Social networking is a logical extension of Relationship Marketing or what I call R-Commerce. It is the desire for people to connect with others who share similar interests, values, ideas and can help each other. It is also a symptom of how marketing has changed.

In the old days (not that long ago), marketers would craft their message and push it out to the masses. Vehicles used included television and radio advertising, newspapers and other tools. These were good for taking your message and sending it to the masses.

Today things are different.

The old model has been turned upside-down. … Read the rest

Follow-Up. This is a critical, and often neglected, skill for success. It is imperative in today’s busy world. Your prospects are swamped with all kinds of communication that they need to address. We are all so swamped with so much to do that we have to engage in massive filtering on a regular basis.

So How Can You Follow Up Without Being a Pest?

You can’t just keep calling with some lame response like, “Uh, I’m just calling to see if you got my dull and boring e-mail from last week.” Ugh! We all have been accustomed to the unwanted … Read the rest

Things are different today. What was an “endorsement” years ago meant something different than it means today. Meanings change with time. Words are fluid and ebb with the flow of time. We have to adapt and change.

This makes an impact in social media with LinkedIn “endorsements.” If you’re on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen this. You are asked to “endorse” a person for a particular skill. I’ve heard people object to this, sometimes vehemently. “I barely know Herkimer so how can I “endorse” him?” Why am I asked to “endorse” Esmeralda when I don’t have a strong relationship with her?”… Read the rest

Years ago the great sage John Naisbitt coined the phrase “high tech and high touch” in his classic work, Megatrends. The idea was that we should embrace both.

Fast forward to today.

Now we have an abundance of technology that is integral in our lives. Most independent manufacturers’ reps today use mobile technology to get more done from just about anywhere. Most reps and manufacturers wouldn’t think of trying to get through a business day without employing some sort of touch points with technology.

So, how can a rep use the technology today and still maintain the sense of “high … Read the rest

If there is one thing that ticks me off more than anything with social media it is the people who are abusing it. I’m sure you’ve seen the type.

They take their “stuff,” whatever that is, in the form of text, video, audio or whatever blather they have, and they simply broadcast to a list of as many people as they can buy. When the message is sent, they don’t care about the needs of those receiving the message. They only want to get their ideas sent to as many people as possible.

Ugh!

This “broadcast approach” demonstrates such a … Read the rest

Activities don’t matter by themselves. Results matter.

Losers like to engage in feel-good activities. They think that they are “doing something” and that is the final goal. They (erroneously) think that just by checking e-mail, sending a few Twitter Tweets, posting a message or two or saying “Hey!” to some friends on LinkedIn, they are getting results.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In Social Media — just like everything else in life — what matters is not the activity, or even the effort expended. What matters always is getting the results you need.

This is a principle that … Read the rest

The days of relying on hard drives to keep your data safe are over; this smart option not only protects you from hardware malfunction, but it allows you to access your info from anywhere.

As a mobile professional, salesperson, entrepreneur or over-achiever, you have to be able to move quickly today. General Patton would have considered it silly to depend on a big computer fortress for your data. That means having the right kind of technology established to support you and help you serve clients. A big trend now is having your software loaded “in the cloud” vs. on the … Read the rest

Learn how to balance social media marketing with the rest of your business strategies so you’re not wasting time or opportunities.

Okay, okay, okay! Enough already! Have you had it with all the “You’ve got to be on social media” advocates incessantly reminding you that “Twitter is the new e-mail,” or how much you need to be on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.? Many reps (and manufacturers) are confused at what to do regarding the massive change driven by social media and social networking.

What about the rest of us who have real jobs? A rep can’t spend all day “tweeting” instead … Read the rest

Tending to the Task of Business-Building

Relationship marketing is much like keeping a water bucket filled. The bucket has holes in it, and it is your job to keep the water at the “full” mark. That requires three kinds of activities: 1. Putting water in the bucket; 2. Keeping the holes patched and 3. Preventing new holes from appearing. As a relationship farmer, it is your job to tend to these never-ending tasks.

You want to keep your business relationships fresh and current. Stay in touch with important people. This also means that you have to prioritize among those who … Read the rest

Business is all about building profitable relationships with customers, suppliers, team members and other stakeholders. To facilitate those relationships, we use tools and apply time-honored principles. This is what relationship marketing thrives on today.

In this article, I’d like to share with you some tools that can help you in your work to build and maintain profitable business relationships. These tools enhance your communication with customers and other stakeholders, putting the power of human connections to work for you.

Connect Wirelessly — Amidst the Noise

Cell phones are a way of life now. We are using them for most calls. … Read the rest

“So many fail because they don’t get started — they don’t go. They don’t overcome inertia. They don’t begin.” — W. Clement Stone

It is time for a new beginning — in many ways. This marks the end of an era for many. This country has elected a new President with a new vision and a different way of doing business. And in my opinion, this is a great time to begin anew.

So, here are some business tools and tech tips to help propel you forward.

Contact Management Systems (CMS)

This is the most important element for any sales-oriented … Read the rest

What is going on with this social networking buzz?  Well, for marketers and businesspeople serious about making money — a lot!

If you’re like the bottom-line focused businessperson that I am, you might have questions about this whole social networking rave.  Yes, it is nice to see people connecting.  And yes, it started with college kids sharing about things that normally don’t pass the “So what?” test in business.

But the world has changed.

It has changed in a big way.  Social networking is a prime way to reach prospects, suppliers, vendors and colleagues today.  Television isn’t what it used … Read the rest

Social networking, open source, and your business success.

Social Networking is a logical extension of relationship marketing or what I call R-commerce. It is the desire for people to connect with others who share similar interests, values, ideas and who can help each other. It is also a sign of how marketing has changed.

In the old days (not that long ago), marketers would craft their message and push it out to the masses. Delivery vehicles included TV advertising, radio advertising, newspapers and other tools. These worked well for taking your message and sending it to the masses.

But today, … Read the rest

Small Recorder Gets Results

Recently I had the opportunity to review the H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom. This diminutive professional recorder is designed for on-the-go professionals who need studio-quality audio. It is used a lot with recording artists and for capturing group singing (think choirs, social gatherings, etc.).

However, this device also has some serious capabilities for mobile professionals who want to tap into the power of the net for relationship marketing. For example, you can record audio of satisfied customers and then post those testimonials to your website. You can also use it to record instructions. (Chances are, you … Read the rest

Those of us who use Apple’s iPhone find it increasingly useful for many applications. I use mine for phone calls (of course) along with checking my email messages more frequently and on a more regular basis. I can get a lot done from just about anywhere I am using it.

However, my objection to the iPhone initially was battery life. If I use it for listening to music, surfing the internet, reading books, etc., the battery tends to drain quickly. And if that happens, making those late-in-the-day phone calls when I can’t get near a charger (think airplane rides and … Read the rest

Being relevant is one of the most powerful ingredients in building successful business relationships. If you become — here’s that horrible word — boring, you are toast in today’s world. Stay alive. Be relevant for others and find ways to make their lives better.

“Stop it already! I don’t have time for yet another blog, news story, article, podcast, video on the internet, social networking meeting, blah, blah, blah. Yikes! I am inundated with so many choices that it drives me nuts.”  Maybe you can relate.

We’re all swamped with so many things going on. Your customers are in the … Read the rest

Technology is a great enabler when it works. We can accomplish more with good technology than we can without it. However, when the manufacturers of technology think they have a better way and try to force it upon the rest of us, the rest of us have a way of responding that is not always good for sellers of technology.

I had the opportunity, recently, to review some new technology that I use a lot in my business. There are good and not-so-good features pertaining to each, which I will share with you in this article. I welcome your comments.… Read the rest

Bam! Wham! Kersplat! Did you hear that cacophony of noise? It is the shotgun fire and the falling of the old way of marketing. That old way of marketing is dead — or on the resuscitator and gasping for its last breath.

Relationship marketing is what rules today. If you still think you can win the hearts and minds of people by shoving a bunch of stuff at them, you belong back in the 1950s with black-and-white television. Welcome to the new way of marketing where Consumer Generated Marketing (CGM) is the way to do it.

YouTube is an example … Read the rest

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard about social networking as it applies to technology. And since I’m focused on relationship marketing and how to build communities, this has been a subject of particular interest to me.

Much of what has been done with many networks has emphasized the signing-up part with little practical business value. Everyone wants everyone else to sign up and “friend” each other. However, nothing much happens in most cases after you’ve signed up and have been “friended.” It reminds me of the off-line model of going to a Chamber of Commerce meeting where … Read the rest

“Life is tough. Life is tougher when you’re stupid.” — John Wayne

Well, the Duke said it right, even if it is a bit rough. Life can be very tough. It’s not that “they” are out to get you. Frankly, “they” don’t care about you. Others are interested in their own problems and life. However, if you get in their way, they will do whatever is necessary to see that they succeed.

Relationship marketing encompasses key principles for success, that work. These principles embody helping others meet their needs. That is how true success happens. When you can help others … Read the rest