I updated my presentation from last year — you might say it's "new and improved" 😉
As I sit here writing performance reviews for my team it begs the question of who to reward and who I should encourage to move on. That led me to this really interesting presentation by Reed Hastings of Netflx.
While his approach might too agressive for most companies I really like the fact that they take their culture of performance seriously. And they continously refine the team by hiring all-stars and cutting not just the under performers but those who are adequate.
Culture from Reed Hastings
This artist perfectly depicts how my life will end – yep, death by PowerPoint.
Do you have PowerPointitis, the incurable disease that affects nearly 11 in every 10 marketers? [they told me there'd be no math in marketing 😉 ] Answer these simple questions…
Do you see slides in your dreams?
Can you hold a meeting without using PowerPoint? Seriously can you do it?
Do you know every keyboard short-cut for PPT functions?
Do you use the word "Deck" incessantly?
Do you click the save icon after every slide change since you're used to PPT crashing every 15 minutes?
When watching someone elses presentation do you completely discount their information, however valid, because the slide design is not up to your level?
Do you spend more time creating presentations than talking with your team and colleagues?
Do you ever use Word instead of PowerPoint? When is the last time you actually wrote a report with real depth of analysis?
Do you spend an hour obsessing over details on a slide that will be shown for only 10 seconds?
When you're on a plane flight do you catch up on reading or work on slides?
Does it literally make you crazy when someone doesn't wrap their bullets properly?
Is Steve Jobs your hero — not because of his product/design innovations, but because he was a master of presentations?
Are your decks such big files [50+ megs] that you can't send them by email?
Do TimesNewRoman bullets crush your soul?
Do you carry 4 different projector adaptors so that you're ready to present on any device at a moments notice?
Do you regularly have management sessions with 4-6 executives group editing slides?
Should you change your title to CPO – Chief PowerPoint Officer?
Do your graphic designers spend more time on PPT than on the website?
Did you have to install DropBox for the sole purpose of sharing presentations?
Do you think a slide presentation constitutes a real plan [product plan, marketing plan, etc.]?
Have you reached your title/level because you're great at what you do, or because you're great at PowerPoint?
My team created this infographic to give an example of the consumer buying journey for a need-based service like plumbing.
Even in this simple scenario you can see the complexity involved in trying to get a new customer for your business. You must continuously build your web presence with fresh content across all the places consumers go to discover and research before they buy. Google calls this the Zero Moment of Truth. I call it imperative to stay in business today.
Just the facts Jack. My team's latest infographic with the basics of advertising to reach consumers as they search, surf and socialize online.
The "Good" – building your brand where consumers are spending over 50% of their media time
A comScore study last October showed that only 16% of Internet users click on display ads, with 8% of users accounting for over 85% of all clicks. Does that mean no one should use display ads? Hell no. It means that display is for branding your business not trying to drive action (that is what Search ads are for). Does anyone doubt that TV/Radio/Print ads can build awareness of a brand? They typically don't drive immediate calls to a business but they do build brand awareness over time so that when a consumer has a need they evaluate that product and hopefully buy it.
Studies by comScore and others have shown that display ads, regardless of clicks, generate significant lift in site visits and both online and offline sales by those exposed to the ads. This "lift" is has been proven time after time so why do businesses think their campaign isn't working when they see a low CTR? Just like TV ads or any other offline media advertising, display is about carving out space in someone's mind so they remember you when they are ready to buy. Fortunately, display advertising is so cost-effective (low CPM) that most businesses can afford to now brand themselves online where they couldn't with expensive traditional media alternatives.
The "Bad" – having so many social followers that conversation becomes impossible
I just read another great article by Clive Thompson in this month's Wired Magazine. "In Praise of Obscurity" points out that socializing doesn't scale. This seems like a "duh" observation in the real world since we all know that its impossible to chat with everyone at a large party (40-50+ people).
But online it's a bit easier to "converse" with lots of people since they all aren't "there" at the same time. That said, once you get more than a few hundred followers social stops being social according to Thompson. "It's no longer a bantering process of thinking and living out loud. It becomes old-fashioned broadcasting." And further, "when the conversation gets big enough, it shuts down. Not only do audiences feel estranged, the participants also start self-censoring. There's no pretense of intimacy with the audience, so there's no conversation to spoil."
The lesson for businesses is that while it may seem cool to have many thousands of followers, it makes it impossible to realize the value of the relationship and conversation with each person. Why use social media if you're just going to blast messages like an email newsletter. Wouldn't you rather use social tools to have relevant and timely conversations with your best customers? And if so, are Facebook and Twitter the right tools? I don't think so. Business conversations seem out of place on Facebook where I go to check in with my friends, and Twitter is really better for short frequent broadcasts than long/deep conversations. There is clearly the need for a better tool for businesses to connect with their customers.