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August 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The problem with uncertain times

It seems like I can’t get away from the phrase “uncertain times” or “uncertain economy”. I hear it consistently and read it in marketing content all the time.

I’m sure you’ve heard it… the ads that say things like “in this uncertain economy” or “in these uncertain times, you need blah blah blah…”

Here’s my problem with it: when have times been certain? When has the economy automatically ensured success for you? One thing I’m certain about is that there are no free rides, and for the most part success is the result of hard work.

Here are some things that are true about today’s marketplace:

  • Businesses must work very hard to survive and succeed
  • Prospects demand value and want to make good decisions with their money
  • Businesses must be smart about where they are spending money
  • Smart marketing is critical to find new clients and retain existing ones
  • Business should create efficient systems to ensure that they are operating smoothly
  • Customer service should be high priority

If you talk to someone about today’s “uncertain economy”, all of these things come up as solutions to fighting through it. However, is any of this different than it was 3 years ago? 10 years ago? Shouldn’t these things always be a priority?

I don’t consider any economy “certain”. Success still takes commitment, hard work, and a strong work ethic. I’d rather focus on those things than the uncertainty of the economy.

We shape our own futures. Where is your energy going?

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
July 19, 2010 By 5 Comments

Is “meeting people” enough?

As a member of Rainmakers, BNI, and a number of online social networks, I am constantly asking and being asked this question: who do you want to meet?

This is a great way to network because it helps others understand how to help you and who the specific person is that you want to meet. However, is it enough to just meet lots of people, even if they are good prospects for you? What is your game plan for approaching them? How scalable is it to meet a lot of people if you don’t have a system?

Here are some things I think about as I meet people:

  1. How is this introduction getting me closer to my goals?
  2. Who is in this person’s network?
  3. Is this person a prospect, referral partner, supplier, friend, or something else?
  4. Who introduced us and will this introduction help that person?
  5. Is there any way that I can help this person?
  6. Is this type of introduction repeatable and scalable?
  7. What will I do when I meet this person?
  8. Is there any indication that this person wants to talk to me?
  9. Do I already have someone in my network who fills this particular need?
  10. Is this good timing for me?

These questions help keep me accountable and on target when I am being introduced to someone. So much of the time I see people with an interest in “meeting people” but when it comes down to it, they don’t have a specific reason, plan, or strategy to figure out which introductions make sense or which ones to pursue.

It’s perfectly ok to decline introductions if they don’t align with your business goals. It doesn’t mean that you don’t like that person or that you’re mean and selfish. It just means that there are only so many people you can meet without sacrificing your productivity and so it’s important to be strategic and methodical about who you meet.

Meeting new people is great. It can lead to new customers, referral partners, suppliers, and friends. However, make sure your strategy goes beyond just looking for introductions. Help your network understand your needs and be strategic about who you meet.

Filed Under: Design, Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
July 11, 2010 By 7 Comments

The Best Sushi in Indianapolis

I thought I would take a break today from the business world and write about one of my passions in life: sushi! I love sushi. I could eat it just about every day. And lucky for me, Indianapolis is full of great sushi restaurants. I frequently get asked what my favorites are, and I don’t really have one favorite that stands out above all others, but I can certainly comment on the ones I really prefer. Here is my list of favorites.

iSushi
Carmel
http://www.isushicafe.com/

iSushi has recently become my favorite sushi restaurant. They have some amazing and unique rolls, including the Beehive Roll, the Dynamite Roll, and the Lollipop Roll, which is the biggest roll I have ever seen. The owner is hilarious and is prone to joking with the customers throughout the meal. Don’t pass this place up – you will love it.

Naked Tchopstix
North Side / Broad Ripple
http://www.tchopstix.com/

This is at the top of my list. Both the Broad Ripple and North side locations are outstanding. The atmosphere is classy and the sushi is always excellent. The Broad Ripple location gets very crowded on the weekends so be warned if it’s a Friday or Saturday night. They also have a great mango fizz and a variety of ice cream flavors. My favorite roll here is the sunset roll.

Miyagi’s
North Side
http://indymiyagi.com/

This is one of Indy’s newer sushi places and has a very classy atmosphere. Miyagi’s seems to specialize in the artistic presentation of sushi. Great service, although a little pricier than some. My favorite roll here is the Special Saporro roll – it is freaking awesome.

Benihana
North Side
http://www.benihana.com/locations/indianapolis-in-in

I was surprised when I discovered that the Benihana in Indianapolis serves excellent sushi! It is recently remodeled and has a great atmosphere. The prices are pretty average and the service is good. They also have a nice assortment of smoothies for those (like me) who like that sort of thing. My favorite roll here is the Alaskan Roll.

Kona Grill
Carmel
http://www.konagrill.com/

I would vote this as Carmel’s best sushi. Not only is the atmosphere very classy and comfortable, but the sushi is outstanding. The outdoor seating is also very nice and it seats plenty. The prices are a little high but it’s worth it. I don’t have a favorite roll here but everything is good. A nice bonus of Kona Grill is the dessert – they have some incredible stuff on the dessert menu. I’m a big fan of the Ultimate Fudge Brownie.

Sakura
Central
http://www.indysakura.com/

Sakura is a solid staple on the list of Indianapolis sushi restaurants. It’s very popular and well-known and has a great atmosphere. It’s small and intimate and is a great place for conversation and fantastic sushi.

Ichiban
South Side
http://www.indy.com/streetcred/location/1949

Ichiban is an incredible value. The sushi is first-class and the price is lower than any other place I have ever been. It’s fairly small and intimate and they also have some recessed-seating booths, which is kind of cool. I loved the Ichiban Roll when I went there.

Bistro Tchopstix
Downtown
http://cityguide.aol.com/indianapolis/restaurants/bistro-tchopstix/v-118008543

If you find yourself downtown, I recommend Bistro Tchopstix. It is a small, intimate sushi place in the heart of downtown and it serves up excellent sushi at a reasonable price. I know that some people enjoy The Mikado for a downtown sushi experience but Bistro Tchopstix provides quality that is on par or better at a much lower price. I don’t have a favorite roll here, as I usually get nigiri when I’m at Bistro Tchopstix. Service is also friendly.

While I’m sure others have their own preferences on the best sushi, these are my top picks for consistently high-quality sushi and a great atmosphere. I welcome your comments below if you would like to add any experiences of your own. Itadakimasu!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: ,
July 10, 2010 By 3 Comments

Resume or productivity footprint?

What is the standard procedure when applying for a job? You inquire about openings and the first thing you are told is “send us your resume”, right? Is this relevant anymore?

I would argue that resumes are antiquated, lifeless leftovers from a time before rich online communications. A resume is just a simple document outlining where you’ve worked before, what you did there, and how well you can embellish.

We have tools today that are so much better than a resume. The first place I go to research a prospective employee is LinkedIn. This will show me recommendations from others, previous work, communication skills, and connections.

I can do a simple Google search and find out a great deal about someone’s previous work. I would much rather read a candidate’s blog than a boring resume. A blog will tell me how well that person writes, what that person is passionate about, and what that person knows. I’m interested in what he or she posts on Twitter and why he or she finds it important. I look for a personal website that collects previous work and showcases it in a rich, living medium.

We all have a productivity footprint, which is a collection of all the work we have done, words we have published, and profiles we have created online. This productivity footprint tells me so much more about a person than a resume.

This is why I don’t really look at resumes. When someone inquires about a job at my company, I am more interested in that person’s productivity footprint than a lifeless document.

What do you think? Should we stop using resumes?

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
June 13, 2010 By 2 Comments

Should you get paid to speak?

I love speaking. I am grateful that I am frequently asked to give presentations on marketing, technology, and other topics. It’s very fulfilling to be able to share my knowledge and experience with others and continue to develop my own skills through speaking.

I’ve noticed, however, that speaking is one of those activities that seems to sometimes come with an expectation of unpaid service. Many organizations invite speakers to present at their events but frequently do not pay for their time and expertise. I wonder why this is?

To put things in perspective, here is what goes into a presentation when I am asked to speak.

1. Creating the presentation. Whether I’m giving a presentation that I’ve already prepared or creating a new one, I spend many hours putting together my slide decks and outlines. Building a presentation is a process that takes time, inspiration, and focus. It also draws on years of experience that I have gained through my work, research, and other sources.

2. Preparation time. Before each presentation, I review my slide decks, update them as needed, and review the outlines to prepare for the upcoming presentation.

3. Promotion time. Typically when I’m speaking I will promote the event via my own means. This includes using social media and networking, all of which takes time.

4. Presentation and travel time. When I’m speaking somewhere, I need to make time to travel and present. Though I very much enjoy speaking, it also does take time that I am not able to do other things.

As you can see, quite a bit of time, effort, and experience goes into every presentation I do and I feel that it helps me makes a good case for being fairly compensated for speaking.

Now of course there are always exceptions. Often I will waive part or all of my fees if there is a strong strategic benefit to the event. Perhaps I am able to collect leads or network in a way that creates strong strategic connections. These are great reasons to waive speaking fees.

However, I do encourage organizations to consider how much hard work goes into a presentation and how valuable a speaker’s time is. Creating a proper budget for speakers will usually increase the quality of your speakers and therefore improve your attendance.

What about you? Do you think speakers should be paid?

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing Tagged With: , , , ,
June 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Personal Branding with Social Media E-Book

Personal branding is becoming more important today as people are becoming more interested in relationships and personal communication. Sales professionals, job-seekers, and professionals in a variety of industries are finding that how they relate to people and how they are perceived in the marketplace on a personal level makes a huge difference in how successful they are.

Social media is enabling us to strengthen our personal brands like never before. In order to address this, I’ve written an e-book to help others understand the dynamics of personal branding using social media and how to take advantage of social tools to strengthen their personal brands.

The e-book is free and you are encouraged to share it with others. If you have any personal stories you would like to include, please feel free to contact me and I would love to include your notes.

The e-book can be downloaded here:

Personal Branding with Social Media (PDF)

As always, comments and feedback are welcome.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Smart, simple solutions

There is an abundance of complexity in the world. It occurs pretty much everywhere. Companies create products with way more features than we need, bosses over-complicate policies and procedures, and our government passes ridiculously complex legislation that no one even has time to read.

We do it to ourselves, too. We think we need big, complicated systems to run our accounting and business systems. We create convoluted policies to try to anticipate every possible scenario. We look for that magic piece of software that will do all 500 things we think we need it to do.

After the air clears and we’ve spent a lot of time and money on our complex solutions, what happens? We usually end up only using 10% of it.

This is why our brand promise at SpinWeb is “smart, simple solutions.” We happen to build websites but our over-arching goal is to help you work smarter with simple online tools. Rather than sell you a big website with 27 tools, we’re more likely to encourage you to consider a smaller site first that does 3 things really well. You’re probably more likely to use it and you’ll save some money, too.

Ask yourself if you really need all the complexity that is currently in your business, or in your life. Could you serve your customers, employees, and partners better if you simplified?

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March 15, 2010 By 5 Comments

Facebook friending etiquette

Ok, I can’t take it anymore. It seems like almost every day I get a Facebook friend request from someone I don’t know. And each time there is no message sent with the request. Just a friend request with no explanation.

Now, I’m more than happy to make connections with people I don’t know as long as I know how the connection was made. However, if I don’t know someone and he/she gives me no reason to connect, why would I take the risk of opening up my network and personal life to that person?

If you want to friend someone on Facebook and you don’t know that person personally, send a brief note with the request that explains who you are and what your reason is for connecting. It will make the other person feel more comfortable and start the connection off on the right foot.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Technology Tagged With: ,
March 14, 2010 By 6 Comments

So you think you’re in a ROWE?

So you think you’re in a ROWE?

SpinWeb became a ROWE a few years ago. Since then, we have enjoyed a happier workplace, more balanced lives, and dramatically improved productivity. From my perspective, ROWE is to the traditional workplace as the Renaissance is to the Dark Ages. I look back on our pre-ROWE work environment and I actually feel embarrassment at how we ran things. I feel the need to apologize to my employees for the senseless way we ran the company. Unfortunately, it happens to be the way most companies today still do things.

The good news is, we are a now in a ROWE and life is good. However, when I describe our company and ROWE to others, I sometimes get interesting reactions. Aside from all the predictable “That would never work in my company” reactions, I sometimes hear things like “Oh, that sounds like my company… we’re already a ROWE.”

Really?

It’s easy to hear a few things about ROWE and then declare that your company is already a ROWE, but in most cases that’s not quite the case. When people claim they are already in a ROWE, it’s usually because they have a “flexible schedule,” or the option to telecommute. This does not mean that your company is a ROWE. Let’s look at a few indicators. These apply to all employees in the organization.

If you have to ask permission or even notify someone when you work from home or will not be in the office, you are not in a ROWE.

If you have a quota of sick, personal, or vacation days, you are not in a ROWE.

If you get the evil eye from your boss or from co-workers when you don’t come into the office for a while, you are not in a ROWE.

If you are expected to be available or in the office during a core set of “business hours,” you are not in a ROWE.

If you don’t feel like you can decline a meeting with your boss or with co-workers, you are not in a ROWE.

If you would get in trouble for sleeping until noon on a weekday, you are not in a ROWE.

If the freedoms of a ROWE are only available to management or a select few, then you are not in a ROWE.

If you don’t feel like you can leave at 2pm for a matinee movie without asking permission, you are not in a ROWE.

If any of these apply to your company, then I would encourage you to re-think your work environment. Are you really in a ROWE? If so, great! If not, Let’s talk. ROWE will change your life.

As always, comments are welcome. Are you in a ROWE?

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Productivity Tagged With: ,
February 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

How does building websites change the world?

At SpinWeb, we create professional websites and online marketing initiatives. We’ve been doing it since 1996 and have gotten very good at it. We’ve gotten so good at it that it amazes me how fast and how well we deploy new websites on time, on budget, and with amazing design quality.

Sometimes, however, I think we get so caught up in the mechanics of our systems and processes at the “runway” level that we can lose sight of why we are doing what we do. How does our work make a difference? How does it change the world? How does it change lives?

I think it’s important to stay focused on these questions and the answers that go with them. So what does our work really mean?

One very exciting part of our work is seeing how a beautiful new website can inspire confidence, pride, and brand strength in the organizations that we work with. Often, we work with businesses that are looking for that extra push to help take them to the next level and reach new markets and when we create a website that helps them look like an industry leader, it has direct application to business growth and especially company morale.

We also love to empower individuals within the organization to do their jobs well. When we help the marketing director launch her online campaigns in a fraction of the time it used to take, she now has more time to work on other activities or spend time with her family. This improves her quality of life.

It brings a smile to my face when we can help a non-profit modernize the online donation, fund raising, and volunteer recruiting process so that they are able to help more people in need and bring positive change to the world.

When we can provide online tools that help event planners promote and manage successful conferences, we are helping bring together professionals who learn from each other and grow in their professions.

When we provide businesses with a website that helps them reach their customers and deliver solutions in a more efficient way, we are giving them the ability to grow faster and create jobs.

There are so many ways that online marketing and technology can improve the quality of life for those who embrace it. I love being a part of it and creating the solutions and tools that change lives.

No matter what you do, make sure you understand why you are doing it and how it makes a difference, no matter how small. At SpinWeb, we create professional websites and online marketing initiatives that change lives.

Filed Under: Design, Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
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