Posted By Amanda Collins on October 25, 2011

Do you remember when social media really caught on? At that point, we often spoke in third person, leading with the name and starting the sentence from there: “Amanda Collins is getting ready for a trip to Europe.” Since then, however, we’ve taken first-person ownership of our posts and really found a voice in social media updates. Well, at least most of us have.

One of the most important components about social media status updates that many people forget is that they are social. The goal is to engage your audience in conversation and get them excited about what you’re saying. If you’re only saying something about what you’re doing—and in third person, no less—you won’t have much engagement.

Social media, whether Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google+, should spark a conversation. Try a picture, a link, or a question. Tap into what’s happening in the news. If you think of social media updates as part of your complete marketing and media relations campaign, you may find that you’re more likely to think about them in a broader sense. You wouldn’t just put out a press release to say that you showed up for work on time; instead, you’d share something that would capture an editor’s eye. Take the same approach with your social media.

Of course, sometimes it is good to show that you’re human and let people know what you’re doing. You may find some commonalities with the fact that you share the same favorite restaurant or are at the same event. Just don’t let that be your driving message.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on September 2, 2011

Earlier this week, I attended the Networking Phoenix Signature Event. Roughly 2,000 business professionals and job seekers filled a ballroom at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale for this quarterly networking mixer. It was 113 degrees outside (thankfully not that warm inside!) and the heat must have clouded the attitude of many attendees because the energy was a bit different than at previous events.

The danger at an event like this is that too many people walk in with dollar signs in their eyes. Thank goodness for Dave Sherman, who has been on the local speaking circuit for years training networkers on the proper etiquette needed to maneuver a mixer. He launched the Signature Event with his trademark Networking 101, imploring attendees to strike up conversations and begin to build relationships rather than walk up to people card extended, hoping to receive a payment on the spot. Still, there will always be a few who miss the message altogether.

The best example of what not to do came courtesy of a pet-sitting professional. In the midst of a three-way conversation, this woman busted in and started her spiel. I’ll admit I don’t listen much once someone starts trying to sell me something, but she was talking about how she cares for pets in their own homes and managed to hand a card to the other two folks in the group (I kept my mouth shut, although I do have a cat and dog). As she walked away, one of my colleagues said, “I forgot how rude people can be.”

I’m thinking that the next time this happens to me, I need to completely turn the tables. “Sure, I have pets, but do you know a better way to get your message out? I can write your brochures, website content, and even articles to position you as the industry expert.” I have heard friends who’ve successfully done this on the phone when being cold-called, so maybe it will work in person as well. Get out those checkbooks, you bad networkers! I’m coming for you!

Category: Business Development, Communications | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Amanda Collins on November 17, 2010

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of misused words—on websites, emails, and social-media status updates. Writers have been using premiere (the first) in place of premier (the best) or then (a time) in place of than (comparison), just to name two misused words. Simple mistakes that could have been avoided had the writers only proofread their materials.

So that got me thinking…. We’re all writers to some extent, yet how many of us don’t take the time to either proofread our projects ourselves or have an editor take a second look? I’m the first to admit I’m not infallible, and often my brain moves more quickly than my fingers can type out the words. We all make mistakes. In most businesses, though, those mistakes may cost us opportunities.

Of course, if you actually hire a proofreader to look at every document you write, you might rack up quite a bill, not to mention pushing back your delivery date by a day or more. It is certainly one option, though, and you may consider it if you have a team. Perhaps one member of the team can be the designated proofreader.

Another (free) option is to proofread your materials yourself. It’s not quite as easy as giving everything a second read right after it’s written. Our eyes tend to see what our brain tells them is there, so they may miss something if you reread the project immediately after completing it. Instead, work into your schedule an additional day to step away from the project. Here’s how it works:

If you finish writing a proposal or other important document on Monday, put it away. On Tuesday, open it again and read it with fresh eyes. It’s a good idea to read it aloud—slowly—so you’ll hear any errors. Look at things you might normally miss, such as punctuation and capitalization. Some proofreaders read from the end to the beginning because misspellings tend to be more apparent then.

Although it may add a little more time to your schedule, putting in some quality assurance will pay off dividends for you and your clients. Remember, YOU are the expert and should catch any errors before your clients see them. They will thank you for it.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on October 19, 2010

When it comes to sales, statistics say that it can take seven or more “touches” until a prospective customer is comfortable with a brand and is ready to buy. It’s easy to achieve that number of touches when it’s a big-name brand and ads are everywhere, but what if you’re running a small business out of your living room? What is your strategy for creating a system of touches?

There are various ways to interact with prospective customers: in person or via postal mail, the Internet, e-mail, social media, or phone. Each of them can work independently, but they can also work together to build a system. I used to work in college admissions, and I remember that on my first day at one job, I was tasked with creating and implementing a system of touches to push applicants down the sales funnel to become students. This is the the same thing I do now for my clients, and I do that through creation of a comprehensive communications strategy. Usually, my part consists of ghostwriting social media updates, e-mail newsletters, Web copy, press releases, articles, or blogs. The idea is that the brand stays in front of prospects so it remains top of mind.

Not all methods will work for all businesses, so be sure you know who your target is. One prospective client told me he was looking to reach small businesses with storefronts in one tiny town on the outskirts of Phoenix—through social media. I told him social media may help reach others, but it won’t be a good way to connect with his target. For that, direct mail, cold calling, and visiting those sites would be best.

So sit down and determine first:

• Who is your target market? Be specific.
• How long is your sales cycle? Keep in mind that big-ticket items usually take longer to close.
• What is your goal? Do you want to increase sales, visibility, or something else?

All of these things together (and perhaps a few more, depending on your business) will determine how, where, and how often you need to be in touch with your prospects. Before you know it, you’ll have built your communications strategy, and then you’ll start to see results!

Category: Communications | 2 Comments »
Tags: marketing communications

Posted By Amanda Collins on October 7, 2010

Today I sat down for a one-to-one appointment with a fellow networker, and he naturally asked about my business and what I do. As I was sharing the litany of things The Grammar Doctors provides, I realized again that most people have no clue what I do. As another one-to-one appointment today pointed out, there is a clear distinction between what one sells and what one buys, so let me explain it two ways.

What I Sell
Copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, ghostwriting, and communications strategies. This amounts to sharing clients’ message through Web site content, articles, blogs, social media posts, press releases, résumés, and bios.

What Clients Buy
Time, expertise, and a consistent voice in their marketing efforts. Some clients want to create results for a specific campaign. Others are looking to maintain top-of-mind awareness. But all of them regain time to focus on other strengths (since writing isn’t at the top of most people’s talents), a strategy focused on results, and a marketing communications flow that makes sense.

So I hope that this clears it up for all of you. If you have questions, perhaps we should have a one-to-one conversation….

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Posted By Amanda Collins on September 28, 2010

Recently, I attended a networking event specifically for attorneys. As I was sitting with a group of “seasoned” counselors, I had the opportunity to share what I do in marketing communications. One lawyer noted, “I write well, but I find that what I write doesn’t make much sense to non-lawyers. Can you translate for me?” It may sound like a funny question, but it’s definitely something I do—and something any professional within a specific industry should consider.

When you do something all day every day, you tend to learn jargon: acronyms, short-cuts, and other words the general populace may not know. That’s all fine and well when you’re speaking to your colleagues, but what about when you want to reach out to your prospective and current clients? That’s where you might need some translation services to convert your English to everyone else’s English.

When writing anything for clients, consider your audience. If you’re an attorney, it’s likely that 95% of your clients won’t have a J.D. hanging on their walls. However, be sure not to talk down to your audience either. That’s a big mistake some professionals make when trying to make sense to their clients. The goal of any good marketing communications campaign is to engage readers and move them to action. You also want to position yourself as an expert—and you can’t do that by speaking down to people and coming across as condescending.

Start somewhere in the middle and see what happens. Although newspapers are written to a sixth-grade level, when you’re writing your website or e-mail newsletter, assume your readers are at least high school educated. So share your knowledge and leave out the jargon. Oh, and if you need a good translator, I may know someone….

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Posted By Amanda Collins on September 4, 2010

If you’re not on Twitter, you definitely should be. The application I use, TweetDeck, just launched an upgrade that now allows me to post-date tweets. That means, even if I’m not on Twitter, I can still look like I am. But what do you tweet to be an effective communicator and not drown out everyone with inane non-information?

Some social media experts will suggest a breakdown of tweets, usually in the 60%, 30%, 10% range. The biggest number is always for starting conversations or retweeting, the mid number is for what you’re doing and daily updates, and the smallest number is for blatant self-promotion. It’s a good idea, if you need a launch point, but what if you’re already addicted to Twitter and wanting to say something to engage people?

Of course, you can always build a small cohort with whom you converse and share in the promotion of each other. In the Phoenix area, it’s almost incestuous how our Follow Fridays go; we nearly always mention the same people week after week. The good thing about that is that we all get increased followers each week as well. And there’s built-in conversation as well as listeners who’ll support our blog posts and comments with retweets.

If you don’t have that group, though, you might as well be tweeting to a wall. As I explain it to older folks, tweeting is like using a CB radio; you can talk, but you’re never quite sure who’s tuned in. So, instead of leaving it to chance, engage people. On TweetDeck, you can run keyword searches. Then you can comment on what those people are saying, thereby meeting new folks. You can also see what your circle is saying and comment or retweet them. Ask questions or feedback on issues in your business. People like to help. Also, say something funny or personal from time to time. I get a lot of comments back when I share a cute saying from my son; everyone likes to know a bit about you outside of business.

Remember that social media is very much a conversation. Don’t act like a speaker; be a listener. You’ll definitely see your interactions—and followers—grow.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on August 5, 2010

When you walk through the mall, you’ll find greeters at the door of the best-managed stores. WalMart is known for its greeters. While you might think it’s just a job for retirees, the greeter serves a vital purpose in the retail world: to reduce theft and build the customer experience. Small business owners can learn a great deal from these greeters.

While most entrepreneurs don’t need to consider loss prevention (unless you have a storefront, of course), customer relations are at the core of repeat and referral business. From the moment a potential client interacts with the company, he is making a series of decisions on what the future will hold. Think about the many ways clients can first learn about you: in person, through word of mouth, advertising, Web site, or telephone. In each of these, you should be saying, “Welcome to [company]; how are you today?” Are you welcoming potential customers?

The other key component of a greeter is to thank the customer for coming and ask them to return. Too many people miss this step. While the initial contact seems like a no-brainer, the post-sale communication seems to fall by the wayside. Are you thanking your customers for doing business with you? I don’t mean implying; I mean literally thanking them. I send a thank-you card and, of course, add them to my drip-marketing campaign.

Remember that your first impression sets the tone while your last impression lingers. Make sure that you’re focusing on both—and everything in between—and you may be surprised at the results.

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Tags: business communications

Posted By Amanda Collins on March 16, 2010

Okay, I’ll admit it – I have a (small) stack of business cards on my desk from a networking event I attended a week ago. I still need to go through them and send e-mails to follow up with everyone I met. On the flip side, everyone I met got my card too – and I’ve only heard from two people. I’d say those are very good numbers given my experience in networking. Typically, I don’t get a follow-up from anyone.

Why do you go out to network? I think most people would say it’s to build up a pipeline and create leads. Okay, so if that’s the whole goal, relationship development is at the crux of that effort. To build relationships, you have to initiate a conversation. That conversation ideally should have started at the place where you met, but it needs to continue. Whether you send an e-mail, note card, or call on the phone, some follow-up is required to begin a relationship.

The other thing you can do to continue that conversation is to put those folks’ names in your database and e-mail newsletter, adding them to your drip-marketing campaign. What I do is to send an e-mail with something personal followed by a blurb about me in case they’ve forgotten who I am, followed by a little “disclaimer” saying I’m going to add them to my monthly e-newsletter, and if the content doesn’t resonate, it only takes one click to unsubscribe. Most people never even respond, but many don’t remove themselves from my list either. That means I have plenty of time to connect with them!

So if you’re not following up now, start doing it! It’s why you’re out there anyway, so start leveraging your efforts!

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Tags: Business Development, follow-up, networking

Posted By Amanda Collins on March 13, 2010

As a business owner, there’s not an event I attend where there isn’t a SendOutCards (SOC) representative. In fact, some of my friends rep for the brand. I know a lot of people who use the service and absolutely love it. Their feeling is that it keeps them in touch with their clients – easily – and they likely wouldn’t do so without the online process. I completely understand and am not here to trash a reputable company. For my part, though, I prefer to go old school: I write all my cards by hand.

It seems that each birthday and winter holiday season when I was a child I’d receive stationery. I was trained from a young age to send thank-you cards for everything I got, and as I was growing up, the Internet wasn’t even a thought, so letters had to suffice. I have nice penmanship and, well, I’m a writer, so it’s never been an issue. And, like SOC boasts, who doesn’t like to receive a card in the mail? In this age of mouseclicks and Facebook, it’s much more personal.

My background is in college admissions. I worked at a small school and a large university – and I wrote all my cards by hand. Whether it was a thank you for visiting the campus, a follow-up to a recruiting visit I’d made to their high school, or a happy wish for a birthday, I would go through pen after pen inking nice, personalized messages. My forte is marketing communications; I build and implement communications strategies to turn prospects into clients. Part of that strategy involves a number of touches, and handwritten cards have always been one tool in that box. [If you're a job seeker, remember handwritten thank-you notes following interviews. I have won a couple of tight races just because I sent a card.]

In my own business, if I have your address, you can expect a card after we meet in person, you become a client, or you send along a referral. Even in the advent of online automators, I still pull out my (red) pen and scribe the note myself. I’ve had to go through physical therapy and chiropractic for the issues to my right hand, elbow, and shoulder from all my writing – but that won’t deter me. To me, it’s the little things that matter, and I’m far more impressed when I get a card someone took the time to write over one that was typed on the computer and spit out to mail to me with the obvious SOC envelope.

So if you’re using SOC, good for you! At least you’re making the effort. But I’m going to continue writing out my cards by hand as long as it’s an option. Maybe I’m just old school.

Category: Business Development, Communications | 1 Comment »
Tags: client communications, handwritten notes, marketing communications