What is Your Core?
Filed Under (Spotlight, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Feb 17, 2010
I recently helped a client, Bridgewater Management Group, with a positioning statement. A few hours into the positioning session, their “hook” became apparent. It’s not like it was a revolutionary new thought (after all, there is nothing new under the sun). Perhaps for me it was just a fresh perspective.
Among other offerings, Bridgewater provides information management services including records scanning and storage, process workflow improvement, etc. When we looked at the list of their services, specifically as they relate to the healthcare industry, they had one specific characteristic in common. These tasks were not money-makers for their clients; they were drainers. No one dreams of going into the healthcare field so they can scan medical files and process claims. This is a painpoint. It is a bottleneck. It is a distraction from their core mission. It is a necessary evil.
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Valentine’s Day: Genius or Scam?
Filed Under (Musings, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Feb 11, 2010
As we approach February 14th, it is inevitable that you will hear your local cynic claim that Valentine’s Day is a scam created by Hallmark. Long amazed that a corporation could accomplish this feat simply through marketing, I decided to do some digging.
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Serendipity
Filed Under (Musings) by Carol Reeve on Feb 05, 2010
What do ink jet printers, Corn Flakes, chocolate chip cookies and penicillin have in common? Click the link below and listen.
(Here is the written transcript if you prefer to read v. listen.)
I’ve long been a fan of Garrison Keillor. I remember many summer evenings, sitting on the sun porch of my childhood home, listening to Prairie Home Companion with my dad as he worked on a ship model. My college boyfriend worked the Saturday evening shift at the NPR station in Lexington, and I would help him switch over from the satellite feed of PHC to his local jazz program. To this day, my husband and I consider it a treat to happen upon a broadcast featuring Guy Noire, Powdermilk Biscuits (heavens, they’re tasty) and the Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band (if they can’t do it, the Girl’s band can). There is something about the voice of Garrison Keillor that soothes even the most stirred-up soul.
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Facilitation (part 7): Results
Filed Under (Facilitation, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Feb 04, 2010
When I facilitate a planning or positioning session, I clearly communicate the objective of the session, in writing, in advance. I state a clear agenda. I document on flip charts every thought and idea that is expressed. I later record all of those thoughts into an electronic document that I circulate to all who attended the meeting. Why? Because people pay me for results, and I am committed to providing them.
Unlike many facilitators whose solitary role is facilitation (and then they pass the baton and step aside politely), I hold tightly to the baton and keep running. It’s my job to distill what I learned in that session into something that benefits the bottom line of an organization.
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The Social Media Saucer
Filed Under (Musings, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Feb 01, 2010
A couple of years ago we were visiting some friends in Cincinnati. My daughter, at four years old, was finally old enough to experience one of my favorite childhood activities: sledding. Our friends had a plastic toboggan and a saucer. Both were fun, but if you’ve ever been on a saucer, you know that it can be a bit disorienting. Not only is a rider unable to steer a saucer; you can’t even control the direction you face. You can be spinning like a top as you head down the hill. Naturally it can be hard to see where you are going… or what’s ahead of you.
Social media can be like a saucer ride. It may be entertaining, and you may see some cool stuff along the way. But if you can’t control your vessel – or keep it pointed in the right direction – you may find yourself doing more harm than good. You know, like knocking down a toddler.
Carol Reeve, Girl on the Roof
(yes, the child was fine)
Facilitation (part 6): The Questions
Filed Under (Facilitation, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Jan 29, 2010
A good facilitator can get to the heart of a matter – or the core of a business – simply by asking the right questions. Of course, asking the right questions requires that you’ve done some research on the organization and their competition in advance. But again, don’t go in with assumptions; that research should only serve to lead you to the right questions (the answers should come from the group, not from you).
I have a series of questions that I tailor to clients. Some aren’t appropriate for certain organizations, and sometimes there are obvious questions that need to be asked that are outside of the norm. A planning session for me almost always includes a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis as well as discussions about services offerings and target audience (who are they, what are they looking for, what motivates them, how they make decisions). There should also be a discussion about the competition (not just immediate competitors; think about other sources and solutions to the problems of the audience). Why should someone choose your solution over the competition? This is a critical question to ask but can often be the most difficult to answer, so save it for the right time. (Don’t lead with a question that challenging.)
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A Strong Marketing Message
Filed Under (Spotlight, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Jan 27, 2010
On my way home from a business trip to Cincinnati last week, I drove by my former home in northern Kentucky. While snaking my way back to I-75 on back roads, I came across this sign. What you may not be able to see here, since I snapped this photo on my phone while I was driving (yes, yes, I know), is that this company provides porta john rentals and septic services.
What impressed me about Got-A-Go’s message was that it provided value to the consumer (pardon the term) while also positioning the company as a solution to a… ur… problem. Genius!
Just goes to show that no matter what your business is, you can develop a message that is shout-worthy.
Carol Reeve, Girl on the Roof
Facilitation (part 4): The Agenda
Filed Under (Facilitation, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Jan 25, 2010
A critical element to a productive session is the agenda. It shouldn’t be overly detailed, and it needs to be objective. Don’t skew the agenda based on your opinion of where the discussion will go, because you don’t know exactly where it may lead (and won’t you look foolish if you were wrong). A good agenda is topical without leading; it drives the meeting while maintaining some flexibility should the unexpected arise. A good facilitator will know when and how to seize an opportunity that was not on the agenda.
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NOT asking
Filed Under (Spotlight, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Jan 20, 2010
We are interrupting our regularly scheduled blog series to bring you this story.
In its holiday series this year, my church, Crossings (www.crossingsknoxville.com), encouraged us to “Give more. Spend less.” It wasn’t about getting the best deals on the “it” gift for the holidays. It was about giving presence instead of just presents. And it was about giving things that matter.
Through this series, I was introduced to Living Water International, which helps build wells in under-developed countries so the people there can have clean water (water-borne illnesses are a leading cause of death in these countries, so this relatively simple device saves thousands of lives). I was so impressed after researching the organization that I made some monetary gifts in honor of some of my family members for the holidays. (I try to do this every year, and I think it’s starting to mean something to some of them). After Christmas morning, I didn’t give much thought to it.
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Facilitation (part 3): The Objective
Filed Under (Facilitation, Strategy) by Carol Reeve on Jan 20, 2010
When I am hired to do any marketing or positioning work for a client, I almost always start by facilitating a planning or positioning session. The objectives of that session are:
1. Get everyone in the room together, focused on this organization. Talented people are involved with lots of organizations, and at any given time, their attention is divided among a number of them. A planning session directs their attention 100% to the organization in front of them, allowing us to get their most insightful thoughts.
2. Teach me what I need to know about the organization so I can help them. Hearing from a group of people tells me more than if I get the download from just one person, however closely connected that one person may be. It also helps me understand individual passions and group dynamics which can be helpful when developing next steps.
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