CK's Blog

Phoebe was right: Rules first. Tools (a distant!) second.

Do you remember that episode of Friends where Phoebe, in her zany way, was teaching Joey, in his gullible way, how to play the guitar? She wouldn't let him actually touch or, heaven forbid (!), even look at a guitar.

Nope, he first had to get into the "zone" of being a guitar player. It was silly as, naturally, Joey needed to practice in order to hone his skills.

But when it comes to social media, Phoebe's a girl after my own heart. Her zany ways make a heck of a lot of sense.

I'm telling clients to learn and look and then...and only then...go ahead and touch. See, when I'm teaching a client or a colleague about social media we start with the basics. And the basics are two-pronged. First, I need to show them what blogs, Wikis, social networks and podcasts actually are. But then I need to stop and explain that these are merely tools that drive a trend.

And trends trump tools every time.

Yup, every single time.

What's more? Those trends come with some pretty hefty rules of the road.

So no touchie until we know and respect the rules. Because I'm not about to be at fault for someone contaminating this medium (I hope they're not touching when my back is turned).

And there is so much to learn that they needn't touch for a while. Just look and learn and digest. Ya know, get into that "zone." Because it's a pretty steep learning curve migrating away from top-down, company-in-control, managed messaging practices.

So it's rules first, tools a distant (!) second.

PS: Many times the client need not even launch a blog. I'm not at all of the mind that every company needs a blog (only if it adds value, not more noise). But all companies need to listen...and there aren't better tools for listening than the ones we have here.

Let's start by telling you how great I am. Nah, let's not.

When I first started working for myself, I was delighted at the freedom. Not the freedom to do as I please--I clock as many, if not more, hours on my own than when I worked for others--but the freedom to stop following certain practices I found sorta silly. One of the silliest? The new business pitch.

To be sure, I love new business, and new challenges. But I don't love pitches. There's nothing "new" to a pitch, which is odd since we're pitching "new" business (I also don't understand "cold calls" since hot leads are what I seek).

See, in new biz meetings, it usually starts with the "tell me about yourself/your business" question. It's a fair question and, many would argue, a darn good place to start. Problem is, the top of the discussion sets the vibe for the entire meeting. Having sat through enough pitches when I was a marketing director tasked with hiring consultants, I didn't like being pitched to...so I sure don't like to be the one delivering them.

For me, a pitch is a one-way delivery of our experiences, our greats and what we can do...but a discussion is what we can do for them (or what we can do together, actually).

What I like most about working from project-to-project is that no client, strategy, program or quarter is ever the same as the one before (or after). So it seems new business meetings shouldn't be the "same" either. And if I'm armed with a PPT presentation then it's gonna be a repeat. While I have plenty of new business materials, prospects can view those before or after we meet. But during new business meetings those materials would serve as a distraction from the value I'm intent on delivering.

For several years now, when I start a new business meeting I explain the entire reason for retaining me should be based only on the amount of value I can bring to the project. Marketing is, after all, about value creation. So the meeting alone should impart value being they've given me the value of their time. It also shifts the meeting from a passive format into action mode.

Instead of answering the "tell me about yourself question" to kick-off the meeting, I ask that they start by specifying the objectives they have and the problems they need solved (trust me, everyone has objectives and problems). And then I map their specific goals to my relevant successes and experiences. As for the problems they need solved, or opportunities I spot? I give plenty of recommendations for them to consider. Basically, value can be categorized into (a) meeting objectives, (b) solving problems and (c) identifying opportunities.

I also like scribbling recommendations and ideas on whiteboards--it's not as pretty as a power point slide but when I ask if I should erase it at the close of a meeting they always ask me to leave it. I've also begun ending meetings by recounting the points of value uncovered during the meeting itself, just to hit the point home (and so I feel the meeting went well).

All told, it's more of a real-time workshop format than a pitch--and it allows us to really show our greats not just tell people how really great we are. It also holds greater value (and value is the whole point). Plus, chances are greater they'll wind-up retaining me and/or referring me to others.

Whether you're on the consulting side or work for an agency, what are some gems you've found work well in landing new business? Or, if you're on the client side, what type of new business meetings do you prefer give you the most value?

Marketer with a Mantra.

How do you spend less time chasing leads and more time choosing from them? How do you spend less energy pushing messages at your markets and more time pulling customers to you? Why you use my nifty mantra, of course!

Both my musings...and my mantra..are over at The Daily Fix. Just affirm to go right here.

Whether you're a marketing consultant, marketing director or marketing agency, my mantra applies (psst: prayers help, too). In case you're curious my mantra involves rivers flowing and revenues streaming so flow on over here, dear reader. Namaste :-).

The Strategic Art of Pricing (a la Picasso)

Last week I had a colleague call me who was concerned about how to price a consulting project. He was trying to guesstimate hours and then map those to price. I told him to work backwards instead of forwards, explaining he should price by the value he brings to the project--which is a function of his unique talent and years of experience. Not the mere time he invests in it.

I then sent him Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith with the following passage highlighted, figuring it he wouldn't listen to me...perhaps he'd listen to Picasso:

A woman was strolling along a street in Paris when she spotted Picasso sketching at a sidewalk cafe. Not so thrilled that she could not be slightly presumptuous, the woman asked Picasso if he might sketch her, and charge accordingly. Picasso obliged. In just minutes, there she was: an original Picasso.

"And what do I owe you?" she asked. "Five thousand francs," he answered. "But it only took you three minutes," she politely reminded him. "No," Picasso said, "It took me all my life".

I rest my case. Charge by your talent, not your time.