Optimism in a Dark World: Are You Focusing on the Right Stuff?
December 02, 2008
The "right stuff" may be relative - my right stuff may not be your right stuff. My choice of cell phone may not be your choice. My choice of where to live may conflict with yours.
But...leaving relativity aside (kudos to Einstein), let's be clear: the right stuff in business is all of the work you do for clients or customers. It's part of your marketing budget, part of your customer service focus, and part of your overall goals.
Here is a "right stuff" list for marketing:
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Read blogs in your area of interest and engage in the conversation.
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Embrace your competition. (together is a good word for accomplishment)
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Utilize online tools like blogs, twitter, facebook and email.
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DO NOT cut back on the time and investment you spend marketing. Marketing is vital to your business survival.
Here is a "right stuff" list for customer service:
Do it. Be it. Live it. Your attention to your customers (and your employees) is at least as important as your marketing!
Here is a "right stuff" list for your goal setting:
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Focus on achievable goals. Think big, dream big, but remember - take those baby steps before you attempt that huge understaking.
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Document, document, document. Do not depend on your memory of what worked and what didn't. Write it down!
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Create workable processes...blog two days a week; twitter only during your lunch hour; connect with prospects at more than one touch point (blogs, twitter, email, phone.
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FInd a way to get face-to-face with clients and prospects at every chance!
Okay, you're ready to move forward. 2009 is waiting - get out there and break a leg!
This blog was a nice reminder of all of the things you know you should do, but don't neccesarily do. For example, you know you should write thank you cards for certain situations, birthday gifts, interviews, if someone did something excessively nice for you, etc. Your mother told you so! And altough sometimes a slip of the mind or the sheer thought of actually doing what your parents suggest may cause you not to, the superlative thing to do is to be courteous and go with your gut. The suggestions are really just common sense and it's funny that we don't always follow them. (at least concerning the "right stuff" for goal setting) It is way to easy to get ahead of ourselves and we need to take the time and do the the things that build relationships, reassure trust and interact with each other.
The "right thing(s)" to do include making things easier on yourself by setting realistic goals and tackling those goals by making sure you remember what to do and how to do it. Take one day at a time. (yet, still look toward the future)
And as for marketing, it is reassuring to see that it should not be cut back in times like these. With such a bad economy it's nice to realize that it is such an important part of business . . . especially when that is the career path you're hoping to enter after graduation!
Posted by: Libby | December 03, 2008 at 09:42 PM