The Stand-up Standard

I advise my clients to increase the actual number of meetings that they hold each month.  Yes more meetings!  But only if you implement a strategy for holding many different types of meetings.  One of my favorite types of meetings is a 10-minute “stand-up” reporting meeting.

Some people call this their daily “huddle.”  Regardless of what you call it, here's how to make it successful:

The purpose of this meeting is to keep all members of your team (executives or departmental) on the “same page” for that day or that week.

Each team member reports on what they are doing / have done towards reaching a common team goal.

Everyone stands up for the meeting.  There is a strict time limit enforced – no one is allowed to ramble-on or pontificate.

This meeting is held at the same time each day / week regardless of how many team members are physically present.  Some team members may submit their report ahead of time to be read; other team members may participate via teleconference.

No one is allowed to stay off topic!  If an urgent topic emerges from this “heads-up” meeting do not discuss it it this meeting.  Convene another meeting (starting in 5 minutes if necessary) to address this crisis.  And bring in the necessary people and materials you will need to deal with this crisis.

In order to have effective meetings at work you must take a strategic approach to scheduling and preparing for tour meetings.  If there is no purpose for the meeting… don't hold the meeting!  If there is a purpose, what type of meeting will best serve your purpose.  Should the meeting be strategic?  Or a brain-storming meeting?  Will you need to reach a decision at the meeting?  If so, what approach will you take?  Consensus, majority vote?

I think that you see the point.  I also think that you might start to agree that your company needs to hold more meetings (while decreasing overall employee hours spent in meetings) to become more productive and profitable.

As I have said in prior posts on this subject a good place to start to get reliable tips on improving your meetings is at the Effective Meetings website.  There are also several very good books on this subject.  I will write my reviews on several of them in the weeks and months to come.

Meanwhile, if you have a favorite tip or book to share with our readers please do so.  Add your comment to this post.  It's easy to do and our readers will benefit from your participation.

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Start Your Meetings On Time

As I prepared my materials to train some clients to run more effective meetings I came across some very interesting tips.  Here is one that I would like to share with you:

Schedule your meeting to start at an unusual time – e.g. 10:07 A.M.  How many 10:00AM meetings ever really start on time anyway?  Very few.  So, if the reality is that your meetings start 6 or 7 minutes after the scheduled time, there is usually a reason:

The previous meeting ended at 10:00AM and people have to stop for a break prior to the start of the scheduled 10:00AM meeting.

Every meeting is scheduled to start on the hour or the half-hour and no meeting ever starts on-time.  So, make YOUR meeting stand out… and start on-time!

If you want your meetings to start (and end) on-time you have to impose discipline – and show your colleagues that your meeting is real business!  Trust me on this – if you are firm in starting your meeting on-time, people will quickly get the message.

Instead of just closing the door and starting the meeting.  I suggest that you take it one step further:

Stand next to the door with your back to the door to prevent the stragglers from entering.  You might even place your hand on the door knob to prevent them from entering.  That sends a signal!

Or… you could take a cue from the “theater” or a “Concert Hall” and place a sign on the meeting door:  “Meeting in progress.  Latecomers will be seated at the first break in order to not disturb the meeting.”

Try one of these tips.  And let our readers know how they worked for you.  If you want to learn more about running an effective meeting check out the Effective Meetings website.  Great articles, and even a free newsletter!

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Boring Meetings

I've been doing some corporate training sessions recently on “How to Make Your Meetings More Effective.”  Clients have been asking me to help them to get more participation out of meeting participants. 

Well, the first place to start is to make sure that you've invited the right staff members to the appropriate meeting.  The days of “One Meeting Fits All Needs” are gone.  Unfortunately, far too many companies still continue to hold meetings using this outdated model.  Frankly, it makes no sense to invite 25 people to an hour-long meeting when only the first 15 minutes are “reporting” or “heads-up” and the remaining 45 minutes have a completely different purpose and process and only involve 10 of the original 25 members.

The energy level of the room drops considerably.  The 15 non-participants are bored and become demoralized.  The 10 people involved in the discussion are not able to speak with the freedom and candor necessary because of the composition of the meeting.  And all of this is easily remedied!

Many companies are quite concerned that there are too many meetings taking place.  I propose that too many of the “wrong meetings” are taking place because they involve the “wrong” participants.  With proper training and planning a company could easily double the actual number of meetings held each month while achieving at least a 10% drop in meeting man-hours each month.  Morale would improve.  Productivity would increase.  And certainly, participation would improve.  Just be sure to match the right members to the right meetings.  It can be done – just ask me how!

Please share some of your meeting “horror stories” or tips for improving meetings with our readers.

You can also do yourself a big favor – sign up to receive a free newsletter from Effective Meetings.  Their website is a wonderful resource center of articles, tools and tips for improving your meetings.  Check it out!

 

 

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Put a Pig in Your Window

Reorganize your workspace – you might be surprised by what you find!

I was working with my assistant the other day to shred, file and generally reorganize my home office.  In one of the stacks of books I re-discovered Jane Applegate's “201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business.”  It rekindled a lot of memories.

Back in 1998 I was looking for a “hook” to use in a presentation that I was going to give to the Retail Print Music Dealer's Association convention in Nashville, TN.  I was taking a break and reading the business section of the Los Angeles Times when I say a column with the intriguing title – “Put a Pig in Your Window.”  That certainly caught my attention!

It was in Jane Applegate's weekly column for Small Businesses.  I was familiar with her because, at that time, she also had a syndicated segment on the CBS Radio Network and I would listen to her advice on the drive into work in the morning.  Great, sensible ideas for any small business owner – and that was the target audience I was to present to in Nashville.  The crux of the advice in the “Pig in your window” piece came from retail guru Peter Glen who insisted “that small retailers will not just survive, but flourish, if they set themselves apart from the competition.” 

Great advice in 1998 and even more to the point as we enter 2007!

Among the gems of advice that Peter Glen shared in that particular column:

“Create 'cheap miracles' to attract shoppers.”  How about spending $40 to tie a big ribbon around your store!

Put a bull in your china shop – or a pig in your window!  Get potential customers to stop and notice your store.  Get them excited and talking about what makes your store stand out from the crowd.

Make it clear what your store sells or the exact services that you deliver. 

“Retailing is a terrible job – nobody is in it for the hours or the money.  Concentrate on what you do best and go in that direction – furiously!”

Fortunately, Jane Applegate collected 201 of her columns into a published collection.  It is divided into sections on:

Management Strategies; Money Matters; Marketing Strategies; Developing and Launching Products; People; Time Management and Technology & Telecommunications.

There is now a second edition available with updated advice.  I'll eventually purchase the new edition, but for now I am keeping my 1998 “classic” edition close at hand.  The advice is timeless – and if scanning it gives me one good idea for my next presentation – it is priceless!

 

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Community Music

I was delighted by an article in the Sunday New York Times written by Anthony Tommasini.  The title, “Looking for Citizens for a Few Good Orchestras,” certainly did not grab me.  But the article and the concept behind it did!

Starting January 7,2007 a new program called the Academy will be run by both the Julliard School and Carnegie Hall.  The Academy is a performance and education initiative for postgraduate musicians.  Initially, 16 musicians will receive a wonderful opportunity to perform (at Carnegie Hall) study (at Julliard) and teach (1 1/2 days a week with the NY City Department of Education.)

The goal is to place these 16 talented performers in the public schools to inspire and engage the students; to work closely with classroom music teachers; and to become a presence in the community.

Clive Gillinson, the Executive Director of Carnegie Hall implemented a similar program while he was the managing director of the London Symphony Orchestra.  He has high hopes that the Academy will light a spark of engagement between traditional performance groups, students and the community.  He envisions the possibility that the public school system will create adjunct positions that would enable more professional musicians to work alongside school band, orchestra and choral directors.

Today, most “Arts Enrichment” or “Community Outreach” programs offer little more than a “drive through” experience.  A few performers show up at the public school or community center; perform a few pieces; talk to to audience and then quickly depart.  For some students this is their only exposure to the arts.  Few students – and even fewer professional musicians – gain much from this type of program.

The Academy – and other similar programs – aim to change this dramatically!  Because the performers will return to each school on a regular basis, they will have the opportunity to make a bigger impact on the students.  In turn, I suspect that the students – and their teachers – will make a major impact on the professional musicians.  Some students may get the opportunity to dream of a world that was previously unknown or unavailable to them.  For some of the musicians, this opportunity will spark a desire to devote more of their time and attention to building community involvement and developing future audiences for their craft.

I applaud this program and hope that it succeeds and inspires other conservatories and concert venues to embark on a similar course. 

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How to Improve Your Presentation Skills

This morning I received my monthly “The Planning Shop” eNewsletter from Rhonda Abrams.  This lady is an expert marketer!  She really knows how to write – and produce an excellent eNewsletter.  Her books *”Winning Presentations in a Day,” “Business Plan in a Day,” etc.) are excellent.  She does two things extremely well:

1) Gives you valuable and compelling content that you will remember.

2) Tells you exactly what she wants you to do – how to take the next step (buy her books and engage her services.)

And really … isn't that the point of any presentation?  Or marketing campaign?  Or sales call?  Or company meeting?  You get the point.  But does your audience? 

Sign up for Rhonda's eNewsletter or purchase her books; put her advice into practice and your audience will remember more of what you said.  And your audience will know what to do.  All of which will lead to more sales, better understanding, and greater commitment.  Which is really why you give a presentation or launch a marketing campaign.

Unfortunately, too many speakers and marketers take the opposite approach.  Then they wonder why they do not get asked back to speak or why their sales did not improve.  To paraphrase a famous slogan, “It's all about the audience, stupid!”

Giving a presentation is not about you.  It's about your audience!

Why are they there?  (Are the required to be there or do they want to be there?)

Why should they care?  (About you and what you have to say?)

What do they care about?  (What problems, concerns or feelings do they have?)

What advice, information, or solution do you offer? (For them specifically?)

What do you want them to do? (What is your call to action?  The next step?)

How do they do it? (Show them specifically where to go and what to do!)

Rhonda Abrams' advice does not break new ground.  Confucius had the same message many years ago, “I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand.”  However, her presentation, marketing and teaching skills are just perfect for today.

Anyone who wants to improve their communications skills will benefit from subscribing to her eNewsletter or purchasing one or more of her books.  Here's how do take the next step:

Click here to go to her website and sign up for the eNewsletter.  You will benefit from her advice and so will your audience!

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Review – Winning at Retail

Lately, I have been re-reading some of my favorite business books.  “Winning at Retail” is one of them.  The authors have a solid history as retail consultants and they are passionate about creating and studying successful (and unsuccessful) retail operations.  In the authors words, great retailers understand the importance of two things:

1) Targeting a particular group of customers.

2) Carefully choosing what you'll be great at offering them.

A successful retailer understands that you can not be all things to all people – you must choose a specific target customer and then follow them closely to understand what most influences their buying habits.  And then you must and then you must build your business to become the best in that one area – as your targeted customer perceives it.  You must build your business around your customer.  Learn how to give them more of what they want and less of what they do not want.

“Winning at Retail” builds on the principles of the 1981 marketing classic, “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind,” By Al Ries and Jack Trout.  You must learn how to be seen and heard in the overcrowded (and ultra-competitive) marketplace.  In this book, you will learn EST principles (NO, not those kooky Werner Earhardt seminars from the 70's!)  In this case EST is becoming the B(EST ) in one of these five dimensions:

1) Cheap – EST: Winning with Price – (e.g. Wal-Mart, Costco and Dollar General)

2) Big-EST: Winning with Dominant Assortments – (e.g. the “category killers” Best Buy, Home Depot, Home Depot and Barnes & Noble)

3) Hot-EST: Winning with Fashion – (e.g. Chico's, Starbucks and Target)

4) Easy-EST: Winning with Solution-Oriented Service – (e.g. Container Store, Publix and Kohl's)

5) Quick-EST: Winning with Fast Service – (e.g. McDonald's, Walgreens and Kinko's)

As in “Positioning,” it is vital to understand that the target customer's perception of which retailer is the B(EST) at offering something that's important (prices, selection, service, etc.) wins the game – for now!  Because, it is difficult to remain dominant in one of these 5 dimensions.  The marketplace is ultra-competitive and customer preferences are always in flux.

Smaller, independent retailers should not be put off because the author's mainly discuss large retail operations.  Anyone can learn the basic principles and adapt it to their situation.  Actually, because we are so familiar with the successful and unsuccessful retailers used as case studies, it is easy to understand why these EST principles are so vital to success.

I really like this book because it is based in reality – not some theoretical proposition.  The writing is conversational – personal – and the authors' passion for retail shines throughout the book.  They know each of the case studied retailers inside and out.  And – they never stray from their basic principle:  In today's market the customer is in control and successful retailers learn how to give their targeted customers more control in the buying process.  If you want to win at retail today – and in the future – follow your customers.  Learn what is most important to them and then become the best source to provide it!

 

 

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Winning at Retail

I posted a new photo to Photos.

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Upgrade Your Book Purchase

Well Amazon has done it again – yet another technology invention that is extremely useful to certain of their customers.  You can now “upgrade” certain of your book purchases – provided you have purchased a physical copy – from Amazon – and the publishers permits this feature – you can, for @$5.99 obtain electronic rights to that book!

According to the Amazon.com website here are the advantages to “upgrading” your purchases:

1) Start reading the book on-line while you wait for your physical copy to arrive. (DR – Okay, so you can choose to save money on shipping to offset the $5.99 “upgrade” price.  Some value to that.)

2) Add highlights, bookmarks, notes. or tags to any page or section of text.  (DR – all of the advantages of digital delivery.  To be expected.)

3) Print pages, and even copy and paste text from the book.  (DR – All the while doing so legally.  You are not violating copyright because the publisher has sold you this right – for this particular product.)

4) Read your book from any Internet-connected computer, meaning your book is always with you.  (DR – Ultimately, this is the premise of eBooks.  But now, you are not dependent on have a (proprietary book reader or special software.  Just an Internet connection to your Amazon account!)

Amazon informed me that I had already purchased 4 books that would qualify for “upgrades.”  So it looks like only a small number of publishers have signed on to this so far.  Publishers are always a brave lot!  I don't understand why more of them have not licensed Amazon to make the “look inside” the book feature available.  Who would ever have the time or patience to copy one (random) page at a time to avoid actually purchasing the book?

OK – who would want to purchase the “upgrade” and how would they use it?

1) Researchers – who would benefit from having legal digital access to books containing pertinent facts, etc.

2) People who travel a lot – and don't want to carry the extra weight along.  Or who forgot to pack a favorite title, etc.

I fall into both categories so I could see a reason for taking advantage of this service.  And, since this service only pertains to books that I purchase from Amazon (so far) it gives Amazon yet another competitive edge – and a reason for me to confine most of my book purchases to Amazon!

 

 

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The Mature Music Market

I see a trend emerging.  I have been writing about this topic for the past few months (Modern Marketing, etc.) on this blog.  And now it is official – The New York Times is writing about it!

Here is a link to an article that will appear in this coming Sunday's New York Times “Arts & Leisure” section.  The article is titled, “Rock of Ages,” and is written by Jeff Leeds.  The AARP – formerly known as the “old fogies early bird special” association – has just signed on to sponsor a national tour for Tony Bennett.  The very same Tony Bennett – 80 years young – that the Target corporation got behind.  They were the major sponsor for last night's terrific TV Special “Tony Bennett: An American Classic.”

And what about the AARP?  They hired Elton John to headline a sold-out concert at this year's “AARP: Life @ 50+” convention in Anaheim, CA.  Next year – at their convention in Boston, MA – the headliners will be Rod Stewart and Earth, Wind and Fire. James Taylor is a super start with the AARP crowd.  Hey – I grew up listening to each of these artists!  I am over-50 and I still like to go to concerts and buy records.  And so do a lot of people from my generation – the “Baby Boomers.”

In the “Rock of Ages” article, Leeds quotes statistics that show that the over-50 crowd now accounts for @ 25% of all audio recording sales – and they have about the same % of market share with on-line purchases (albeit buying CD's on-line via Amazon.com, etc. rather than downloading a digital file.)  Marketers and advertisers fell over themselves trying to attract the “Baby Boomer” throughout the golden era of the '60s and '70s.  And now, they are starting to realize that this generation has money, time and a great desire to continue to make and support music – the music that is the soundtrack of their lives.

So, if you are over-50 and you can't find the music you want at your local Tower Records – bankrupt and closing stores – and you can't find it on the radio or TV, where are you going to go?  To Target?  To Nordstom's?  To Starbucks?  Or to a concert tour sponsored by the AARP?  Probably, to all of the above.  I'll see you there!

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