Archive for June, 2009
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Well, 2009 is half over. Whew! Crystal balls are now turning to 2010. Two words: cautiously optimistic. Exhibit A: LIMRA’s survey on 2010 meetings in the insurance industry.
According to the life insurance industry association, only five respondents out of 57 have canceled 2010 incentive meetings. The rest are holding their breath and working now on restricted budgets. One popular idea: leverage travel expenses by adding extra days of luxury to an already attended conference. Bottom line: top producers will be rewarded for success in a stressful environment. And those rewards will be balanced against a reduced budget.
Tags: 2010, incentive meetings, Marketing, meetings, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Wow…the Here’s the Deal call on Tuesday went great. A lively discussion both at 30,000 feet and on the ground. I did something I rarely do: shine the spotlight on someone else’s work.
I’ve known Philippa Gamse for eons. We met at the back of a conference room, heckling a technology speaker. Every time he said something stupid, Philippa would quietly correct him for me. I immediately knew she had the inside scoop. So when I did this call on websites, I promoted her services. While I know what the website needs to brand high-fee experts, she knows how to implement the strategy. And it’s that combination — how the positioning comes off online and the tiniest thing that gets the positioning clear — that makes us a dynamic duo. Check out this balancing act with the mp3 file now available here. To check Philippa out, click here.
Tags: branding, Here's the Deal, Philippa Gamse, positioning, speakers, Speaking, strategy, technology, Vickie Sullivan, websites
Posted in Marketing, Speaking, branding, strategy | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Still on my rant about websites. They are truly one of the biggest double-edged swords in our business. They can prompt prospects to call you (I just got a call ten minutes ago from my site) or be the biggest time drain on the planet. I’ve had not one, but two clients now spend over one year on overhauling their site. Why? Because they hired web designers who thought their opinion was more valuable than their client’s. Because the designers promised something they couldn’t deliver. And because, through nobody’s fault, life showed up.
The problem: the more chefs you have in the kitchen, the more convoluted the soup. Someone has to lead and that person is the owner of the site. I’m going to rant more on how to make sure your designer is a good fit at the next Here’s the Deal call on June 23rd. Click here to register.
Tags: Here's the Deal, Marketing, rant, strategy, Vickie Sullivan, websites
Posted in Marketing, branding, strategy | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 16th, 2009
Just finished up a sales call with a prospect who wants the best of both worlds: he’s passionate about his mass-market topic, but wants the steady income of corporate budgets. His website shows his schizophrenia — the home page is all direct sales copy and the content promotes sponsorships and “leadership training.” I told him what he most didn’t want to hear: that his site is driving away both customers for his products and corporate sponsorships. Bless his heart, he was gracious. Probably won’t hear from him again.
When folks call about my services, the first thing I do is look at their website. The red flags there tell me everything I need to know about why they aren’t getting what they need from the market. Too many sites are simply billboards with a book. Combine that with a need to appeal to everyone and you have a recipe for being ignored. I’ve seen too many of the same mistakes over and over again. This is why I’m ramping up for the next Here’s the Deal call on June 23rd. If your site doesn’t make your brand compelling, nothing will. Here’s the link to join me if you want: www.sullivanspeaker.com/HTDwebsites.htm
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Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Last month I talked about the content bar being raised by seminars with no registration fees. Just ran across a perfect example from a long-time colleague: Blog Marketing Experts CEO Bruce Inouye is conducting a seminar with absolutely no pitching and no registration fee. He keeps his events small and intimate — only 25 people can attend — so that folks get individual attention. That’s right: all content, for free. Why? Because he has enough confidence that his content will get him all the clients he needs.
His next event in Scottsdale, Arizona is June 25th if you want to check it out. Here’s the link: http://blogmarketingexperts.com/seminars/
Tags: blog, experts, seminars, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Unless you’ve just splashed down from your trip to the moon, you’ve already heard about the meeting industry’s fight against the public’s (and Corporate America’s) perception of unnecessary lavishness. The good news: watch for a ream of research to promote the value of incentive meetings and customer events. This stuff is always valuable in making your business case. And many times, you can get it for free.
The interesting news: the crackdown on getting full return on investment will not go away soon. Watch for new complicated formulas to emerge. Get clear on your contribution and the value it adds. The more specific towards behavior change, the better.
Tags: incentive meetings, meetings, research, ROI, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, June 4th, 2009
Are corporate training budgets being cut along with everything else? Maybe, maybe not. There are organizations that still invest, according to Inscape Publishing’s workplace survey of almost 7500 learners. Most interesting finding: only 26 percent said their organization appeared to cut training because of the economy. Better news: 86 percent believed additional training is available if they asked for it. The best news: Over 75 percent report that not only are they pursuing ways to develop skills on their own, but they would spend personal, unpaid time in training courses. Wow.
Story behind the stats: this is further proof that one recession doesn’t fit all. Now is the time to devote precious marketing resources on companies buying now, not waiting for the economy to pick up. My vote: spend as much time finding new and viable prospects as selling to those who know you but have no budget.
And for those of you who like primary research, here’s the URL to additional findings: http://tinyurl.com/qyp6uc.
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Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
Heads up workplace experts: looking for ammunition for all your “culture” strategies? Start tracking Enterprise Engagement Alliance (EEA), companies and associations joining forces to promote engagement in business as a strategic asset. Gallup’s latest research launched the opening luncheon in mid-May where they discussed “Human Sigma,” measuring the impact of engaged employees interacting with customers.
Their website www.EnterpriseEngagement.org is slated to be up this month, so stay tuned. I think this group of heavy hitters will come out with some fascinating research not only for the incentive markets, but also for workplace/culture experts.
Tags: incentive, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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