Jobs to be Done | Reclaiming the Conversation | Woo, Wow, Win

Today’s post is a bit different.  I am mashing up three books.  Each book stands on its own.  However, I was not personally blown away by any of them.  That said, they each have some nuggets of wisdom that made me think.  While these books are on three completely different topics, those topics do converge… at least in my mind.

First, Jobs to Be Done covers a methodology for innovating from a different perspective. It takes the ‘Jobs to be done” approach and attempts to add additional structure to it to fit into a marketing and product development process.  I feel like this overcomplicates the idea of Jobs to be done.  It also felt like some of the examples in the book were reaching hard to pigeon-hole them into this methodology.  It is a very broad book.  If you are unfamiliar with the jobs to be done (j2bd) philosophy you might be a bit lost. The short version of j2bd is that you should look at why a customer is buying your product, then work backwards to understand the buying decision.  This is centered around the though that people don’t buy drills because they want a drill, they buy drills because the need a hole. This book walks the reader through a meticulous methodology for imbedding this thought processes into an organization’s product development efforts.

Second on the list is the book Reclaiming the Conversation.  It is a verbose manifesto on how technology is ruining the human experience.  It is basically 450 pages of the author screaming “turn of the effing devices.” I think the real problem here was that I was not the target audience for this book.  The generations after mine need a much more significant reminder to unplug than I do. Regardless, there were interesting points and plenty of reason to worry about how people will communicate in the future.

The final book for today is Woo, Wow, and Win. It is paced full of good advice for designing an enthralling service strategy.  For me, I found the structure annoying.  The books talks about SD² squared which has 10 elements and 5 principles.  I felt like the title should have been SD² + 10E + 5P. Again, I feel like the authors tried to apply to much structure t the topic to provide a framework for the reader. Beyond that, there were great examples. Also, if the reader is new to the service design concept, they might be a little lost even with all the structure. 

So how do these 3 books fit together within the concept of this Priceless Geek blog? Well, this blog is a juxtaposition of technology, sales, leadership, and communication topics. Within the structure of my mind, using the Jobs to Be Done methods and actually communicating face to face as part of an organization’s service design strategy is a path to success.  J2BD can really help an organization understand their customers. Once an organization truly understands their customers they can modify their products, processes, and customer experience to leverage those needs. Good customer experience is more than an eager CSR and a knowledgeable sales rep.  A well executed service design and delivery strategy can create more than just a customer for a brand. It can create an evangelist for a lifestyle.

Click the image to buy it on Amazon.

Read More Book Reviews.

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2s69m17
via IFTTT

Sales EQ

This is a book for script readers, folks new to sales, those weak on value selling, and sales folk who can’t close.  Successful professional sales people know most everything in this book innately. The behaviors and methodologies discussed within is either part of their personality or disciplines they learned long ago.  Fundamentally, Jeb Blount tells us that people buy from people they like. Then he shows those that might not be likable enough how to become an ultra-high performer by leveraging emotional intelligence.

You might say, “Mike, you seem likeable enough. Why would you read this?”  Believe it or not, I am natively an introvert. In my younger years, I overcame that by being obnoxious. Having matured a bit while leveraging the training provided by Toastmasters and the knowledge hard knocks provide, I’m a bit more palatable to most these days.  I am just as comfortable saying, “Put down that coffee. Coffee is for closers” as I am quoting Tommy Boy’s quip, “You can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a cows butt, but wouldn’t you rather take the butcher’s word for it.”  I do realize those are both on the obnoxious end of the spectrum.  I just wanted to work them into this review.

Anyway, I picked this book up because I like the type of sales people that disrupt my expectations and I wanted to know why. The book is really an extended look at creating rapport with the major types of stakeholders of which sales people often cross-paths. If you ever read Instant Rapport by Michael Brooks (not me) you know most of what is covered in this book.

Where Mr. Blout adds value is by discussing what he calls Ultra-High Performer (UHD) Intelligence. It breaks down types of “intelligence” required to be a great sales professional. My weakest, as potentially with most who are reading this, is the emotional intelligence (EQ). Part of EQ is controlling your emotions. I wear my passions and frustrations on my sleeve.  The bluntness can be disturbing to some. The understanding of how my behavior affects others is the second half of EQ. I am weak here as the goal is to have only positive outcomes.  Good thing I am not currently in sales.

The other sections I enjoyed significantly were those on disrupting buyer expectations.  This is Blout’s “flip the script” strategy.  This is a great way to blast through barriers such as unbalanced price expectations or even just getting your foot in the door. He does spend time discussing methods to increase buyer commitment by creating a series of small commitments.  These are things like setting a follow-up appointment, scheduling talks with additional gatekeepers, or even just having a lunch. You may already be familiar with these tactics as I am. However, it is always nice to be reminded of the psychological methods sales folk use.  As a buyer, it helps to shut those attempts down.  It helps us understand why we like certain sales people better than others. Ultimately, it explains why many only buy from people they like.

Personally, I love the lunch invite. Feed me and I’ll listen to your spiel. On the flip side, act like a jerk, and you will never hear from me again.  That goes for anyone you pull into the discussion too. A reasonable recent example is from an interaction with a printer vendor.  The territory rep was doing just fine.  Her boss got involved, he acted like a child, and they lost the sale.  His EQ was terrible.

In closing, this book was a good read.  While a good portion of it will be review for even a mildly seasoned sales person, there are several excellent nuggets that make it worth the read.  I get a great deal of sales calls.  Half of them are good.  Most of them never make it past the voicemail. A smile really can be heard over the phone. Your voicemail should be clear, concise, and bookended with your name, company, and phone number. The people that do those things have a high EQ as they show that they value my time. I will return the favor.

Happy selling.

Read My other Book reviews

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2KNHNRU
via IFTTT

More Sales | Less Time

Productivity isn’t a talent.  It is a skill. Similarly, to borrow from Hemmingway, movement isn’t action.  You can be on the move 24/7/366, but if you aren’t getting results, you aren’t meeting your deadlines, and/or you aren’t hitting your quota, you are probably focusing on the wrong actions.  Jill Konrath gives great insight into how to get the right things done.

If you read Mike Weinberg’s book, Sales Management Simplified, you will remember he basically recommended cutting out all activity that doesn’t lead directly to a sale. In this book, whether she knows it or not, Konrath expands on Weinberg’s advice through personal accounts and research focused on maximizing time and productivity.  It is written in an easy to read style that moves quickly.  There is a great deal of information in here.  You will probably want to keep this book around for reference.

There are many techniques in the book that you may have already heard of or have tried.  The real insight comes from experimenting and finding the combination of tools, processes, and behaviors that work for you.  If you are like me, you don’t need to read this book (wink), you are always trying to find better ways to do more with less.  Less time. Less cost. Less effort.  This book will help. Although, if you are easily distracted, you may be overwhelmed with the various methods.  Start simple, by changing one thing. See if it helps. If not, stop and try something else. To push a lean concept, try-storm it.

This book isn’t just for sales. While it is specifically targeted at sales and sales output, the advice can be easily modified for any professional. It touches on concepts that are often overlooked in the modern workforce and workspace.  She talks about distractions and the stress they create.  This is the exact reason I like to work while people are asleep.  It allows me to focus. To get in the zone. During the day, with the open door, there are so many distractions. It is not easy to get in and stay in the zone. The “zone” is extremely important for creative individuals such as artists, programmers, writers, and strategists.  While not mentioned in this book, you may have seen the Linkedin video with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet discussing how important  it is to success to have good time management as well as just having time to think.  These are the things Konrath touches on in this book.

She includes a bunch of stats that inform the reader that productivity crashes after 55 hours even though most sales folks work 72 hours a week (slackers).  My lead trained brain screams waste.  She also mentioned that people are “optimally productive” about 2 hours a day.  This is the zone. It is finnicky beast. One point I found quite interesting is that she talks about finishing your day strong which covers starting with the most difficult/annoying task first. I do subscribe to this though processes. Do the hard stuff while you are in the zone.  However, if you find yourself having trouble starting any task, consider starting with a more traditional approach of tackling the easiest thing first.  This could be dangerous advice, as for most, responding to emails is the easiest, they can end up taking all day. 

I could write my own book on time management. This review is starting to head that direction.  Let me finish up with the following thought.  You will not regret taking the time to read this book and use the techniques within.  You will win back your own productivity while also gaining the knowledge on how to recognize people who are just busy because they can’t focus.

Read My Other Book reviews

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2KMYZHg
via IFTTT

Disruptive Marketing: …Navigating the New Normal

Frequent readers will know I lie to emphasize the human element of processes and systems. Geoffrey Colon’s book Disruptive Marketing – What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teac Us About Navigating the New Normal. That title was the only thing I didn’t like about the book.  Almost immediately, this book started triggering ideas in my mind for ways to improve the customer experience. I’m hooked on any book that instantly provides me with new ways to approach topics.

One big take away for me was a reminder that two-thirds of people’s screen time is spent with digital media. This is websites, social platforms, videos, etc. TV has taken a backseat to the mobile phone.  A big smack to the face was pointing out that most companies are significantly under invested in mobile advertising. I also learned a new word. Netnography which is the study of human behavior on the internet.

For me, Geoffrey’s approach made perfect sense. I enjoyed confirmation that methodologies I’ve been using and recommending are valid and revenue generating. He also reaffirms the consumer driven approach. Create content that makes people feel good. Let’s the consumer advertise for you. Ensure the consumer knows you appreciate them, that you are listening, and that you empathize with them. Additionally, be creative instead of stiff. Use free sources of content. Tell compelling stories. Social sells. Most importantly, know where your customers are on these different media systems.

I also loved his section on being a life-long learner.  As one, I enjoyed being reminded of the Learn, Unlearn, and Relearn mantra from the 1970’s book Future Shock by Alvin Toffler. I am glad he pointed this out.  People forget how fast things change.  The platforms, services, and methodologies we use change faster these days than ever before.  A person could get buried in the plethora of social media management tools. Trying to make sense of all the analytics data from Google is overwhelming to newbies.

Lastly, I appreciate Geoffrey’s recommendation to be a mix of artist and data analytics.  In a time where volume of education is a measure of capability (it isn’t), it is good to know being a hybrid thinker has a place to excel. It is also a sign of the future.  Marketing is no longer about glad-handing and dusting the isle end cap, one has to have the eye for design and the mind for data analytics. While the consumer is human, the behaviors that drive them will all come in the forms of various data. Disruptive marketing is all about being able to process both.

View My Other Book Reviews

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2IC6P64
via IFTTT

Speaking Engagement: Manufacturing & Technology Conference–May 10th

Almost half of all cyberattacks are aimed at small and midsized businesses (SMBs) because many do not have sufficient defenses in place.  While SMBs may have firewalls and antivirus solutions, these technologies aren’t designed to protect against today’s sophisticated cyberattacks like phishing, exploit kits and malvertising, which make up 90% of how attacks start.

Join Mike Brooks, IT Manager of SEEPEX and Todd O’Boyle, CTO of Strongarm as they discuss a three-step plan that manufacturers can use to facilitate cybersecurity awareness across their organization, including how to analyze their current security posture, how to better plan and prepare for cyberattacks and how to execute an incident response plan once an attack takes place. Participants can download a copy of an incident response plan that helps them plan for responding to a cyberattack.

Join Us: Thursday, May 10th, 2018 @ 11am in Room 302C

Raleigh NC Convention Center

View on the Expo’s page                                                                                    View the case study

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2K5ge7r
via IFTTT

Web Analytics 2.0

It has been web marketing book week so far here at Priceless Geek. First we took a look at Inbound Marketing by the founders of HubSpot. Then we took a look at Marketing 2.0 by Bernie Borges.  Today we are looking at Web Analytics 2.0 by Avinash Kaushik of Sybex. The tagline on this book is, “The art of online accountability and science of customer centricity.”

Kaushik has authored an excellent intro into web analytics.  As you can see, when I talked about the rabbit hole of online marketing topics, I wasn’t kidding.  Here we are digging into making sense of all the analytics your website can provide your business. It is easy to get lost in the endless fields of available data. This book gives you a foundation on where to start along with a path to follow for success.

The book is precisely organized as your would expect from someone with an analytical mind. Each major topic is broken out into small sections.  This style makes this thick book seem like a quick read. Kaushik covers the foundational web metrics like visits, bounce, and conversion.  Then he expands into SEO, traffic analysis, and KPI’s.  Additionally, he also covers great topics like vetting your metric software tools and vendors, figuring out which metrics are best for your purpose, and how to ensure upper management is involved.

Web Analytics 2.0 is a the book you need to read once you have your website running and some inbound marketing in place. It will help you transform your site from a cost center to a profit center. 

View My Other Book Reviews

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2qQOECN
via IFTTT

Diffusions of Innovations

Everett M. Roger’s Diffusions of Innovation is a hefty analysis of the diffusion approach. This is a framework in which to evaluate the impact of developmental programs.  Roger’s takes a look at this approach in combination with the convergence of information exchange.  Ultimately, this book was written as a challenge to diffusion scholars to expand beyond their traditional methods.

Sounds like an extremely dry topic doesn’t it? I’d love to claim otherwise.  This book is a tough read.  It is packed with scholarly information. It reads like a textbook. Regardless, it is fascinating as it examines how innovations are communicated over time through social channels. For me, it is a form of change management. This book shows how and why innovation (or change) flows through an organization.

Understanding the stages of innovation diffusion is much like learning the stages of team development.  Once you know them, you can never unlearn them. If you are involved with change or developing solutions, you will see the phases, the communication networks, the types of human behavior described in this book in every facet of your work interactions. If you can master the information in this book you can practically predict the people and processes that will make your efforts succeed. You will also have the wisdom to avoid the people and pitfalls that can hurt your efforts.  You’ll also learn about how to effectively market your change efforts through the most effective communication channels.

I should warn you, this book is not new.  The most recent edition was released in 2003. The first edition was in 1962. Maybe that is why it is so powerful.  The knowledge has evolved over decades.  I challenge you to chip away at the knowledge in this book.  You will not regret it.

View My Other Book Reviews

from Priceless Geek https://ift.tt/2EZdDrQ
via IFTTT