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More than likely, you started a business because you consider yourself an expert at something. One of the best ways to tout your expertise is to draft a whitepaper. Simply put, a whitepaper is a document that focuses on the problem and solution for a given subject. In the past, whitepapers were routinely used by the government and technology sectors for positioning on a specific topic. If you conduct an Internet search on “whitepapers” now, you’ll see that these documents are used to dissect a variety of subjects that range from politics to sales and marketing.

If you’re interested in writing a whitepaper, here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Know the issue : Before you pick up a pen or start tapping away on your keyboard, know what problems the customers you serve are facing, and how your expertise can help.
• Decide on a topic : Now that you’ve identified what your customers need, pinpoint a topic and list actionable solutions.
• End on a high note : End your whitepaper with a bang by clearly summarizing how to solve the problem you’ve identified, and any necessary next steps.
• Promote, promote, promote : Finally, don’t forget to let the public know about your whitepaper. Some things that you can do for promotions include: adding the whitepaper to your website and social media platforms; offering it to current and potential clients; and distributing it at speaking engagements.

Also remember that your whitepaper can vary in length. Presenting a well-organized document that follows a logical thought process is more important than the length of your whitepaper.  Happy writing!

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About Kristina Hill

Kristina Hill is the owner of MarComm Creative Group, LLC, a marketing communications business that helps small-and-mid-sized companies tell their story. For more information visit www.marcommcreativegroup.com .

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I’m a big fan of using photos during marketing activities. Because of this, I talk to small business owners all the time about the importance of having a variety of photos on-hand just in case the occasion arises where an image is needed or even just because. Images ranging from  executive head shots, to product photos, and images captured at special events help to visually tell the story of your business.

At the very least, try to keep a no-frills digital camera around so that you can capture quality photos of your business in action. Are you speaking on a panel? Take a picture of it. Did a celebrity visit your location? Grab your camera and get a quick shot. Or, take photos of the interior and exterior of your business location just because. Staged and candid shots are always good to have around. If there’s room in your budget, think about hiring a photographer to capture a few key photos. You’ll be glad you did. And, for quick, easy tips on how to maximize your photos, check out my blog post "5 Ways To Use Photos In Your Marketing Efforts ."

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About Kristina Hill

Kristina Hill is the owner of MarComm Creative Group, LLC, a marketing communications business that helps small-and-mid-sized companies tell their story. For more information visit www.marcommcreativegroup.com .

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USAIN BOLT DID IT AGAIN.

Usain Bolt’s 9.58 world record

Read the rest of this entry »

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By now, you might have seen some or all of the Michael Vick/Philadelphia Eagles press conference that took place Friday. For those who haven’t, Vick put his comeback tour in motion by announcing his deal to play back-up quarterback for the Eagles. The press conference was carefully orchestrated to position Vick as a rehabilitated man ready to get back to work as a star player in the NFL, while also making Eagles fans (who can be brutal), the city of Philadelphia, and the general public comfortable with the move.

For the most part, the press conference was predictable, but well done. There were countless mentions from Vick of "I’m sorry" and "bad mistake"; coaches showing support for Vick and the deal (including former NFL coach Tony Dungy in the press conference was a winner in my book); and countless questions by reporters trying to gauge whether or not Vick understands the bad decisions that led him down the wrong path.

As a small business owner, there are a number of public relations lessons to learn from the press conference, particularly when it comes to recovering from crisis situations. Think about it. At one point or another, we’re all going to have to utter the words "I’m sorry." This is especially true if you are a business owner. You might have to patch things up with a customer, employee, vendor, or in extreme cases, the public on a larger scale, as in Vick’s case. Here are a few basic take-a-ways from the press conference:

• Accept responsibility : If you make a mistake, admit it, sincerely. The public is much more forgiving of someone who admits their wrongdoings than someone who continually makes excuses for their actions. This might be hard to accept at times, but you’ll be better for it in the long run.
• Stay on message : Vick used the words "I’m sorry," and "second chance" countless times during his press conference. In fact, I’m sure that these words were in most of the sound bites from the press conference that were played by the media. Create message points that work for your situation and repeat often.
• That’s what friends are for : I was impressed with how Tony Dungy expressed his support for Michael Vick during the press conference. Dungy is respected in-and-outside the NFL, so I’m sure his vocal support carried weight with some people. Take note: In times of crisis, it’s always good to have a friend around who’s respected by the public.
• Be a problem solver : Now that you have admitted your mistake, tell how you’re going to fix the problem to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In Vick’s case, it is partnering with the Human Society to speak against dog fighting in inner cities across the country, among other things. From a business perspective, your problem solving could mean implementing new customer service channels, adding new safety procedures, or improving your product or service. The most important point in being a problem solver is to put concrete and measurable actions behind your words.

This is only the first of many more chapters in the Michael Vick saga, especially as we get into the thick of the NFL season. From a PR standpoint, this is an intriguing case study whether Vick gets back into good graces with the public or not.  I know that I’ll be watching to see what other PR moves Vick’s management team and the Eagles unleash during his comeback march. Will you?

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About Kristina Hill

Kristina Hill is the owner of MarComm Creative Group, LLC, a marketing communications business that helps small-and-mid-sized companies tell their story. For more information visit www.marcommcreativegroup.com .

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The Legend of Annie & the 3 Peaks of Internet Marketing

The legend of Annie is a fun metaphor that came to me at 3 am.

I was up, working, and frustrated at the challenges facing me.

Frustrated at the work that had been put in, and the lack of desired results coming out.

I started to put together everything I’d done, and everything I’d learned ought to happen.

But instead of making a list, I drew pictures.

From random doodles, my hand very quickly started moving faster than my brain could follow.

Hours later, the story of Annie & the 3 Peaks of Internet Marketing was born.

See the 6-minute video trailer:

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I once had a sales manager who used to say you’ve got to “see ‘em to sell ‘em”.  These days, whether we like it or not, a number of factors collude to make it either impractical or not financially viable to “go see ‘em” - higher volumes, lower margins, geography for example.

Demographics play a part too - there is a generation of B2B buyers out there who have been brought up on cell phones, the Internet, facebook, twitter, ebay et al, and they really don’t feel the need to deal with sales people face to face.

The challenge of getting your sales message over (especially for more complex products such as software, consultancy, financial services) still requires a consultative, solution sales approach.

So here are a few pointers

1.  When you get a lead or a download trial from your website don’t launch straight into a sales call - do your research, is the enquirer the decision maker, could you call someone else higher to see if this is a real opportunity and check things out [discreetly] before you speak to the enquirer?

2.  Do a good discovery / needs analysis job before you present or demo your product, use the demo / presentation to prove the case not open the sale.

3. Don’t send your proposal too early, get all the decision makers and influencers lined up and present your proposal to them DON’T SEND IT- you can do this online.

4 Above all stay in control - don’t get rushed into selling and presenting too early and to the wrong people - just because its all being done on the telephone.

We came across a great product recently, we use tools such as Webex and Adobe Connect but we have found the killer app is this space - Vonei Meeting.  Its a great system - you can talk, present share screens and documents but where Vonei Meeting is really different is with its video capability.  The video is “many to many” rather than presenter to many - so everyone can see everyone on the call.  The user interface and connection is simplicity itself AND you don’t have to mess with client software on your PC.  (Go try out Vonei Meeting and mention Customer Flypaper!)

Vonei Meeting is great because you can see the prospect’s reactions, its more personal, you can gauge their “buy in”.

We have helped a large number of clients (such as Oracle, BEA Systems, Orange, Embarcadero Technology, TeamStudio) to develop their “solution selling by telephone” skills and processes.  Tools like Vonei Meeting are going to make telephone selling even more viable and productive.

Heh…. perhaps we can “see ‘em to sell ‘em” after all!

Good luck, good selling!

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Now and again you have to stand out from the crowd, many times you have heard me talk about its not just what you sell but how you sell that is important.

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Take it from Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson; the word “proposal” strikes fear into the hearts of many. In a well-written and illuminating Customer Flypaper entry, our esteemed co-blogger Ian Farmer explains how proposal writing gives many business prospectors a severe case of writer’s block. Lurking at the heart of Ian’s post is an implicit and important question that could keep even Shakespeare stumped: to propose or not to propose?

Much of the apprehension surrounding proposals arises from another, more frequently asked question: am I wasting my time? Most of us have better things to do than design and deliver a masterpiece filled with compelling sales points, only to have the treasured document ignored, or even worse, deleted or placed into the circular file.

But it doesn’t have to end this way—by following some simple rules you can put your proposals in the spotlight, where they can convert prospective customers into committed clients. Here are my TOP 3 REASONS YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT WASTING YOUR TIME ON A PROPOSAL…

1.    You’re Sure You’re Sending the Proposal to the Right Person, in the Right Place

Have you pre-qualified the recipient of your proposal? Before letting your fingers hit your keyboard, verify that the potential client has a serious interest in what you’re selling, and that your pitch will reach the appropriate decision-maker. Sometimes this determination is easy. For example, the prospective customer might distribute a request for proposals or bids. More often it’s considerably less obvious, and you’ll need to base your conclusion on facts gathered through a direct sales call, internet research or your network of business contacts.

2.    You Can Clearly Communicate How You Meet the Customer’s Wants and Needs

You already know plenty about your product or service. Your task as a proposal writer is to learn everything you can about the potential client’s wants and needs, then highlight all the meaningful ways your product or service will satisfy them.

3.    You’re Recycling

With proposals, recycling is good for more than saving trees and making you a better citizen of the Earth. As you send out submissions, take the portions you find yourself using over and over again, and weave them into a template you can quickly and easily tailor toward specific clients. Your business routine might even call for 3 or 4 different templates for a range of typical customers or situations. Ultimately, you’re seeking to construct a system that leads to a significantly more painless and efficient proposal production process.

Once you’ve taken care of these top 3, you’re ready to start planning and writing. Stay tuned.

________________________________________ 

Reneisha Black Ferguson is Founder and Managing Director of Proxy Prose (www.proxyprose.com), a commercial writing and editing firm where compelling content creation combines with years of project management experience.

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I love to read. I’m especially drawn to books dealing with various facets of marketing. One book that recently made my reading list in this category is “Now Is Gone” by marketing strategist Geoff Livingston and Brian Solis , principal of the PR agency FutureWorks. I heard a lot about the book a few months back and finally had a chance to dig into it.

"Now Is Gone" serves as a beginner’s course for executives and entrepreneurs looking to add social media to their marketing mix. Even with all of the blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking going on, there still are a lot of people who fall into this category. If this is the case, or even if you need a social media refresher course, I recommend "Now Is Gone" as a good read for three primary reasons:

* The book provides practical, relatable insights about what social media is, and tips on how to enter and succeed in social media in a way that’s right for your business.
* The book features a number of real-life, practical case studies from small and large businesses who are succeeding with social media.
* The book is a quick, easy read. This is especially important since the words “social media” still ignites fear in some people. No matter the level, you will be able to glean information from this book.

Also a treat were interviews taken from Livingston’s Buzz Bin Blog with marketing experts such as Todd Defren, Laura Ries, and others. If you consider yourself a social media pro, this book may not be for you. But, if you are a newbie in this space or are curious as to what others are saying about and doing with social media, "Now is Gone" is a good place to start this journey.

Visit www.nowisgone.com to find out more about this book. And don’t leave the site without checking out a few of the social media marketing case studies.

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About Kristina Hill

Kristina Hill is the owner of MarComm Creative Group, LLC, a marketing communications business that helps small-and-mid-sized companies tell their story For more information visit www.marcommcreativegroup.com.

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In the current climate all of us are looking to generate more leads, make more sales and lower operating costs.  The thought of doing your sales and business development via an indirect sales channel operation suddenly becomes very appealing - lots of sales people, who you don’t have to employ, out there selling for you.

Problem is you still have all the responsibility for the numbers but no authority to back it up.  Your own sales guy does not perform you can put them on a plan or even fire them.  The channel guys don’t perform - you’ve got a problem but little authority to sort it out.

So you want to set up a channel sales program?  Here are some tips based on my channel experience that goes back to 1983!.

1.  Work with your channel partners helping them to write a plan for the business they are going to do for you - nothing complicated, you can use a template to guide you.

2.  Do your margin analysis early not as an after thought, your channel needs to earn enough margin points to sell your products, you neeed to earn enough to be able to let them.

3.  Select your channel manager carefully, you need skill to run a channel but above all else you need experience because you need credibility.

4.  Make sure you are planning for managing channel conflict - there WILL be some, either with your own sales team or with other channel partners.

5.  Make sure you get the pricing strategy right and be careful about how you “publish” it, you don’t want the end user to think they can play you all off against each other - further eroding revenue and margins.

The bottom line?  Channel sales is not an instant panacea for winning new sales without the cost of a sales force, it needs thinking through, planning and controlling.  We would always advise get some experienced help writing the plan and training your people.

Channel sales is the way to go so long as its by design and not by accident.

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