Archives for April 2017

Phone Phobia

April 27, 2017 by Mike McRitchie 1 Comment

Phone Phobia.

There. It’s out there now.

I feel better…

Oh, you want more?

Okay. Here’s the thing.

In our email, text, Facebook world, people don’t talk.

They text…sometimes.

They are so caught up in themselves and their problems, they forget about you…the customer.

I’d heard that often the first vendor to answer the phone or call a prospect back gets the business.

Wow!

Is it really that bad?

Yes, it is.

Here’s some of my new mantras for success. Forget about perfection.

Show up.
Show up close to on time.
Answer the phone. Or call someone back quickly.
Care.
Do the expected (it is the new version of unexpected).

Now I really never thought it would be this bad. But I see it day in and day out. Employees who demonstrate through their actions that they don’t think that working is a requirement but something that should fit around their schedule. No, it isn’t everyone. But it sure makes what used to be the average worker start to look like a superstar.

But what really shocked me was business people whose livelihood depends on giving decent customer service. Not awesome, just okay.

But when you’re dealing with a very important transaction. A life altering one. And you get half-baked emails and texts…only after you pester them for an update…rather than a phone call. Really?

And when you do talk to them on the phone or though the electronic phone thingy’s messaging center, they act like you they are doing you a favor by even talking to you. And when negotiating a deal on your behalf, the other party seems to get more representation than you.

But then you see their communications with the other party’s representative and it is equally pathetic. Quick snippets without any true communication or insight.

And it really made me see the value of a decent salesperson. Someone to guide you and help you make a decision in an area you aren’t already an expert.

So what is this rant really about?

It is about how just being mediocre is the new normal. But by being excellent, there truly is no competition. And you can corner the market.

Just something to consider as you’re mapping out your career or business future.

Have you experienced something similar? Comment below and share this with your social followers. Or do it the old fashioned way and call me. I promise if it goes to voicemail (yes, I’ll send you to voicemail if I haven’t preprogrammed your number into my phone…this is 2017!) I will call you back. 🙂

So Your Kid Wants To Play Guitar…Now What?

April 20, 2017 by Guest Post 7 Comments

I don’t know about you.

But having kids changes how you look at life.

We get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Pursuing our careers and relationships. And settling into a lifestyle.

And that lifestyle may include listening to music and maybe playing a musical instrument.

Growing up my mom played piano and sang in the church choir.

My sister and I both played instruments (I played the clarinet and she played piano and flute).

We performed in school bands and my mom and sister played in church.

We both did well in school, especially math. Were we drawn to that because of our intellect? Or did music develop it? Or a combination of the two?

Whether or not one influenced the other is subject to debate another time.

Later in life (in my mid-40’s) I took up playing guitar (see my guitar playing story here).

I really enjoyed the challenge, the peacefulness that helps me unwind from challenging work days, and loved sharing it with my kids.

Oftentimes when my daughter couldn’t fall asleep she’d ask me to play guitar for her. Within a couple Pink Floyd songs (“Wish You Were Here” and “Mother”) on the acoustic guitar she’d fall asleep (it used to be Alice In Chains, “Rooster”).

Recently my son has started to show some interest in the guitar and drums. Not yet enough to focus on it but maybe soon (he’s 13). My daughter started playing around with my harmonicas.

Often with kids it starts as an interest you can positively reinforce. I find that is the best way so it doesn’t turn into something they fight you on and don’t want to do.

I hope someday they’ll take up an instrument, practice enough to get good at it, and then I can share the musical joys with them.

Maybe it will be guitar. I love that the guitar is so versatile. It works for many different musical styles. It is portable (unlike the piano). And it is fairly easy to get good enough quickly to play songs to keep your interest up.

Research shows that playing an instrument can bring many benefits to children. It develops physical abilities, social skills, discipline and enhances self-esteem. Learning to play a guitar also improves dexterity.

It isn’t for everyone though. Before signing up your kids for guitar lessons you should consider these factors: age, physical capability, interest and motivation.

Ideally, they should be at least 6 years old to have sufficient dexterity in the hands to handle the guitar. At this age, most kids can focus and concentrate on lessons for at least 30 minutes straight (an amount of time necessary to build their skills).

Being physically ready to play the instrument makes it easier on the child to manipulate the strings. The guitar should also fit in their hands nicely. It helps if they like the guitar they’re using. So let them choose their own guitar (from a selection of guitars that are designed for their size and strength). They’ll also want to be able to test and feel the guitar in their hands.

Are you and your kids ready to take that leap and see if learning to play the guitar is right for them? Check out this article that explains how to purchase the right guitar for children. And begin your musical journey with them.

Photo credit: Frédéric de Villamil via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Google Sheets vs. Excel: How to Use It In Digital Marketing

April 13, 2017 by Guest Post 2 Comments

Photo credit: CraigMoulding via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

People who do word processing in spreadsheet programs often struggle with picking the best option for their everyday work. While some live and breathe in Google Sheets, others use Excel as their absolute favorite software. But, is there really a better choice between the two? And if there is, how can you decide?

The answer is quite simple – the best software depends on the job you need it to perform for you. Many people have now left Excel for the Google Sheets option and find this to be the best decision they have made. Others remain loyal to the Microsoft product and consider it their secret weapon. ‘At the end, your job will decide which software you will use for the processing.’ – says Alejandro Moore, a content manager at AssignmentMasters.co.uk.

So, which one is the best choice for those who work in digital marketing? The answer here is simple – Google Sheets wins the battle here.

Advantages of Excel

Being an older software does not only provide Microsoft Excel with long-lasting reputation, but with a lot of experience and long-term development, too. The fact is, Sheets has a lot more to do to catch up with Excel, especially in the case of the following features:

1. Excel can Manage Larger Data Sets

Even though both programs give you the opportunity to process a huge amount of data, Sheets still has not figured out the way to keep the functionality optimized in such cases. Unlike Excel who is always responsive regardless of the data you are managing, Sheets is known to slow down when you are processing large data sets.

2. Excel offers More Types of Data Visualization

The biggest problem experienced by those who switch to Sheets is the data visualization. Excel has more types of data visualization that are non-existent in Google’s software, starting from pie charts to interactive options and conventional bar graphs.

This is why Excel is still the best choice for those who want to do professional data presentation, but this is not really something you are focusing on when in the business of digital marketing.

3. Excel has Numerous Functions and Formulas

The fact is, Google Sheets does not even come close to the array of functions and formulas Excel has. If you are dealing with mathematical or statistical data, Excel is a great option since it can be used for everything you may need.

How to Switch to Google Sheets

Yes, the advantages of Excel over Google Sheets are very obvious but still, the advantages Sheets offers for those in digital marketing make the decision much easier – switch to this software as soon as possible!

The process of changing your software is complex, which is why I decided to provide you with some quick guidelines:

1. The Add-Ons Section

Once you switch to Sheets, you may start missing the functionality of Excel, but do not panic. You can simply check the toolbar and look for the add-ons section. This section is full of amazing solutions for all your problems and all you have to do is look around. Starting from the tool that splits names to one that sorts data by color and removes duplicates, you will have no problem in handling the data for digital marketing.

2. Pivot Tables

Google Sheets does not have the solution of grouping the data into summaries as Excel does. If this is a problem for you, you can always turn to grouping the data in sorted pivot tables.

The solution is simple – make an adjacent column where you will add a date formula that extracts the date range you are planning to sort the data by. Then, pivot out the information and group it by the column.

At the beginning, you may find this to be much slower than the Excel option, but once you get used to it, the alternative does a really great job!

3. Charts

As I mentioned, data visualization is a real struggle to those who leave Excel and start processing data in Google Sheets. Excel has those amazing pie charts, a wide choice of bar graphs and much, much more. Google Sheets may not have these, but there is always a good alternative that will ease your change of software.

When it comes to charts, the best solution here is to add an annotation column to the right. Additionally, this software gives you the opportunity to copy the chart to Docs and use it from any place, at any time!

So, what is the best choice for your data processing if you are working in digital marketing? We have established that Excel has numerous advantages over Google Sheets, but if you are ready to make the change, Sheets can prove to be much better for your digital marketing strategy.

Mary Kleim is a digital marketing specialist with years of experience in processing data using the latest software. She is hard working and dedicated to the main goals – to increase brand awareness and turn prospects into conversions. Kleim is a digital marketer focused on effective communication through the best technology platforms, holding high reputation in initiating and maintaining good marketing campaigns.

Coffee Cup Crease

April 6, 2017 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Photo credit: Muy Yum via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

The other day I was having coffee at Starbucks.

Actually I wasn’t having coffee, I was having hot chocolate with whipped cream. And it wasn’t Starbucks, but another coffee shop.

So I’m drinking my hot chocolate and I noticed something unexpected. Hot chocolate running down my chin.

Now I’m not typically a sloppy eater or drinker.

But there it was. Hot chocolate running down the cup and down my chin.

Why was this happening?

I was curious.

So I checked the lid, seeing if it was seated correctly. It was. I drank again. And it still ran down my cup.

“What the heck was it?” I wondered.

Then I saw it. It hit me. Out of the blue.

It was a crease. A crease on the coffee cup.

I wondered to myself, “Could that crease be causing the drip?”

Sure enough it was.

The crease was causing a very small gap between the lid and the cup – that a small drip of hot chocolate could get through and slowly dribble down my cup.

It was small enough that my bottom lip couldn’t complete the seal and prevent it from sneaking through.

So how can I prevent it?

I tried re-seating the lid multiple ways, but it just wouldn’t create a tight enough seal. So that was out.

And then it hit me.

What if I turned the crease to the opposite side of the coffee cup? To the side where no liquid was touching it and therefore it wouldn’t slide through.

So I twisted the crease on the coffee cup to the back and moved the spout of the lid to the front.

Voila! It worked.

Isn’t that often how it goes? In work and in life. The little things make all the difference and how something is framed also makes a difference.

“So? What does this have to do with me?” You might be asking.

The other day I was having a conversation with someone I was helping prepare for job interviews.

He found himself getting nervous before the interview and then getting tongue-tied during the interview conversation.

Which is curious because he didn’t have that same challenge talking to me or talking to people at work.

It was only when he was trying to craft a response on-the-fly that he started to stumble and trip over his words.

Why was this?

It was because he was overthinking it. Thinking about himself and how his response needed to be just right or he loses out on the job.

So he comes across as nervous and I’m sure that wouldn’t help him show off his best side in the interview.

So we tackled the issue head-on.

I started him off retelling the story how he got into the business in the first place. He picked a situation where he had made a difference and where he could see himself back in that situation again rather than telling it as a third person.

Like magic, his nervousness went away. His story was compelling and interesting. And I couldn’t sense any nervousness when he retold it.

One little thing. Focusing on the situation that he’d actually lived before, rather than having to create an imaginary one. And by doing that it took his mind off of himself and being self-conscious. It was as if he was there helping out a software user to create a better experience. Which made retelling the story super easy. And the story was interesting too.

And looking back, he was surprised at how the nervousness had gone away with his retelling of that one story.