Are You An Influencer?

For our last business book of the year I read “Everyone Is An “Influencer”” by Kelly Keenan. ‘Influencer’ is a word that has become a normal part of our lexicon with all the people on social media who have been given (or chosen) the title of “influencer,” but long before there were social media influencers, we were influenced by thousands of little things from our friends to our family to what we saw on TV to what was available in our stores and what our neighbors did. So I thought this book would be a good place to end the year, as we think about each other more around the holidays, and the role that we all play in creating (influencing) our futures as we think about the new year ahead.

As you can probably guess from the title, the central focus of the book is on the idea that everyone including the customers and “influencers” and especially the employees and the leadership team can and should all be involved in the sharing/marketing and influencing process. The caviat is that for this to really work you have to be willing to create real and authentic relationships, have a culture that you’re willing and able to celebrate, tell real and relatable stories about your brand, have a team willing to share and be excited about sharing their love of the company with others, and be willing to compete with other businesses on something other than price. This book shares that not only does it become easier and more natural to market your company when there’s a healthy culture that inspires and supports their employees and leaders and everyone is invested in the success of the brand because they believe in what the company offers, your marketing is more successful and more people are connecting with your company.

Once you’ve got the people on board who are excited to share about and celebrate all that your company offers, next comes the content. At this stage of things, it’s rare that a business doesn’t have a content strategy (regardless of however vague the actual strategy might be), whether it’s a blog strategy, social media strategy, and/or newsletter (print/digital) strategy. In recent years we’ve been learning exactly how powerful that content can be, and we’ve also been learning how challenging it can be to share content that will really benefit our businesses. I always start a content strategy with one goal in mind: raise awareness about a business. Of course there can be more goals to the strategy than that, but I like starting there because it keeps the focus on the question of if we’re sharing content that people will want to see and how it will make them think about our business. In the book Kelly shared a great perspective on what content you should share and what content really does: content freezes the best parts of your brand in time, for all time.

As we head into the new year, I’d encourage you to not only evaluate your content strategy based on what you would be proud to have people look back on at the end of 2022, I’d also encourage you to make this the year you invest in your team: that you really commit to creating a culture that supports your team, that your team is excited about what you bring to the world and their role in it, and that everyone on your team who wants it are given a seat at the table to share their stories about the company. Who are the best influencers on your team?

Improve Your Argument

The path to success can benefit from both looking back and thinking forward. This year I haven’t been reading many “year in review” posts, I’m not interested for whatever reason. But I have been looking for little gems of wisdom that can lead us well into the new year, and today I wanted to share a bit of wisdom with you from someone who we lost recently: Desmond Tutu.

“Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”

This quote starts with an important reminder because yes, sometimes it’s the loudest voice that’s heard, but the loudest voice isn’t always the one with the best or most accurate things to say, and increased volume doesn’t make you more right. While sometimes the best thing to do is to really hammer the details out in the discussion at that time (even through raised voices), often the best thing you can do is walk away for a time rather than let things escalate in volume or say things in the heat of the moment that you don’t really mean.

The second bit of wisdom in this quote has to do the fact that repeating the same thing over and over doesn’t make it any more right, any easier for someone to understand, or any less likely to get you out of trouble (no matter how true it is). Just like sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away, sometimes the best thing to do is to try the conversation from a different approach, with different examples, and/or with more research done and more information to share (always do your reading and research!).

In 2022 for our success journey, my hope is that we’ll all step up to the plate and choose to improve our arguments, if for no other reason than over the last decade we’ve lost so many of the wisest people of the world (Desmond Tutu, John Madden, Paul Walker, Anthony Bourdain, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Maya Angelou, Steve Jobs, John Lewis, Nelson Mandela and so many more), and that’s only going to continue as many of the great and well-known leaders get older. That generation is passing the torch onto us, and we have to decide if we’re going to just speak loudly or if we’re going to really invest in and care about ourselves, each other and our world in the way that they did. In line with this quote, for 2022 one of my themes will definitely be the topic of wisdom because while I always try to be smarter about how I do things, I don’t always dive as deep as I could to understand or explore things. What wisdom are you heading into 2022 with?

It’s Not Too Late!

Doesn’t it sometimes feel like you can’t get ahead of things and you’re always a step behind, a minute late, a year too old, a cookie too late, or you’ve taken one too many wrong steps? This is certainly the fear for one of my favorite Christmas story characters: Scrooge. He goes on perspective-shifting adventures with the three ghosts into his past, present and future, and comes to a point with the third one that he says something to the effect of “it can’t be too late to make this right?! I’ve really learned from all the ghosts and realize the error of my ways. I will live my life better.” And then he wakes up, goes to the window, speaks with a young one outside who tells him that Christmas is here, and he is so excited that not only does he have a chance to do things right, he hasn’t missed this celebration of Christmas.

Well, I have good news for you! Christmas is here and you haven’t missed it! You haven’t missed the opportunity to watch a heartwarming movie, bake and eat a special batch of cookies, hang some lights, sing some carols, tell someone you love them, enjoy watching someone’s face light up when they open a gift from you, read the story of the Nativity and The Night Before Christmas, wear a festive sweater or any of the other fun things that people and families do to celebrate Christmas.

The other bit of good news is that you haven’t missed the chance that Scrooge got either: today is the beginning of the rest of your life. You haven’t missed it! And for the record, “it” can be whatever you want it to be, you just have to take the initiative to welcome this day and each day in the future as Scrooge did: with a thankful heart and open arms. Sure you may have lived some years, maybe even many, but life should be lived, not given up on because you reach a certain age, don’t have as many physical capabilities or some of the other things people think we need to have to really live. Just because you may have missed “it” in the past doesn’t mean you can’t dream a new dream or see a new way forward that you may not have considered or explored today. So while this gift may not be able to be wrapped and put under a tree, I encourage you to embrace the gift that is today.

Being a Better Business

It’s the time of year that New Year’s Resolutions come up, and along with some of the things people are considering for their resolution list, this year I’ve also been hearing some different perspectives on what to do instead of the typical resolution setting; in other words, what to do instead of deciding on resolutions you won’t actually follow through on. I think there is a benefit to having a fresh start each year and to being able to be “done” with the previous year and starting as fresh as you want to with the new year, but I also know that there’s never a time like the present to do the right thing when it comes to your business. Sure you can make changes with the new year, but if something needs attention now, why would you wait until the new year to address the issue?

This month I shared a couple of posts about ways you can improve selling this holiday season (here and here), and with two business posts left in the year and next week’s post the last book review of the year, this week I thought we’d touch on both wrapping up the year and how we plan to start the new year. Every day your goal as a business owner and leader should be to do things a little better. Sometimes that’s really easy to do because the day before was an absolute dumpster fire so there’s only up to go from there. But most days it’s an incremental thing, maybe with a little shift of an attitude, maybe addressing some of the things customers complain about so that you don’t hear those complaints again, or maybe finally admitting you need help with an aspect of your business and reaching out to get that help.

So if I may challenge you as we work through these last few days of 2021 and enter the new, fresh year, that this year you commit to being a business where people want to work and customers want to shop with two big things in mind. First, I’ve really appreciated meeting some very friendly employees over the past month or two, it makes a huge difference in the shopping experience. Whether that friendliness is fake or real (it seems real), it makes any shopping challenges more manageable and the desire to shop with the business again in the future greater. While there certainly are some people out there who can never be pleased and will always be difficult, treating your employees with respect, listening to them, empowering them to do the right thing when it comes to your business and your customers, giving them education to either help them do their current job better or move up in the business, and doing what you can to make their job as easy as possible by providing them tools that work and the resources and support they need are all ways that you can make your employees happier to be part of your team and be even better for your business.

And second, I encourage you commit to providing both your employees and customers a level of clean that maybe you haven’t provided lately. Many people had their awareness of germs and overall cleanliness turned up to 11 with this pandemic, even if they didn’t live in an area where there were a ton of people sick. So to be shopping these last few weeks and to have employees who may not be sick but sneeze (because it’s a natural bodily function) and not have cleaning products at their work station, to have stores that look like mobs have been through and thrown products everywhere and you’ve only been open for an hour, to have products thrown haphazardly into boxes that are too big with no regard to protecting the products, or to have dust bunnies around the office that never seem to go away, are all signs that you may not really care about your employees or your customers. Not only does a clean experience make it easier to work and shop, it makes people feel better about being there and/or buying from you.

So as we finish another year what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned, and what are you going to do differently in the future to be a better leader and better business?

The Gift of Perspective

Time and again the lesson that I learn about success is that if you really want to succeed you have to get a new perspective. If you think about a gift that you may have gotten over the years that you really struggled to understand why someone would give it to you (and I’m not talking about that sweater or other knitted item from one of the women in your family), and as a result you didn’t like it (and probably re-gifted it as soon as possible). I picked out some gifts like that this year and know I won’t be present when they’re opened, so I put a note with the gift explaining why I think that gift is perfect for them.

One of the things that frustrates employees often is when rules seem (or are) completely arbitrary or decisions are absolutely biased towards one coworker. It’s almost impossible to succeed when one thing after another gets stacked against you with little or no recourse or other options. It’s why so many employees aren’t passionate about their jobs, why they’re willing to leave even if they’re going to make less money elsewhere, and why so many companies get a bad reputation as an employer (or even in the customer service department).

What one person sees isn’t necessarily what another sees, and without taking the time to communicate between them (or without allowing communication and/or give-and-take/change), there’s a great possibility that frustrations and maybe even distrust will build and any chance you or anyone in the relationship had at success will disappear little by little. It’s why it’s so important to remember that everyone doesn’t have the same perspective as you, doesn’t see things as you see them, and why there needs to be discussion and a willingness to listen.

As I was reminded in an email recently: the more we support each other, the stronger we are. How can we support each other if we’re not willing to see the world from other perspectives? Everyone doesn’t love the same stuff you love, want the same stuff under the tree or in their stocking as you do, want to go to the same places as you, or has the same interests and passions as you do. The bigger and scarier question though is: how can we all succeed if we’re not willing to listen, share, give and take? We can’t be willing to just take or just share, we have to be willing to do all of it if we are really serious about everyone having a shot at success.

So this holiday season I encourage you to be open to the stories that others have to share, the reasons they care about the things they do, and the gifts they want to share, and have the courage to share your side of things as well.

The Whys of Christmas

As I was traveling over hill and vale to and from a small Christmas gathering I had the opportunity to listen to some Christmas music that isn’t in the top 100, songs that you hear maybe once or twice each year but when they come on they’re songs that remind you of something or someone, maybe a memory from your childhood or even just when times were different. And as I journeyed along I saw a sign that was a different take on the “Keep Christ in Christmas” campaign that some people push during this time of year: “Christmas starts with Christ” (I shared more about this topic on my other blog). Which got me thinking again about why certain things come up each year, why some people have such a focus for or against an aspect of Christmas celebrations, why we sing these songs, why we celebrate Christmas in the ways that we do. So here are some of the things I came up with:

Why start with Christ? Because if you’re really participating in the season there’s faith involved, whether you’re believing in the magic (with or without Santa) or the spiritual origins of Christmas in Bethlehem with Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus. We celebrate for many reasons each year, but the celebration started somewhere for a very specific reason (or several in this case), and as in so many other situations, the history and purpose should not be forgotten.

Why put up lights? Because lights are a sign to you and others to remember the season, to remember that you’re part of something bigger together, to remember that even in the darkest days there is still a light to be seen and hope to be found.

Why bake cookies? Why not?! Aside from the fact that we should bake cookies all year long, it’s another way of sharing traditions with friends and new generations of family. It’s also a reminder to let sweet, spicy, savory and pleasing things in our lives, even if it’s just in small bites.

Why decorate with ornaments? Because each ornament comes with a story and is a visible representation of that story and the places and people who are related to that story. Stories are meant to be shared, even if they’re shared many times over the years when you gather together.

Why Christmas music? Because each musical number, each song, touches us in a way that, like stories, other things can’t. Everyone has at least one song that until they hear it, it can’t be Christmas yet, or it brings Christmas that much more to life for them. Each of those songs that I heard the other day that weren’t the ones that we usually hear were invitations to remember, to really think about the season and what it means to me both through the years and in our world today.

Why gift? Because like the lights, it’s a reminder to each of us that we’re not alone, and an opportunity to let others know that we see them and we’re glad they’re part of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with going with a classic gift like socks or a mug, but the way you show you care about someone is to get them socks that are a match for their personality or a mug that will cheer them up when they’re struggling with mornings (or work challenges).

Why hang stockings? Because they’re a reminder that sometimes the best, most interesting, most unique things come in little packages. It’s a reminder to not overlook things (or people) just because of appearance, and instead be open to whatever gifts are coming your way.

Why gather in Church services, cookie exchanges, secret Santa gift exchanges, work parties and family parties (even if some of them are virtual)? Because part of Christmas is about coming together and being together. Its kind of funny how back when Jesus was born and when people started the stories about Santa they didn’t have nearly the distractions, responsibilities and options as we do today. They didn’t live in the same instant-global-connected world that we do, and yet in some ways they too needed to be reminded to gather, to be brought from their regular challenges and tasks and given the opportunity to think about something positive and be with each other for a positive reason (well, unless there was coal in a stocking), because otherwise the traditions would have developed in much different ways and with different stories.

So what ‘whys’ are you exploring this Christmas? Maybe it’s an invitation for you to take another look at what you have always done, and decide if it’s something you really need to do this year, or if you would prefer to celebrate in a different way that brings you more meaning.

Following the Trends

The other day as I was going to do a search I saw a little headline with a link to Google’s “Year in Search.” Whether you have an active search marketing strategy or not for your business, the presentation provides lots of great insights and reminders. I encourage you to invest a few minutes in reading through it. Why? Because while we all know how much life has changed in the past almost two years, it’s really easy to miss some of the changes that happened that didn’t directly affect you [including currently or yet], and whenever we can get insights from someone who has a lot of data, it can be really helpful as we plan for the new year that’s just a few weeks away. While they haven’t compiled all the data yet (since the year isn’t over) today I thought I’d share a few of the insights I took away from this review so far.

One of the points that caught my attention was that more people searched about starting a business than finding a job. That’s really good news for those of us who work with or could support a new business, and we should be always looking for new joint venture and partnership opportunities to grow awareness of our businesses. It also means you’re in good company if you’re considering starting a business. Finally, it should be an indication to businesses who are looking for employees that they had better be serious about their hiring process as well as their care and support of their employees.

The second thing that caught my attention was about the positive searches that were made about volunteers, helping others, conserving (conservation), learning sign language (especially “I love you”), sustainability, mental health, and body positivity. I’m thankful that the search data is reflecting an upward trend in how we treat each other and also reflecting the realization that we’re having of how connected we all are and how important it is to help and support each other. It’s great news for businesses in the health and wellness industries as well as for non-profits and charities who are looking for more support. It’s also an invitation for all businesses to include positive content in their marketing.

A third thing that caught my attention was that people searched “y2k”. Yes, apparently people are going back in time and have questions about the acronym for the year 2000. Y2K was a big deal as we were all concerned about how the change from the 1900’s into the 2000’s would go with technology and our world and systems, but I didn’t see issues that were noteworthy then, let alone worth remembering or asking about 21+ years later. So you never know what people will search or why they will search, which is why it’s important to spend at least a little time each week on data and news so that you know what’s of interest and concern to your customers.

What trends have you seen in your business this year?

Holiday Display Success Lessons

It’s been unseasonably warm where I live for this time of year recently, so the other day my partner and I took a walk to see what festive decorations people had added to their homes for Christmas and the holiday season. It was a bit odd being able to be out walking to see them rather than having to be in the warm car driving around, but it was also a bit more romantic to be able to be out together and not focused on staying on the road or if we were holding up traffic. Of course I have an appreciation for anyone who makes the effort to hang Christmas lights, or even to position their tree in a front window to share their tree with the world, because it’s so nice in a time when the sun goes down so early and the days and nights are so cold to have that bit of cheer all around.

But as you know “decorate” can mean lots of things. It can mean that you’ve put lights on every surface imaginable and thrown in some blow-ups or other standing decorations as well. It can also mean a simple wreath on the door and candles in every window. And of course there’s every decoration style and effort in between. I grew up going with my family to this one neighborhood that had many of the houses and their yards decorated from front to back, some with music playing. There’s definitely something magical and holiday-inspired about homes that have that much celebration going on. I do like finding at least one of those homes to admire each year, but my own decorating style and preference tends more towards the “just enough” of some lights and decorations, but nothing over the top, and certainly not “everywhere.”

All of the holiday decorating has a lot to do with the success topic that we talk about at the beginning of each week. In many ways the fact that so many people are able to find time in what are often very busy schedules to decorate their houses with that much care and attention is a success for our neighborhoods and our culture as we celebrate not only the blessings of Christmas (and all the other events we celebrate this time of year), but also the fact that we’ve made it through another year. But the varied presentations of the decorations also speaks to the fact that yes, sometimes success is big and bold and something to “ooh and ahh” over, but other times it’s doing a good job on the simplest, and smallest things. Don’t feel that you have to go big and bold with your success journey as we finish out this year or plan for next year, do what makes you happy and supports the people you care about (and doesn’t forget the world we all share either). What’s your decorating style?

Stories of Christmases Past

This Christmas season I picked up a devotional that takes a look at the stories behind some of the songs that are all over the radio and we sing at Christmas. Several of the songs we sing are from hundreds of years ago, before people had ready access to Bibles or other books in their homes or in some cases before the ability to read was commonplace, and of course before the internet existed. The songs were a way of not only sharing the Christmas stories with others and helping them remember the stories of hope, they were a way of building community and connection, and they worked so well and became so beloved that we sing them still today.

Whenever we talk about the past or how things used to be, especially around the holidays, my grandparents and the other seniors I’ve loved over the years who are no longer with us come to mind. It was hard losing them, because all of them were “gone” before they actually died as they slowly lost the Alzheimer/dementia battle, so while we always made the best of the last few years we had with them, they weren’t themselves really anymore and the memories from the last few years aren’t all happy. And if feels like every time I turn around I get an email or hear about someone else who is starting the journey that my family and I and so many other families lived as they find out that their family has Alzheimer/dementia, or that they’re having to make the hard decisions about their care.

And yet even though every time their birthdays or the holidays come around or I hear the heartbreak another family is going through my heart hurts, I am thankful for every moment that I spent with them in those last years, and of course for every memory from the years before that. Even though those last years were painful, I’m thankful that my family and I made the effort to be with my grandparents, and that’s what I tell others. We never know how many years we have, but when you’ve got a diagnosis like Alzheimer/dementia, your loved one is definitely on borrowed time.

The holidays are about celebrating and joy, but they’re also about memories. This year as more of us gather together again as we used to, more memories and stories will be shared of holidays past and people who aren’t with us any longer than usual, and I think that’s a good thing. I think we need to tell these stories, especially this year, because of how our lives have changed over the past almost two years, and how much life has been pushed away with our fears and struggles. We need to tell these stories to the next generations and share with them who these people were who are no longer in all of our lives but played an important role in our history. What stories will you tell this holiday season to remember and honor the people who are no longer with us?

Selling for the Holidays Part 2

Last week I shared a post with some ideas for businesses to make the most of this holiday season, and this week I’ve got a few more thoughts on the subject inspired by some of the events that have transpired since then. The good news is that it’s not too late to still have great sales this season, we’ve still got over two weeks until Christmas and there are other holidays and celebrations still to happen as well (so even though Hanukkah has ended, there’s still lots of shopping for most people to do). I know that there was a lot of encouragement for people to shop early, and many did, but there are still many people who are still writing their Christmas lists and hoping for the best when it comes to selection, supply and shipping.

Let’s start with two aspects of the issues that many businesses are facing: the supply chain/shipping. A couple weeks ago I went to a store and they didn’t have a lot of the anticipated holiday items. When I went back a week or so later they had an expanded selection of holiday items and I was able to get most or all of what I was looking for. I also got an email from that store letting their subscribers and customers know that they would be getting new items in all season long, which was really encouraging to hear for those who may need items throughout the month. This ended up being a great experience all around, and several wins for this business because not only have they decided not to panic over the fact that they couldn’t get all of their items in before Black Friday, they made a point of letting their customers know that they would be stocked with great items throughout the holiday season.

The other part of the supply chain/shipping discussion for today has to do with the shipping side of things. I shared recently in a newsletter that I had a package that cycled through several of the same stops multiple times for some reason (getting to the point that I was concerned they would ship the item back to the company instead of getting it to me). Most of us have had an issue with a shipment getting delayed over the past year and a half with the pandemic and changes made to various shipping systems. While I didn’t get any emails about the delay in shipping of this item, I did get notified by another company that another item would be delayed a few days and they provided an updated estimated delivery window. I’ve also started getting emails from companies sharing that the guaranteed shipping window is rapidly closing for those who want something delivered before the holidays. There’s a ton that you can’t control as the business, but you’ve definitely got a choice in and control over how clearly you communicate with your customers and do your best to give yourself the buffer you need to compensate for the issues in the shipping world.

Finally, what is a business to do if people have done all their holiday shopping early like the retail world suggested? Keep up the holiday cheer of course! In the marketing you send out between now and the end of the year you can let your connections know about little extras they might want to pick up and things/treats they might want to pick up for themselves, you can highlight some of the holiday magic at your shop where customers can visit or even in the warehouses and office buildings where your team works, and you can share holiday and brand stories from your team with your customers. It’s a great opportunity to spread cheer, build the holiday magic, and most importantly reinforce and strengthen the connections you have with your customers and subscribers/fans, so that when the new year arrives you can just keep building and growing your connections rather than starting fresh because you stopped marketing between now and the new year.

What have you learned so far this holiday season or what have you done that has delighted your customers?