BlogScarlett Letter #93: As a salesperson, you best know how to access the detailsWhen I was just 22, my dad bought me a small universal life insurance policy. Now it’s 2010, and my annual premium is almost due. I have some questions about my options. 1. Since I’ve accrued a little bit of money and am vested, do I need to pay the premium this year in order to keep the policy alive? 2. If I want to borrow against this policy, how do I go about paying it back; what is the interest rate? 3. What are the advantages of keeping this policy versus cashing this one out and buying a term ... March 11, 2010 Scarlett Letter #92: Lose the attitude! Be an open, engaging conversationalist.I went to an art salon last weekend. Presented in a family-style dining environment, my table included our group of four, plus one more couple that we did not yet know. To make them feel welcome, I tried engaging them with some questions. At first they were responsive, no problem. Then I learned that the woman was an editor of NewCity, a weekly publication here in Chicago. Take note, I have no burning desire to write for NewCity. {Don’t get me wrong, I’d be delighted to be published in any reputable periodical including NewCity, but I already have enough to manage ... March 08, 2010 Scarlett Letter #91: When conducting client surveys, wear your investigative reporter’s hatTwo days ago, Susan S., an AE marketing director, contacted me about the ‘right’ questions to ask during client perception surveys. Susan intends for these surveys to be conducted as face-to-face interviews with existing clients. Findings will help inform the direction of her firm’s new strategic marketing plan. Sequentially, Susan’s firm is on the right track by conducting client surveys prior to strategic planning. As well, their format is on target (personal discussions, rather than a more typical Likert-scale questionnaire). Here are some tips for preparing a set of dialogue-inspiring questions: >Design open-ended questions. (I know, duh!) >First question or two: Commence the conversation ...March 04, 2010 Scarlett Letter #90: New Normal for AEC clients = New Normal for AEC industryIt’s 2010. Are our clients finally settling into a ‘new normal’? How does each industry define trends within its new normal? What challenges are they anticipating in this new normal, and how might the design and construction industry be able to provide support in tackling those challenges? Further, within the context of each industry’s new normal, what expectations do our clients have of AEC service providers? Specifically, how might their buying preferences and processes have changed, and what can we do—as AEC industry marketing and sales professionals—to appeal to their needs? As we do our homework to figure out these answers, we ... March 01, 2010 Scarlett Letter #89: LinkedIn; Facebook; Twitter — Add warmth!Mr. Who-Knows would like to connect with you on LinkedIn. Ms. Never-Seen-Before added you as a friend on Facebook. Do these email messages look familiar? Lately, I’ve been receiving some invitations from both LinkedIn and Facebook where not only do I have no clue who the person is, but I also get a twinge of displeasure at the experience. Since the design and construction community is (hopefully) becoming more versed with these social networks as business tools, it’s important for all of us to do it the ‘right’ way, rather than plowing forward with unbridled enthusiasm. You may have ... February 25, 2010 Scarlett Letter #88: In-house AEC controversy–positive or negative?Design and construction firms often have some *big* personalities within. *Big* personalities could potentially encompass those who are: outspoken, bold, egotistical, always-right, impassioned ….you get the point. As well, firms in the AEC industry almost always have a few *non-descript* personalities, including characteristics such as: soft-spoken, non-confrontational, quietly opinionated OR without much particular opinion at all, etc. Of course, there are also personalities everywhere in between the spectrum, along with those personalities that waffle between one extreme and another. As a firm leader, has it ever occurred to you to create static—even controversy—among your in-house staff? Maybe you have considered matching up various ... February 22, 2010 Scarlett Letter #87: Bringing AEBL to the Midwest…what are we waiting for?!AEBL, the Association of AE Business Leaders, is an essential leadership forum on the U.S. west coast, as well as various pockets across the country. Originally called the Professional Services Management Association (PSMA), this organization has been around since 1975. Yet, Chicago is still missing this valuable industry resource. AEBL membership is comprised of senior managers, principals and owners from design and consulting firms who share business expertise through national and regional CEO Roundtables, Step Up to Leadership seminars, and other information sharing events. The mission: “…to strengthen and support the AE industry by promoting best practices, corporate stewardship, effective leadership ... February 18, 2010 Scarlett Letter #86: In AEC business, positive attitudes go a long wayAruba….self proclaimed as “One happy island”. Last week, I had the fortunate invitation to travel to Aruba as a guest for a one-week conference. While very grateful for this opportunity, Aruba is not on my top list of destinations. Relative to specific other Caribbean islands (i.e. Dominica and St. Lucia), Aruba’s terrain seemed like a desolate desert beyond the resort-strip area. For a land-lovin’ hiker and cultural (read: anti-tourist trap) explorer like me, Aruba did not seem particularly promising beyond warm weather and an opportunity to log a few dives. Even with my aversion to resort, touristy environments, I gladly went ... February 15, 2010 Scarlett Letter #85: Expressing Appreciation to Design and Construction IndustryThis year, I decided to send out business valentines to uniquely ‘touch’ my prospects, clients, and business partners. I’m pleased to report that these handwritten cards (only sent to about 1/10th of my mailing list) were well received. Hopefully, they provided a surprise diversion from what one usually finds in a stack of business mail. I discovered a few things during this valentine preparation process. 1. I have been relying on email addresses only, so much of my mailing list is void of snail mail addresses. 2. Linkedin is a dream come true, because when people move around from position to ... February 11, 2010 Scarlett Letter #84: Opportunities will be missed if they don’t hire your firm!Recently, I attended You’ve Got The Look: Branding and PR forSmall Business. Sally O’Dowd, founder of Sally On Media, and Emily Lonigro, founder of design firm LimeRed Studio, discussed how small-business owners can get recognized for what they do best. Excellent in their respective crafts, these women did a great job of walking their audience through a step-by-step process for branding. Like all of us marketing professionals/consultants, Sally and Emily ask ‘Just Right’ probing questions to glean the most intel, data, and even intuitive subtleties from their clients. One such question was this: What opportunities will your prospects miss if they do ... February 08, 2010 |
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