listen to an expert discuss strategies that helped their business gain market share and reach their target audience. In a tough economy, who can afford to miss that kind of advice?

There are a plethora of professional associations that give you the opportunity to learn from the experts in your industry. Visit the American Advertising Federation, American Marketing Association (AMA), Art Directors Association of Iowa, International Association of Business Communicators, National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) and Public Relations Society of America Web sites to view upcoming meetings in the Des Moines area. This is your chance to get involved! Will you take it?

It doesn't take a detective to notice that the media landscape is undergoing its biggest change since the advent of the Internet 15 years ago. The force of social media is forever altering the way individuals stay in touch and share ideas. And increasingly, this applies to companies as well.

By now we're all at least somewhat familiar with Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter and the rest of the social networking landscape (Plurk, anyone?). And although the conversation is certainly taking place in board rooms all across the country, most companies are hesitant to jump into this world. Knowing that, here are five things to consider before entering the pool.

Are you ready to make the commitment?
Social media is not a do-it-today-win-tomorrow strategy. Just like offline relationships, building and cultivating your online relationships takes time. The care and feeding of your friends and followers is a daily — nay, hourly — task that must garner its fair share of your attention and resources. Social media is a cumulative process that shows minimal returns at first and can grow exponentially over time. It's about giving and sharing your time, expertise and value, knowing that it'll come back to you ten-fold down the road.

Who's going to manage it?
Unlike an individual setting up a Facebook or Twitter account, your organization's presence on these social networks is representative of multiple individuals, departments and possibly even locations. But because of the personal and real-time nature of these tools, your social network presence is not something that can be managed on a corporate level. It must be turned over to a single person or small team entrusted to be a proactive member of the community and to make responsible decisions regarding corporate communication. And all this has to happen without an approval process for interactions and postings (they would slow things down to the point of making them irrelevant).

The manager of your social media presence should be a real individual with an identifiable voice, not a booming corporate entity. But at the same time, they must serve the company's interests, not their own. It's a delicate balance... but it's achievable.

For a great example, follow Scott Monty of Ford Motor Co. on Twitter.

Can you be open and transparent?
A hallmark of social networking is open, transparent communication. If you aren't a part of an organization that values and actively rewards these things, you may find it tough to engage effectively with your community via social networks. Unlike traditional one-way marketing efforts, this two-way (or two-thousand-way) conversation requires candid, honest, open and human conversation.

This does not, however, mean that you should undermine overarching corporate strategy. Before implementing a social media strategy, be sure to sit down with management and legal to set guidelines about what is permissible and how to handle sensitive inquiries.

Will you be all business all the time?
The personal nature of social networks all but insists that you be "real." Unfortunately for companies, "real" is a synonym for "not corporate." Like it or not, this means you'll likely get less-than-stellar results from an all-business-all-the-time approach. Have some fun, show your personality and don't be afraid to be real. Got some goofy pictures from the company holiday party? Post them. Have a funny travel story that happened on your most recent business trip? Share it. Doing these things will ensure that when you do have a business-first announcement to make that your community actually takes notice.

But looked at a different way, this is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to engage your customers and prospects on a personal level and build a truly personal relationship with them.

How will you measure success?
Much like the offline relationships that social networks mirror, there's no hard and fast way to measure success. Like a lot of things in life, it's sort of fuzzy... it's an I-know-it-when-I-see-it sort of thing. Knowing that, if you're looking to tie your social media strategy directly to dollars, you're probably barking up the wrong tree.

However, because of the online nature of social networks, there are a number of metrics you can watch to gauge success — and most sites provide tools to help you do just that. Beyond measuring the growth of your various social circles (friends, followers, etc.), you can also look at interactions, private messages and posts that mention you or your company. In addition, your communications and profiles should push Web traffic to your main site, which can be tracked through your regular Web analytics package.

One last thing to think about while you're standing on the edge, considering whether you should get in the water. Don't dip a toe... dive in. Much like the offline social world, online social media doesn't reward timidity.