Conduit BlogThink? DO! Marketing & Sales Development

Ian Sanders "In this scrambled up world of work there are no rules and few walls. And that means the key to business success is totally up for negotiation.

It’s time to rethink the best skills to have in any executive or entrepreneur’s toolbox. Forget an MBA from a flash business school, a talent for spreadsheets, or an aptitude for social networking. Think Juggle!"

http://www.changethis.com/55.01.JuggleLife

The growth of the mentoree comes naturally from the experience sharing and feedback mechanism that is mentoring.  For the mentor it's not so apparant because the growth comes from taking on the responsibility itself.  Proper tutelage puts an onus on providing sound advice, and that requires understanding your instincts for decision making, in effect, it sharpens your business sense!  If its a good mentorship pairing then its a worthwhile endeavour to both mentor and mentoree.

How might 2009 be a better, even brighter year for your business when there is a global financial crisis and a recession taking place?  Well, if I may suggest two resolutions to make for your business;

1) Set achievable goals to reach by the year end 

2) Take action on those goals by maintaining a monthly sales and marketing activity calendar. 

Plan for the year ahead and execute monthly.  In this way, you are keeping yourself focused on long term goals, while making decisions and taking action within the short term reality and nimbly maneuvering through the changing market conditions.

Good luck... let me know if there's somewhere I can help.

Sept 24th - Special Presentation for ACE Entrepreneurship

Carleton University, Sprott School of Business

Oct. 21st -  Entrpreneur series Seminar

OCRI Entrepreneurship Centre, City Hall

Jan. 24th & April 18th -  Continuing Education Ottawa Carleton School Board

St.Nicholas High School, 9-11 am, $25

Despite an ever-expanding array of advertising platforms and sources, consumers around the world still place their highest levels of trust in other consumers, according to a recent global Nielsen Internet survey.

Excerpt from Global Neilson consumer report, "Trust in Advertising"

Client side tips: the 3 C's of PR 

Construct a Pitch that is pertinent and appropriate to the media source being sought after for editorial support.  Provide a message that fits the medium! 

Commitment comes from both sides of the PR equation, clients & PR reps must be available, flexible and accomodating so that your media channel can commit to putting out your story. 

Consult or provide counsel to your media channel when asked, don't tell.   Just make certain that your press release, media kit and story pitch say everything you wish, right from the get go.

"Love what you do, by doing what you love...   Integrity should not be sold, at any price...  Respect people, and they will respect you... "  all are lasting messages that my grandfather would have said to me.

I now apply these principles in the operation of my business, simply by working only on projects that I can be passionate about, by always telling it straight, and by respecting and nurturing client and partner relationships. 

Conduit Solutions - Think? Do!

Building a media campaign is equivalent to rolling a rock up an incline sweating it out in order to reach the pinnacle,  and then finally pushing it over for the long tail of success.

When plotting out your plan of action, it's important to build in intensifying points of reference to get media on board.  This might be as simple as,"XYZ news is covering this event", or it might involve more complicated tasks such as assembling a slate of important people for an interview or a conference panel discussion. 

The ultimate goal is to build a genuine sense of urgency and that the momentum is a by-product of sustained audience interest.