Kay Green, Author at She Owns It

Relationship Marketing 1-2-3: Why Building Relationships Matters Most by @DrRKayGreen

July 29, 2014 by Kay Green 1 Comment

Photo Credit: Bertelsmann Stiftung via Compfight cc

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Did you know that your company’s success is built on Relationship Marketing? Any good salesperson will tell you that you need to be able to make a lot of friends. Cultivating relationships has always been an essential part of sales, and it always will be. According to Forbes Magazine, a business is only as good as the clients it serves, and no business gets far after losing the clients it has (Forbes, 2013).

Research shows that even with the best products and business practices, you still need strong relationships to succeed in this marketplace and RESPECT is at the core of building business relationships (LeadingInsight, 2013). According to INC.com, “Real success, the kind that exists on multiple levels, is impossible without building great relationships (INC, 2013).

In business, demonstrating VALUE for your customers’ money means that your product (service) must have certain features and benefits for your customers. For customers to drive your business, it is imperative that you find people who believe in your products or services.

The more a client comes to depend on you, the stronger your relationship becomes, which is priceless. The key to success is building relationships that go beyond one-time projects (purchases) and provide VALUE to each client on a consistent, ongoing basis (Forbes, 2013).

The reality is that it takes time to nurture your clients into loyal customers, but not if you remember that business is all about Relationships, Relationships, Relationships! Here are seven basic rules to follow as you are building those ever-more important relationships:

1. In a professional setting, people like to have relationships with those that can help their careers or businesses. Be that person. If you assert yourself, it will invariably help both your network and your reputation. Make sure that your connections are diverse and with people who are really doing things. Then, the next time you need an expert or help with an idea, you’ll have someone you can call, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to be a trusted partner fueling that growth.

2. Send updates about what you’re learning and accomplishing in your business or career and ask your contacts to do the same. By exchanging information, you can determine who in your network is inspiring and excellent in their respective fields, which can potentially lead to more connections down the road.

3. Don’t go long periods of time without being on someone’s radar. If possible, invite a few guests to an event you’re organizing or attending. In this way, everyone benefits.

4. Keep in mind that social media relationships do not replace solid marketing strategy. They amplify it. If you are thinking that a few blog posts, random status updates, and a healthy number of “followers” and “likes” are going to magically grow your business, don’t count on it. Your best course of action is to keep the pipeline flowing. Keep networking. Keep applying for new jobs or find inventive ways to promote your business and keep your options open. In addition, consider publishing a blog to publicly promote your expertise and provide updates on your activities and accomplishments. Be sure to maintain a strong online presence on relevant social media network sites such as LinkedIn or Twitter.

5. Always remember specific details about your clients. The ones who you know best and who feel most connected to you will talk about you to others. This is how your personal relationships continue to grow.

6. Developing partnerships with your preferred clients, this goes beyond individual project development. A client that feels assured that you are in it for the long haul, and that you’re actively motivated to help him or her succeed will begin to see you as more than just a vendor or supplier. You become a partner in their enterprise and you become someone they grow to value now and into the future.

7. Devote a portion of your day towards relationship building, even if it’s just 10 to 20 minutes. Decide that you will contact two or three clients or prospects every day to develop a healthy list of relationships.

Consider This…If you treat every client as your most important one, happy clients are more likely to make referrals. Provide all clients with your best service, regardless of their stature. You never know who your clients may know or to whom they might refer you. Just as importantly, should they switch careers, either within their company or move on to a new one, you want to maintain that partnership so they will recommend you to their new associates. Lastly, it is important to remember that today’s small companies could be the big companies of tomorrow.

Always remember that business is all about Relationships, Relationships, Relationships! It takes a long-term commitment to earn success.

——————————————————————————–

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

http://www.drkaygreen.com

College Grads: 5 Ways to Maximize your Marketability as you enter the Job Market by @DrRKayGreen

June 10, 2014 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Will Folsom via Compfight cc

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Congratulations! You’ve completed your college degree…today is the first day of the rest of your life. Now that you’ve graduated…are you prepared to enter the job market?

Statistically, nearly 40 percent of graduates are unemployed, and 16% are in part-time positions (NYDailyNews, 2013). The hiring process can take months, and getting a jump start, especially with little to no experience, can take even longer.

Sure you’ve attended classes and read numerous textbooks on the topic; but, how is your MARKETABILITY as you begin your career search? New graduates are facing an extraordinarily competitive employment market; therefore, as a new grad, you must be creative and innovative in order to stand out from the crowd.

Because competition is so intense, employers today are looking for new graduates with the “WOW” factor or total package. In essence, companies both small and large, are looking for top talent. In addition to your college degree, you must also demonstrate marketability as you enter the job market.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Build a website to centralize your work profile. It will enable you to refer prospective hiring managers to your site to review your credentials then as you develop your career, keep it updated with new projects or freelance work, advanced studies, skills and examples of your work.

Think about adding a QR code (Quick Response Code) for your resume that would link your profile to Facebook, LinkedIn, Google’s Android, iPhone/iPod/iPad devices and other systems to show employers that you are up on the latest trends. The fact that you have a presence on the platform, it says to potentially interested employers that you are serious about your career and that you know what it takes to get their attention.

Graduates, your resume should be no more than one page unless you have an exceptional amount of experience. Why? The average amount of time hiring managers spend reading resumes is less than one minute. There is every chance that your resume will go through a keyword database scanning system, so the format and keywords you use should be relevant.

Open yourself up to a broad range of possibilities. Forty-two percent of employers plan to hire temporary or contract workers in 2014 (CareerBuilder, 2013), up from last year.

If you are offered a part-time or temporary position, accept it. It could lead to a full-time placement. Immerse yourself in your field by getting involved in organizations related to what you have studied. Read industry-related publications or posts on the Internet and join professional groups online or offline.

2. Leverage social media. Your ability to create compelling content is integral to your success. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, companies are desperate for employees who can create it quickly and effectively. Social media is a great tool to present your experience to many different professional audiences and expect to be judged by your words and deeds as a reflection of your character and reliability.

Take advantage of your network by making it personal. Reach out to professors, co-workers, your parents’ friends — anyone who can assist you with your job search. Networking is about building relationships. In addition, alert former employers that you have graduated and are looking for employment. Look for networking opportunities through local groups that cater to people in your industry. Keep in mind that while you are scouring the web for that great career, employers will navigating the Web to find information about you such as your credit scores, Facebook postings, group memberships and more.

3. Seek out internships. Don’t think that you can’t intern just because you are no longer a student. If you are having difficulty finding a job, don’t hesitate to accept an internship role. It is a great way to obtain direct experience that could land the job you seek.

Internships show employers that you understand how specific sectors work on a day-to-day basis. Many interns make vital contributions while they are learning about the business and build relationships of trust with co-workers and management. Internships are a means to saturate yourself in your potential career, without all the pressure of being an employee. You can make great connections that can open doors for your future.

If you are interested in a company that does not have an internship program, offer to intern in exchange for direct work experience whether it is a paid or unpaid position. Or consider volunteering or working as a consultant until you find what you’re looking for. Ideally, don’t settle for a career that you are not passionate about.

4. Show your digital proficiency. Working in public relations or marketing for example requires a level of digital proficiency that goes beyond using Facebook or YouTube. You may need to be able to conduct online research, understand search engine optimization (SEO), show expertise with tools that monitor and measure online communications, create and manage an email campaign, build a spreadsheet in Google Docs or Excel and, perhaps, perform simple video editing.

You may be asked to demonstrate an example of creative problem-solving. First, identify a goal or objective, gather information, clarify the problem, generate inventive ideas, build a solution, show how results will be measured, and then create the plan of action for its implementation.

Many employers use LinkedIn to search for candidates. LinkedIn’s “Apply Now” function is built into many employers’ job listings and, for some, it is the only place employers tread through the applicant pool. Be sure that potential employers can find you there.

5. Make every interview count. You should be able to tell people what you do, what you have accomplished and why getting a particular job is important to you in a 30-second pitch. Once you get that face-to-face interview, be overt in your desire for the job. Answer questions with confidence and ask questions you have prepared from researching the company.

Determine what their hot buttons might be to make a worthy impression. If you are able to secure the job specifications, make a list of the skills, knowledge, professional and personal qualities that may be required and use this information to your advantage. Strong interview questions will require strong answers. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of interviews or knock you out altogether.

Interviewers will be able to tell whether you prepared or not, and winging it, particularly when you don’t have much experience, will virtually eliminate you. Speak to your core personality traits and values and if you happen to have experience that aligns with your career goals, this shows that you are on the right track. Do not hesitate at the end of the interview to ask for the job. Employers want you to want the position enough to ask for it.

Remember to send a letter of thanks. A thank you note is another way you can stand out from other applicants. It not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. Even if you just attended a career fair or industry-specific presentation, send the employer representative a note referencing a piece of information from the event and ask to interview for any open position that matches your skill set and experience.

In summary, today’s graduates are migrating into a world where lack of ambition is the only limitation to possibilities. Combine your college degree with the necessary marketing skills to brand yourself as the total package in the job market.

Remember, employers today are looking for the new graduate that stands out from the crowd. Maximize your college degree: Be creative, innovative, and utilize all of your learned skills.

———————————————————————————–

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

http://www.drkaygreen.com

To Email or Not to Email…Is Email Marketing Relevant to your Businesses’ Bottom-Line? by @DrRKayGreen

May 19, 2014 by Kay Green 3 Comments

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Engagement is the name of the game in the new millennium. It is all about networking and building relationships with your consumers with some form of continual contact. One of the best means of communication is by eMail. If you are not building a strong, reliable eMail list, you are making a big mistake! How do you expect to generate sales for your products or services and achieve sustainable growth in your business?

Relationships are built on trust. Because you are building your list via EMAIL, you must be prepared to give people time and opportunity to get to know you and what you represent. The continual contact via eMail allows your subscribers to get to know you on a more personal level, which is why staying in touch and providing valuable information and helpful content at regular intervals is critical to keep your list loyal and engaged. This in turn leads to purchases, referrals, leads, social sharing, and other financially relevant opportunities.

Why are email lists so important? Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) refers to the resources and money a business has to allocate (either financial or otherwise) in order to acquire new customers. This is an important business metric. Depending on the nature of your business, it can identify just how expensive it is to acquire new customers? As we know, the expense involved in finding new customers is always more expensive than selling to a current (and past) customers.

Imagine having to spend money every month on advertisements to acquire new customers? That can be very expensive, particularly if other companies are competing for that same ad space or keyword. Unless you can prove that spending money on ads pays for itself, eventually you will see it as a waste of time, money, and effort.

Building your email list, nurturing a real relationship with people over time, and managing your list for the long term is the way to go. So, how do you build a successful eMail list…..let’s consider the following:

There are FIVE main ingredients to building a strong eMail list:

List Management Software: Building a list of hundreds, if not thousands of people, is not something you want to maintain manually. List management software helps you keep track of your subscribers and alerts you of others who may wish to unsubscribe to your list. This is all done automatically so you can spend your time more effectively.
eMail Broadcasting Software: Your list management software should come with eMail broadcasting capabilities. This means that you can send an unlimited number of eMail messages (in either text or HTML format) to an unlimited number of subscribers. Typically, this software is sold on a month-to-month basis, maintained on a server managed by the software company and come highly recommended since are also working for giants like Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL. Spam-monitoring websites such as SpamHaus.org and Surbl.org complete your software needs.
Opt-in Form Creation Software: There are two ways to develop your eMail list. One is by selling to customers that have had experience with you. Another way is to offer potential customers a free gift (for example) in exchange for their names and eMail addresses. You should have an opt-in feature on virtually every page in your sidebar or at least at the end of every article you post. Typically, opt-in forms come with your eMail broadcasting software. If not, opt-in forms can be placed in your website header, footer, websites sidebar, pop-up windows, landing pages and even name-squeeze pages.
Great Content: Do you have a flexible product or service such that you can offer a sampling to introduce yourself to your prospects and customers? Entice them with information about what is happening in your industry or any new product developments. If you have customers that are already using your products, offer a Q & A on how to use your products or troubleshoot a specific customer inquiry. Newsletters are also an excellent means to communicate with your list.
Great Offers: Never send an eMail without some kind of offer keeping in mind the 90/10 rule: Ninety percent content that enriches their business and/or personal growth and ten percent up-sell to whatever it is you sell. If you are repeatedly trying to sell the same product, you can expect your customers to hit the “unsubscribe” button. The bottom line is…people just want to know what the deals are and how they can get them at affordable prices. That should be your goal.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU EMAIL YOUR LIST?

You run the risk of customers hitting the delete button in their inbox if you send an eMail every day. Establish a regular timetable (weekly, bi-monthly) that makes sense for your business. Try to make your eMails identifiable so customers know that they’ve got mail…from you!

Another way to assess how frequently you should eMail your customers is to ask them. Take a mini-survey so you deliver content on a regular basis and don’t overwhelm them.

Here are a couple of tips from my experience. Be sure NOT to send emails to your customers on “manic” Mondays and “gone for the weekend” Fridays. A better time to eMail your list is Tuesday Morning so your customers are more likely to receive and process the information.

HOW LARGE SHOULD YOUR LIST BE?

That depends on the quality of your list and what you sell. Some businesses can maintain a list of 1,500 to 2,500 people and do very well. Their product is a consumable product and it has a high price-point and profit margin. Others prefer lists of 5,000 to 10,000.

Today’s eMail marketing is perfectly suited to the way small businesses have always operated. It is personal, immediate, and easily tailored to what makes your product or service unique to a buyer. Above all, it’s practical.

Your eMail should entertain, inform, educate, enlighten and so your customers look forward to hearing from you. So, is eMail marketing important to your business’ bottom line? The answer is: Absolutely.

—————————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

http://www.drkaygreen.com

The Verdict is In: The Future of Marketing is Social! by @DrRKayGreen

March 19, 2014 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Nervegna Tommaso via Compfight cc

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

We can’t deny it. It’s everywhere we go, it’s everything we see. It’s social media and it symbolizes where we are as a society: Interconnected…and it is here to stay.

Social media is a marketers’ dream. It allow your audience to watch you – as a brand – develop, grow, and evolve. Many of your most loyal fans and followers are engaged in your lives and businesses through social media.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or corporation, social media provides multiple no-cost platforms to connect with your target audience. They follow your companies, your brands, your experiences, through the good times and the bad times. Your audience gets to know you, like you, and build trusting relationships with you.

The most recent facts on social media indicate that not only is social media the latest, greatest phenomenon; but, it is also predicted to remain a part of our lives for decades to come. How do we know this to be true? Let’s consider the most recent facts on social media:

FACT: Currently, marketers allocate 7.6% of their budgets to social media. CMOs expect that number to reach 18.8% in the next five years. (Source: CMO Survey)
FACT: Marketers spend an average of 4-6 hours a week on social media. (Source: Social Media Examiner )
FACT: 79% of Marketers have integrated social media into their traditional marketing activities (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: Social media is the top driver for relationship building (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: 37% of brands would like to use social media engagement to create customer-tailored marketing campaigns. (Source: Social Media Today)
FACT: 33% of consumers cite social networks as a way they discover new brands, products or services (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: Facebook users spend 6.35 hours each month on the social network via their desktop (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: Instagram has more than 150 million active users (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: 15% of Internet users are on Pinterest (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: 25% of consumers who complain about products on Facebook or Twitter expect a response within 1 hour. Peer Influence + Bad Reviews = Brand Killer. (Source: SocialMediaToday)
FACT: 51% of the top 20% of B2B marketers generating leads through social media use social sharing tools, compared to the industry average of 39%. (Source: Aberdeen)

The Takeaway? If you are not active on social media, you are missing a world of opportunity for engagement and connectivity in your market, both domestically and globally. The key word here is Opportunity. Plain and simple, social media is EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE.

If you are currently active and visible on social media, strive to make your brand more relevant than ever before. The key word here is Engagement. Try new platforms and new ways of engaging your audience…they will follow.

Social media is about being SOCIAL. Have fun with it, be creative, engaging, and connected. Remember, always communicate your message clearly, consistently, and constantly.

————————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

http://www.drkaygreen.com

Corporate America v. Entrepreneurship? Which path is Right for you? by @DrRKayGreen

January 22, 2014 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

…And we’re off! The New Year has officially begun and now its time to make some very important decisions in your professional life. Where do you see yourself in say 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now? Have you taken the time to analyze your current career? That is, where you are v. where you aspire to be.

While you have achieved some of the goals you set last year, are you still on the fence about your current profession? Have you considered leaving the corporate arena for entrepreneurship? Have you considered saying “Good-Bye” to entrepreneurship and “Hello” to Corporate America?

As we all know, some of us excel in corporate environments; while others excel in the entrepreneurial arena. Climbing the corporate ladder is not an easy task. On the corporate side, 70% of US workers do not feel engaged or inspired at their jobs and feel that they are not reaching their full potential (CBS News, 2013). This statistic indicates that 7 out of 10 employees are not “satisfied” with their current career in the corporate arena. Entrepreneurship is certainly not the easiest task either. On the entrepreneurial side, an entrepreneur’s life may be riddled with ambiguity, long hours, sacrifice, and setbacks (Forbes, 2013).

While there is no “perfect” environment, rather corporate or entrepreneurial, we must be honest with ourselves when selecting the path that works for us. In order to survive, in either arena, you must possess, or at a minimum, develop the relevant survival skills on a corporate or entrepreneurial level.

For many of us, our careers, whether corporate or entrepreneurial, imposes a chain-link effect on our personal lives as it relates to family, relationships, friends, social groups, etc. Selecting the right path for you cannot be taken lightly. Rather, this decision dictates your own personal fulfillment, pursuit of happiness, and overall satisfaction. Let’s consider the following seven questions to ask yourself as you analyze your profession and select the path that works for you:

Are you more focused on “Who do you know?” (Corporate) or “What you know?” (Entrepreneurial)
Do you step up when appropriate? (Corporate) or Do you step up at all times? (Entrepreneurial)
Are you most concerned with achieving the Work-Life Balance? (Corporate) or Are you willing to sacrifice the Work-Life Balance? (Entrepreneurial)
Are you Planning-oriented? (Corporate) or Are you Action-oriented? (Entrepreneurial)
Do you prefer External Motivation? (Corporate) or Do you prefer Internal Motivation? (Entrepreneurial)
Do Play the “Game”? (Corporate) or Do you Create the “Game”?
Are your more focused on doing your part? (Corporate) or Are you more focused on doing all parts? (Entrepreneurial)

If you selected most or all of the first choice for each question, chances are, the corporate arena is right for you. Oppositely, if you selected most or all of the second choice for each question; entrepreneurship maybe your niche. Corporate America or Entrepreneurship are both choices; that is, you have the right to choose which path serves your best interest.

Always remember, choosing your path, whether corporate or entrepreneurial, is not a popularity contest. It is instead, a life-long decision that has a significant effect on both your personal and professional lives. In brief, think logically, strategically, and choose your path wisely.

—————————————————————–

Marketing Expert – Dr. R. Kay Green from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

http://www.drkaygreen.com