HR Resolutions August 2018

HR Resolutions August 2018

AUGUS T 2 0 1 8 #DramaFreeHR News

CONTENT IS KING H ow to F ind U nique and E ngaging M aterial for Y our M arketing

FROM THE DESK OF Karen

The year continues to fly by, doesn’t it? While it may only be August, stop and look to see where you’re at for the year. There is still plenty of time to adjust and tweak so you can hit your 2018 goals out of the park. Have you had your summer vacation yet? If not, you should consider a trip to the Little League World Series. Each year, hundreds of volunteers gather in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to help Little League ball players from around the world vie for the National and International Championship Titles. Our family visits each year and it is amazing to see the energy of the parents, the sportsmanship of the young men and women, and ALL those volunteers. It truly is worth your time if you are looking for something different to do this summer!

Let’s face it: Marketing has hit a wall. Everyone is looking for the next unique way to engage the broadest demographic possible, but they just can’t break through. Do you want to know why? Go to the websites of startups, mid-sized businesses, and massive conglomerates. What do you see? They all have the same aesthetic, the same content, and the same tone — each packaged just differently enough to make them look unique. Audiences want new content faster than marketers can provide it. Just as social media embraces trends, businesses market to consumers. Once a company strikes a chord that resonates with the masses, everyone jumps on the bandwagon until the marketing strategy is wildly overused and therefore ineffective. Rather than businesses dictating how they market to consumers, the pendulum has swung so that marketing strategies are in the hands of the consumer. The quick progression of technology in recent years could be a cause of this shift of power, but the reason matters less than the result. Businesses are left to either try to create the next big marketing trend or ride an existing one until it’s out of gas. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Every business is sitting on a gold mine of content-driven marketing; they just haven’t tapped into it. The biggest resource for a company to market is its leader. One strategy that has gained a significant amount of traction in recent years is the personal branding of companies’ leaders. But just as other marketing has become standardized and generic, so has personal branding. Owners and CEOs have become robotic in what they say and how they act. It’s as if they’ve all gone through the same media coaching. Leaders are so concerned with slipping up that they won’t take risks. But when did being authentic become risky? Here’s the truth of the matter: If you’re a business leader, people will listen to you. Most people are drawn to the same qualities that make a person successful.

Here’s to a GREAT August and #DramaFreeHR!

- Karen Young

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IT’S UNIQUE

But the second you begin heavily regulating the way you think, act, and feel, potential consumers are going to turn away. If you’re considering using authentic content in your marketing, here are three reasons to reassure you that it’s a good idea.

only wanted “cool, good-looking people” to shop at his store and that “a lot of people don’t belong” in his company’s clothing. As a result, the retailer’s sales swiftly dropped by $60 million, and Jeffries was forced to retire soon after. It’s important to remember that being authentic doesn’t require you to share your darkest secrets, political views, or controversial opinions with your customers. But it does require you to support causes you care about, answer questions honestly, and be genuine. When push comes to shove, you have to choose your business. Do you want to blend in with the masses or do you want to build a business that stands out by genuinely engaging with consumers? The decision may seem easy, but “playing it safe” by using tired and overused marketing strategies is precisely that — safe. You won’t step on any toes, you won’t alienate potential customers, and you won’t cause rifts in the business community. But you also won’t stand out or stay relevant. The choice is up to you.

Every business tries to cultivate distinct and engaging content, but no one wants to take a big risk and be rejected. The problem is that most companies tie unique selling propositions (USPs) to the features of their product or service rather than focusing on what is truly special about their business: its leader. If you want to distinguish yourself by using a USP, try marketing your individuality. You may find that people want to be a part of something more genuine than formulaic. In many cases, highlighting your personality with branding will end up garnering more respect from your customers than just going through the standard marketing motions. But if you’re not careful, this strategy can also go wildly astray. The companies who have failed in this respect are well-documented, and their sales have suffered. Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO, Michael Jeffries, once said he IT’S RESPECTFUL

IT’S ACCESSIBLE

Marketing is all about creating a dialogue. Take a moment and think about the most significant conversations you’ve ever had. Did any of them begin with you using a formula of how to engage someone? Odds are the conversation resulted from sharing a genuine moment with someone you value. If your business is truly seeking to have meaningful dialogue with customers, the best way to do that is to treat them like you would a neighbor or friend. All good communication takes is a sender, a receiver, and a medium. If you open up a deliberate channel, you’ll be more accessible to your audience and have a greater opportunity to create new ideas and strategies with them.

When Life Gives You Lemons ... 4 Business Lessons From Young Entrepreneurs

Lemonade stands are rumored to have originated with New York journalist Edward Bok, who, as a kid growing up in Brooklyn, sold ice water on hot summer days to thirsty passersby. When other water salespeople tried to move in on Bok’s profit, he got creative by adding lemon juice and eventually sugar to the mix. The result of this innovation? Sales soared.

says, “I advertised through Facebook and word of mouth. I created my own business page. I shared it with friends, family, and the community. ArkLaTex Horse Rescue advertised my stand, and I posted advertisements to many local Facebook groups as well.” BUILD YOUR BUSINESS AROUND YOUR VALUES. Have you heard of anyone starting a million- dollar lemonade stand? There’s one person who has, and her name is Alex. She was diagnosed with cancer as a young girl, and her determined spirit motivated her to fight back. She started a lemonade stand to raise money for other kids with cancer. The message of the stand with a purpose spread, and Alex raised $2,000 in a single day. Sadly, Alex passed away when she was 8, but her legacy continues to thrive through her family, who turned Alex’s Lemonade Stand into a foundation. It’s raised over $127 million for cancer research.

Lemonade stands continue to be a popular summer pastime for burgeoning entrepreneurs, and there are a few things we can learn from these humble business endeavors.

BE ADAPTABLE. Warren Buffet has had business on the brain since birth. During his childhood, when he noticed that a friend’s house got more foot traffic than his did, the future tycoon moved his lemonade stand to the prime realty. Buffett obviously benefited from this innovation; the jury is still out on his friend. GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS. When Ann Handley’s daughter and her friend opened up a lemonade stand, they found a way to connect with their demographic. The location

of the stand was frequented by many French- speaking Canadian customers, and since the friend was born in Montreal and spoke French, the girls greeted each customer in English and French. More conversation makes more sales. ASK FOR REFERRALS. Megan, kid entrepreneur and owner of “Dr. Megan’s Mad Mango Lemonade” in Louisiana, knows a thing or two about the value of word-of-mouth marketing. Megan makes sure customers have an easy time spreading the word about the refreshing lemonade. In her second summer running the stand, Megan

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A Helping Hand Why Business Leaders Need to Ask for Help

“CAN YOU GIVE ME A HAND?”

Having to ask for help isn’t a sign that you’re unable to achieve what you set out to do. In fact, when you ask for help in business, you may find you’re able to achieve more. This is because asking for help is a form of networking. You’re actively reaching out to experts, learning how other people solve problems, and broadening the awareness of your name and brand at the same time. If you struggle to ask others for help when you need it, start by changing your mindset. You don’t have to do it all; you’re just one person, and sometimes one person needs to delegate tasks to others to get more done. Asking for help is also easier when you know what you want to ask for. If you are overwhelmed by a big project, take a moment to write down your goals for that project, along with a list of action steps and resources needed to get there. Then think about who you can reach out to in order to tackle these steps. If you’re still uncomfortable with asking for help, make a point of helping others when you can. Being helpful changes the way you perceive receiving help and builds a positive reputation with others. When you are viewed as being helpful, other people want to help you in return. Asking for help means admitting you can’t do it all alone. But why should you have to? Doing it all alone can be pretty lonely, and asking for help means you have a team to support you wherever you go.

Asking for help is a simple request. Most people do it every day, whether they’re getting a second opinion on a paint color or asking a stranger to hold the elevator. Asking for help is important; the ability to work as a team is one of mankind’s greatest strengths. But if the act of asking

for help is so essential in our lives, why do entrepreneurs have such a hard time

with it?

This struggle often comes from pride, the idea that if you admit you can’t do it all, then you can’t do anything. But this mindset often leads to ruin. In a survey by 99 Design, most entrepreneurs claimed the worst mistake they ever made wasn’t a poor financial decision or bad planning — it was simply not asking for help early in their careers.

Take a Break!

Summer

GRILLED HALIBUT

Ingredients

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4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

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1/2 cup hearts of palm, drained

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Basil leaves, for garnish

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Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

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1 lemon

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2 pounds mixed tomatoes, sliced

Directions

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Lightly oil grill grates and heat grill to medium. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest onto halibut fillets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill halibut, turning just once, for about 5 minutes on each side.

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In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, hearts of palm, juice from lemon, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish salad with basil. Spoon salad over grilled halibut. Serve.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Karen PAGE 1 The Hidden Gold Mine of Content Marketing PAGE 1 What You Can Learn From the Most Successful Lemonade Stands PAGE 2 Why Is It Hard to Ask for Help? PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Summer Grilled Halibut PAGE 3 How to Get Your Dog to Stop Barking PAGE 4

BECOME A ‘DOG WHISPERER’ Train as a Pack for Better Results

Your whole family adores your dog—but not the barking. This issue can lead to feelings of frus- tration, and the more frustrated you get, the more your dog barks. It’s their only way of commu- nicating, and they’re telling you, “My needs are not being met.” As Cesar Millan, the original “dog whisperer,” explains, “A barking dog needs exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order.”

not barking. “Our pups want to work for our attention,” Cesar Millan reminds us. “Allowing her to do that and to see your happiness is, to your dog, the biggest reward of all.” To make your training program successful, consistency is key. Enlist the help of the whole family to

EXERCISE

forcing it. Any attention your dog gets when he’s barking — even yelling, “Rover, stop!”— teaches him to keep going, because you’re rewarding him with attention. Wait until your dog has stopped barking to give him any sort of attention, including looking at them. “To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking,” advis- es the Humane Society.

Part of the barking issue may be due to pent- up energy. According to the humane society, “A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration.” If you already take your pup on a morning walk, try adding in an evening walk. You could add it to your child’s chore list and help get out some of the kid’s pent-up energy, too. It may also be beneficial to practice obedience exercises and games that challenge your dog.

stick to the principles. Together, you can foster a calm, peaceful home where you and your dog happily coexist.

AFFECTION

Of course, your dog needs love and attention to thrive — a lack of it could contribute to barking behavior. Reinforce silence by giving your dog a treat and an encouraging pat when she demonstrates good behavior, like

DISCIPLINE

To put a stop to the behavior, you’ll first need to change any of your behavior that’s rein-

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