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May 3, 2013

Is Anybody Out There? Five Steps to Increase Sales with Better Listening Skills

by Susan Russo

I know it’s happened to you too.  You’ve had a busy day and you have a simple question.  Maybe you want to know what your account code is to pay your electric bill or you need some tech support.  Either way, all you want is to speak with a representative, a human being.  You press “0” once, twice, three times, four times and then that snarky machine voice foils your desperate attempt to “Speak with a representative” and instead says “Press star to repeat these menu options.” You sigh, exhale and hang up.

But, machines aren’t the only ones providing frustrating, automated responses.  In an age of increasing speed and convenience, it’s easy for people to tune out and go on auto-pilot.  When it comes to  successful selling, the “auto-pilot” function should be turned off.   Here are five steps to drive sales and client satisfaction through better listening skills:

Don’t Know it All: Don’t go into a meeting with pre-conceived ideas or push pre-packaged solutions.

Ask Questions: Sometimes a simple question such as “How is business?” can spur a real dialogue.

Identify Pain Points: This is where the magic happens.  Pay attention to any challenges your customer or prospect is facing.

Don’t One-Size, Customize: Whether you’re providing a product or a service, customization is king.  If you don’t have a capability, find a partner and make it happen.

Flex: Your approach, not your muscles (calm down Schwarzenegger). Seriously- be flexible.  Set metrics that are in line with your customer’s goals and don’t be afraid to change course as needs and landscape evolve.  The world isn’t static, and neither should your approach be.

What companies do you think do a great job of “listening”?  I’m all ears.

Susan Russo is a Senior Manager at ABI marketing public relations.  You can reach her at +1 (212) 529 2635 and srusso@abipr.com.

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April 15, 2013

5 Things a Business LinkedIn Page Must Have

by Mayra Tucunduva

When it comes to the virtual business world, LinkedIn is the place to be.  This year marks LinkedIn’s 10 year anniversary (Happy Birthday, LinkedIn!), and yet many companies are not utilizing this powerful networking tool to its full potential. A business page on LinkedIn should not only be appealing to potential consumers of your product or service, but rather it also needs to lure potential employees and/or business partners.

  1. Fill Out the Logo/Image and Detailed Company Description in the Home Tab
    I know most of you are thinking this is quite obvious, but you would be surprised by how many companies, large and small, don’t post this information. Not sharing such simple but valuable information is equivalent to creating a dating website profile with no picture and description. First impressions matter and if your business page does not have enough content to keep visitors interested then…bye! Remember that you’re selling your business with your LinkedIn page, and if someone took the time to search and view your page, you should make it worth their while.
  2. Do Not Overlook the Careers Tab
    Allow the public to view all your employees who have profiles in the network. Why? Because job seekers, current clients and prospects can see what kind of high caliber, diverse and intelligent people your company employs. This not only gives your company better credentials, but also allows for potential  employees to decipher if they will be a good fit for your team prior to even applying for a position you have posted. (How do you think I decided to apply for the job ABI posted on LinkedIn?) The BEST part about the career tab is that people who are seeking a new position are able to see who and how many other people are “linked” to their connections and the company. You want people who have similar backgrounds, goals and personalities as your current employees to also work for you. The insight provided to job seekers by knowing someone in your company gives your business the benefit of hiring a potentially excellent employee, while also gaining information on the candidate from someone you already employ and (hopefully) trust.
  3. Fill Out Remaining Tabs – Product & Services and Insights
    What products and services do you provide? Here, do not go into information overload and regurgitate the same information from your company website by listing everything you offer. Pick the top 3-5 and give a short description for each. This feature allows you to entice readers to visit your company website to find out more.

    The “Insights” tab is probably my favorite tab because although it shows where past employees are now working, (trust me, this kind of transparency gives a positive advantage, and should not been seen as a threatening hindrance), it also shows current employees who have new positions within the company. It’s an inside look to see how employees, past and present, are evolving and climbing the corporate ladder. Potential employees are encouraged by career growth in your company while current and potential clients are presented with information as to how great of an employer you are since employees are evolving at your business.

  4. Start a Discussion
    Now that you have provided all this insight about your company to the world, talk about it! Just like Facebook, you can post content to your homepage and allow others to “like” it, comment and share thoughts. You can link press releases, sections of your website, interesting articles relevant to your company and industry and even post videos. The key is to keep the discussion going. Your fallback can always be to post questions and let LinkedIn members voice their opinions about the topic.
  5. Carry on the Conversation
    Once your business LinkedIn profile is created, continue to fill in new information and updates. My biggest pet peeve is a dormant profile on LinkedIn – don’t create one and expect the investment to be over. Creating a business LinkedIn page is a long-term commitment. Content needs to be refreshed every so often to keep people coming back and interested in your business. An easy update could be rotating your list of services. One month post a, b, c and the following month post, d, e, f and so on. You can also post questions such as polls and expert opinions. People want to know what is new with your business and LinkedIn is the tool that many industry experts use to find out.

Mayra Tucunduva is a Consultant at ABI marketing public relations.  You can reach her at +1 212 529 4756 and mtucunduva@abipr.com.

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March 8, 2013

Come Fly With Me

By Alexandra Harrod

A recent brainstorm with some of my colleagues got me thinking about creativity, and more specifically the creative process. Here at ABI, particularly when we are putting together a proposal for a new client or developing a campaign for existing clients, we’ll get a team together to generate initial ideas and begin to build a strategy that meets their needs – the final result or idea we present may be very different to the concepts or thoughts we come up with in that first discussion, but I firmly believe that you would never have one without the other.

When I first started in PR and marketing, I remember brainstorms as one of the most terrifying aspects of the job – I was nervous to say something “silly” or “impractical”, and, of course, was still learning about the tools of this dynamic trade…so I tended to say very little. Very quickly I discovered that the best brainstorms take place between groups of people that aren’t afraid to speak up – no matter how kooky, out-there or different the ideas they share sound. If you think about it, what’s the worst that could happen?  Often the response is “not quite, but you have hit on one point that’s really interesting” and from there your idea takes shape in the direction best suited to the objectives of the business you’re working with at the time.

To shape a really strong, impactful campaign within the B2B sector, whether it’s a 2 month launch for a new product or a year-long programme of public relations and marketing activity, you need a number of things: an understanding of your client’s objectives and business aims, knowledge of the industry they operate it in, and an expert team of people that will work closely with you to achieve your aims. But equally as important, and sometimes ignored on the corporate and B2B side of communications, a debate I’ve read a lot about lately on industry hubs such as the Holmes Report (http://creativity.holmesreport.com/): you need creativity.

Sometimes the old adage, “It’s not the destination but the journey” really does ring true. One method I have come across for getting a team to approach a campaign in a new way is “flying to the land of absurdity” – bear with me, it will make sense! The idea is simple: remove the constraints that we are usually held back by: remove budget considerations, any concern of people’s initial reactions, any thoughts of “Oh no, that client would never go with that idea”, remove corporate guidelines and any other elements that might impose restrictions before you have even started. And simply think: If I had unlimited budget, unlimited time, unlimited resources and a client with an open mind…what would I do? The results will range from the absurd, to the amusing, to the ridiculous. But more often than not, having spent ten minutes doing this at the start of the brainstorm, you will end up with one or two ideas that could be pared down and polished into something great that not only meets your client’s objectives, but wows them.

So pack your passport outside the box, load your luggage with original ideas, and jet off to the land of absurdity. You ever know what you might pick up in the crazy duty-free shop en route home. It may well be a better idea than if you’d never left the airport lounge in the first place.

Alexandra Harrod is an Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations.  You can reach her at +44 (0)20 7014 3317 and aharrod@abipr.com.

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February 28, 2013

The State of the Website

By Alan Isacson

With the availability of information about a company readily available on Facebook, LinkedIn, through its blog and by following its Twitter feed, the role of the corporate website is changing.  Previously viewed as the one-stop-shop, websites now serve more as a structural base of the company’s brand communication.

However, that doesn’t mean the corporate website is a lesser communications medium than its emerging counterparts. On the contrary, as the number of platforms and channels continues to grow, and the content distributed on them reaches farther and wider (and with dizzying frequency) the website’s new role in the communications ecosystem is to provide the big-picture.

The website is either where a visitor starts, before authenticating information elsewhere, or conversely, where a visitor verifies information gathered through social media, discussions in face-to-face meetings and articles in relevant industry journals. Either way, it should provide an overarching view of who you are, the unique business value that you bring, and how you help customers.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your website paints the big picture of your company’s value:

  • Make sure your homepage content is short, and benefits oriented
  • Provide customer examples, to illustrate the value of your work
  • Include an RSS feed to your blog posts on the homepage, for quick access
  • Imbed YouTube videos that illustrate your product or service
  • Include your Twitter feed in the sidebar of your homepage, and subsequent pages

Alan Isacson is the Chief Executive Officer at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +1 212-529-4755 and aisacson@abipr.com.

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January 15, 2013

ABI “Crowned” a Winner at the PR Daily Awards (WOOT!)

By James Lisk

Being fairly new to ABI, it’s really exciting for me personally to be part of a team that is getting some great industry recognition for its work.

And I am thrilled to be the one to the share the news that ABI was recently honored for “Best Green Initiative” at the first annual PR Daily Awards luncheon, held in Washington, D.C.

Our team was recognized by PR Daily for its pivotal role in the development of the 2011 Sustainability Report for Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK), a leading supplier of innovative metal packaging technology to consumer products companies worldwide.

Even more amazing is that the report was the first of its kind for Crown.

We structured the report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Guidelines and aimed to show how sustainability has been a fundamental part of Crown’s business model historically and will be into the future.

As you can imagine, it would have been easy to get lost in data, but we took a visual approach to telling Crown’s story, and mixed a macro view together with some specifics.

You can view the full report here, along with a case study on our other work for Crown here.

Congratulations to Crown and all the honorees at this year’s PR Daily Awards. And an especially big “WOOT!” to my colleagues on the Crown account team for all their hard work!

James Lisk is a Senior Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +1 212-529-2542 and jlisk@abipr.com.

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October 26, 2012

Efficiency that packs a punch

By Eoin Bedford

Packaging doesn’t always get the respect that it deserves. Although we engage with it every day – picking it up, opening it, using it and then throwing it away – its inherent disposability has meant that some cynics portray it as providing little of benefit while proving damaging for the environment. This bad rap (pardon the pun) has often placed packaging manufacturers on the defensive, making it harder for them to communicate about their products, although things have changed quickly in this last decade.

As brand owners seek to enhance their green credentials by ensuring that each step of the production and packaging line is as sustainable as possible, packaging manufacturers have been quick to highlight the environmental benefits provided by their packaging. Biodegradability, recyclability and sustainably sourced materials have all been brought to the fore by packaging suppliers. As the concept of sustainability has become firmly anchored in the public consciousness, the themes of efficiency and efficient packaging are now taking off, as packaging firms seek to further demonstrate and measure the benefits provided by their solutions.

By enabling the preservation of products for longer, by reducing risks of contamination, by making it easier to keep and consume products wherever the end user is, efficient packaging brings measurable benefits to our societies. These are sorely needed, as experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that as much as 40 percent of available food products spoils before reaching consumers’ mouths in developing countries and about 30 percent of food purchased in Europe is thrown away without being consumed, often due to passing best-before dates (Global Food Losses and Food Waste Report, 2011). As efficient new types of packaging with continue to emerge to extend product lives and protect product quality, fewer products should be wasted or thrown into landfills needlessly.

At the same time, efficient packaging initiatives have helped brand owners to greatly reduce the energy usage involved in producing, packaging and transporting their products. This has been achieved in a variety of ways, from upgrading old packaging machines to newer and more efficient models, using new technologies that can seal or wrap packaging at lower heats or with less energy, as well as light weighting existing packaging solutions to ensure they are easier and less energy-intensive to transport. Through combining these efforts with projects to reduce CO2 emissions, packaging firms have even more facts supporting their contribution to making our society a little bit better.

For many firms, the key to successful communications is all about creating a dialogue with their audience. Packaging firms are now in a strong position to open that discussion with both consumers and brand owners, reminding them of the essential and efficient role that packaging plays in our modern society. Efficiently designed packaging plays a vital role in keeping us safe and healthy, while minimizing the impact on the environment of our consumer lifestyles and the packaging that goes along with them.

Eoin Bedford is a Senior Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach him at +44 (0)20 7014 3316 and ebedford@abipr.com.

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August 22, 2012

Social media tools align with b-to-b sector

By Doreen Zöllner

Word of mouth, it is said, is the most effective marketing out there. And in the highly knowledgeable, often technical world of b-to-b, this is even more so the case. Word-of-mouth is far easier to build when everyone is speaking the same language.

Given that b-to-b decision-making is heavily reliant on peer-based input, why has the sector been slow to embrace social media? In theory, it would be particularly successful in this space because b-to-b is a closed system.

Sometimes it’s due to lack of understanding of the value of social media, which results in fewer allocated resources. Higher-ups in b-to-b organizations don’t immediately recognize the value of new media to support sales efforts, and so they don’t want to fund it.

Other times its lack of recognition that the audience is accessible through social media. Even though successful b-to-b communications programs are executed every day, proving that the target audience is on the other end is still a challenge.

While there may be challenges associated with effectively using social media, it is an ideal b-to-b communications tool that can significantly expand a company’s reach. Here are some reasons why social media can’t be ignored:

It’s peer-based. B-to-b prospects seek information from a very controlled number of credible sources. They depend on blogs, discussion groups, and other ways to gather input from others.

It’s about people. The authenticity and interpersonal dynamic inherent in social media jibes well with the highly relationship-dependent nature of b-to-b sales.

It’s fast. While in the “old” days (think 2005!), PR professionals were looking at lead times of two to three months to pitch articles and case histories to industry publications. Now credible content reaches prospects almost immediately through peer-based media vehicles.

Contributing to industry discussion boards is a good way to establish credibility among prospects seeking information. Likewise, answering questions posted on LinkedIn can help demonstrate industry expertise. A third technique is to pay attention to – and quickly comment on – relevant blog posts. These three approaches can help you make good use of common social media platforms.

Have no fear, b-to-b companies, social media well-deployed is playing to the traditional strengths of your sector. Well-informed prospects are out there, searching for the information and news they know they need to succeed in the marketplace.

Doreen Zöllner is an Account Executive at ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at +44 (0) 207 014 3504 and dzoellner@abipr.com.

This post appeared in PR Week’s insider blog. You can view the post here: http://www.prweekus.com/social-media-tools-align-with-b-to-b-sector/printarticle/180313/

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August 20, 2012

Encouraging Men to Exercise Their Buying Power

By Pia Froese

Women contribute to 80 – 85% of all consumer purchases.  Being a self-admitted shopaholic, I concede that I most likely contribute a great deal of this percentage. So, yes, we women love shopping, and the figures prove it.  I enjoy all kinds of shopping: clothes shopping, home shopping, even window shopping, but, my favorite is undoubtedly food shopping.

Again, I am not alone.  93% of women make food purchases for their households.  Needless to say, the female population hits the supermarket pretty often in their lifetimes.   This has not gone unnoticed by brand owners, and they are completely in tune with what consumers, and specifically female consumers, desire.  They know our favorite shapes, colors and designs.  For typical worries, such as our health, we look for low calorie products.  Presto! Coca Cola gives us Diet Coke in a slim can.  Not only is this the healthier option, but also a much more feminine design to entice female shoppers.

In the world of consumerism though, brand owners can not and will not focus only on women.  Brands are starting to target different types of consumers, from men to teenagers to children.  That very same Diet Coke, when placed in a darker color bottle or can, with a slightly sportier design, suddenly starts to look more masculine.

Recent statistics, like the 2010 U.S. Census, confirm that men are waiting longer before getting married, meaning they have to start making household purchases like groceries. This is a prime opportunity for brand owners to encourage males to exercise their buying power.

I look forward to the day when I go to the supermarket and see Coke cans, along with all different types of products, designed for women as well as men. And if brand owners maximize the opportunity, those heavily women-dominated statistics will soon change!

Pia Froese is an Account Associate in the London office of ABI marketing public relations. You can reach her at + 44 (0) 20 7014 3501 and pfroese@abipr.com.

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April 19, 2012

The Magic Behind Business Development

by Sharon Corrigan

I am a firm believer that if you put your mind to anything you can do it – and this includes generating good quality leads by putting the business person you are talking to first – and not your objective of telling them your pitch and securing business. By putting yourself first you will not only annoy people but you are guaranteed that they will forget you – and fast!

There are many face-to-face methods to generate new business, from networking events, conferences, tradeshows and through association events. Recently I was privileged to be able to attend two significant industry tradeshows in Europe – the first was Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Germany and the second was the JEC Composite Tradeshow in Paris, France. I use the word privileged as tradeshows present the opportunity to meet, en masse, interesting professionals – and you get to find out their story.

If you are interested in developing your business, then some of these tips will help you:

  1. Preparation – like all good business meetings you would never enter a room unprepared before you speak to senior executives – so why do people do it at a tradeshow?  When you approach a booth you never know the level of seniority of the person who you will speak with, and therefore you need to be prepared.  Before going to a tradeshow, check out target businesses, develop your hook. You need to be able to answer the question – what value can you bring?
  2. Listen – the majority of business executives are passionate about their businesses and love to talk.  So let them by      asking the right questions. By creating an informative business discussion about their industry, they will know that you are a person with knowledge and experience and mayl be intrigued about what you do.
  3. Do not rehearse your speech – one of the biggest mistakes that individuals make is a rehearsed speech about their business. You first need to ascertain the needs and pain points of the business executive you are talking with. Only until you reach this point can you tailor your services to match.
  4. If your business doesn’t fit their needs then don’t lose faith -  if you are selling IT infrastructure and the business executive you are talking with has already fulfilled this need then don’t lose heart. As long as you have made a good impression by listening to their needs, then potentially this is a business contact you could have for life. So treasure it by fulfilling the following tip.
  5. Follow up – one of the biggest crimes following any business development meeting is that you meet some great people, tell them that you will email them and never do. Even if the person is not interested, then a polite short email to acknowledge you appreciate her taking the time to talk to you complete with your contact details (I would suggest a V card) could benefit you in the long-term. Business situations change all the time and so a few months later, if she needs your services, at least she has your contact details.

Overall, if you have passion for your business then this will shine through in every conversation you ever have and people will want to be a part of this – budgets and business objectives permitting. Good luck and have fun!

Sharon Corrigan is the Deputy Managing Director, EMEA at ABI marketing public relations.  You can reach her at +44 (0)20 7014 3500 and scorrigan@abipr.com.

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March 26, 2012

Back to Basics

By Alexandra Harrod

A couple of recent projects have got me thinking about the process of creating marketing collateral. Often, when producing sales and marketing material, companies can get so caught up in the detail that they lose sight of the fundamental aim of their marketing, missing out on valuable sales leads as a result. So, I propose that we take some time to go back to basics.

For example, a highly conceptual piece of creative marketing is great, but if it contains no clear call to action for the reader, it is unlikely to obtain desired results. An eye-caching brochure with an exciting design is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, but it must also contain information about what you are offering, what the benefits of this offer are, and how to contact you for more information. It may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how often these basics are forgotten! As long as the fundamentals are there, you are then free to be as original, creative and conceptual as you desire – but first and foremost, the material needs to communicate your offer, your key messages, and your brand as clearly as possible.

Whether overhauling a website, creating a new brochure or designing an advertising campaign, a company or brand needs a “checklist” that it can use against all of its sales tools to ensure that this material is helping to meet business objectives.

The prominent marketer, E. Jerome McCarthy, proposed a Four ‘P’s classification in 1960, which has since been widely used by marketers throughout the world. These are Product (the right product that meets the customer’s needs); Price (a price that attracts buyers but is also profitable); Place (distributed adequately to the target audience); and Promotion (ensuring your market knows the product is available.) These four P’s are useful to bear in mind when building your messaging and positioning platform, and creating collateral to support this platform.

However, I propose the addition of a fifth P – PACKAGING. Not in the traditional sense of the word, but rather HOW you communicate your offer to the customer, from the copy and tone of your website and brochure to the imagery used to re-enforce your key messages.  Your four P’s need to be wrapped up in a clear, coherent, simple and consistent package in order to create the strongest possible communication with your target audience.

So next time you are reviewing a piece of sales collateral, take a step back and ask yourself the following questions first:

  • Who am I talking to – does this piece clearly communicate who the product is aimed at?
  • What is the value I am offering my customers – and is it clearly stated?
  • How am I different from the competitor – what are my Unique Selling Points and are they reinforced by this item?
  • Are my messages clear and simple – and do they prompt the reader to contact me or find out more?

Alexandra Harrod is an Account Manager at ABI marketing public relations.  You can reach her at +44 (0)20 7014 3500 and aharrod@abipr.com.

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