Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Synchronous or A Synchronous E-Learning?


The question is not really “which” but “how” and perhaps even “when” do we use Synchronous or Asynchronous E-Learning. It’s kind of like the relationship between the “text book” and the “teacher” or the more colloquial “hand and glove.”  But before we can tackle the subject of “which” we need to determine “what” defines Synchronous or Asynchronous E-Learning.

Asynchronous learning is a student-centered teaching method that uses online learning resources to facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and place among a network of people. This approach combines self-study with asynchronous interactions to promote learning, and this combined network of learners and the electronic network in which they communicate is referred to as an asynchronous learning network.

Synchronous learning refers to a group of people learning the same things at the same time in the same place. This is the type of pedagogy practiced in most schools which emulate a face-to-face environment and with the advent of web conferencing tools, people can learn at the same time in different places as well. For example, use of instant messaging or live chat, webinars and video conferencing allow for students and teachers to collaborate and learn in real time.

Best practice E-Learning may use one or both Synchronous and Asynchronous learning to generate effective comprehension. Which method works best is defined by the nature of the content and the audience.  

Some content is best suited for Asynchronous E-Learning, where more technical, regulatory or systematic knowledge needs to be imparted and the leaner can learn at their own pace within a preferred environment.  This can often take the form of mandated learning such as workplace regulatory knowledge or compliance related information. Asynchronous E-Learning continues to utilize the broad spectrum of tools such as video, text, images, interactivity and photos and can incorporate a social aspect as well through forums, blogs, chat rooms, etc. Asynchronous E-Learning is a natural extension of Synchronous E-Learning and while these two components of learning complement each other they can be used independently of each other. 

 Synchronous E-Learning is often used when on-site physical demonstrations are required or when the learner has to be qualified as having gained the level of knowledge originally set out in the learning objectives or a given curriculum. Synchronous E-Learning can also be employed when the benefits of social interaction such as in a classroom, workshop or webinar will benefit the learning process.

Asynchronous E-Learning is a part of that process; it breaks information down and makes it more easily digestible as a stand-alone presentation, learn at your own pace, discrete  segment of information that is required learning; or for information that is used as a building block for much more complex ideas and concepts. Asynchronous E-Learning is a natural extension of Synchronous E-Learning and while these two components of learning complement each other they can be used independently of each other.

Effective E-Learning, whether Synchronous or Asynchronous, emulates good teaching style and utilizes the attributes of the electronic medium and the best practices of learning, utilizing sound preparation, illustrative anecdotes, humour, personal experience and thought provoking insight to engage and inspire learners in an anytime, anywhere format (that’s the Asynchronous part.)

Ultimately E-Learning as a whole, whether Synchronous or Asynchronous allow for repeated and consistent deployment of well thought out knowledge without the day-to-day participation of an instructor. This adds significant cost savings, reduces teaching time, improves comprehension and standardizes the information to insure consistent delivery of knowledge. This does not mean that instructors are not used, it simply  means that the instructor or in most circumstances, group of instructors develop the content and then deploy it in a Synchronous E-Learning module that uses best practices teaching strategies for developing the content.

Asynchronous E-Learning uses the discrete building blocks of Synchronous E-learning to emulate a classroom setting more closely and communicate complex ideas that allow the learners to engage in a more Interactive dialogue with the instructor and with other learners. This process combines best practices of teaching and E-Learning because such presentations are repeated and greater care and support is given to the dynamic of learning in the Asynchronous learning process.  It is also expected that such curriculums, once developed offer a longer life cycle when the content is revised annually. It is my suggestion that Synchronous E-Learning will someday replace textbooks entirely and will be updated by organizations whose sole responsibility it is to maintain up to date information on learning topics, similar to text book publishers today.

I think it’s safe to say that E-Learning in any form is more than an amalgam of parameters, media and instructional design, it’s a learning environment that reflects the learning objectives, the nature of the content and the makeup of the audience.  

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Value Proposition: A Lever to Change the World


“Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth” the law of the lever, often attributed to the Greek Mathematician and inventor Archimedes, applies to marketing in a very real way.  The idea concerns the understanding that a small force can move a great weight by means of a lever.   

In this age of gimmicks, giveaways, sex and popular culture the true nature of marketing or the use of a good lever has been misused.  Like Archimedes’ lever the basic marketing principle is similar in that a small, inalienable truth properly developed and promoted can have a dramatic effect on the fortunes of a company or product.  

The advent of social media, twitter and the elevation of popular culture helps us define who we are - and it is a decidedly younger demographic that controls the bulk of buying power in today’s society. So, having a lever or creative idea that defines the value proposition and appeals to a younger audience has become more important. It allows the value proposition about a product to become a lever that can be understood more rapidly and shared more broadly. The products we like, use and share attach a certain cache to our personalities and so have an inordinate importance that marketing can leverage to promote products.  All of these influencing factors have made it a great time to market and realize significant growth as a result.

Now, having said that, why are most companies and organization undervaluing the use of marketing and promotions when it could have profound affect on awareness and productivity?  Have we become enmeshed in the day to day administrative routines or have we imagined ourselves as the marketing gurus? Or are we so entrenched in its everyday use that we have overlooked it or we feel we can effectively create ideas and marketing around our products without the aid of costly outside marketing expertise. It’s probably more a combination of these factors and the helplessness that most companies or organizations feel in the proliferation of mediums and technology. Often when we are overwhelmed and we seek the comfort of simplicity using predictable avenues and strategies that are familiar to us.

Taking the time to consult with a marketing expert and have them develop both a great creative idea and a marketing strategy.  (Note - creative ideas and marketing strategies are not the same). The creative idea is a unique tool that marketing uses across all mediums in a variety of forms to create a consistent perception or inalienable truth about your company or product and the marketing strategy is the plan that puts that tool into play.

We are fortunate in that we live in a time when a marketing idea can change the fortunes of a company on a dime yet few companies employ a focused strategy that leverages the value proposition and good creative idea. Old school marketing gurus like David Ogilvy, Lee Clow, Phyllis K. Robinson, Hal Riney and many others  knew and understood this concept and used in landmark campaigns that have changed the buying habits of people around the world …simply with a good creative idea and fervent belief .   

You can quote me on this “Give me a great creative idea and I can change the world.”  You just have to take the time to understand the value proposition and use it as a lever.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

E-Learning Delivery: The Four Steps


We work with many national and international organizations in the delivery of learning.  Learning can take many forms but for the purposes of this discussion I have chosen to focus on E-Learning medium.
The lessons we have learned about E-Learning, and that are reviewed here can be applied to any form of learning.

There are four unique components that must be addressed when considering a new education, awareness or communication initiative.  Such initiatives can include delivering specific knowledge to the general membership of an organizational body, communicating guidelines and protocols to employees of a company or even informing a broad public audience. Regardless of the audience, the four steps of delivery must be observed if the project is to be successful. The four steps in order of implementation are Strategic Planning, Content Development, Implementation and Promotion.   

Strategic planning for E-learning, on the surface appears relatively simple but I would suggest that it is far from it. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, E-Learning is not a layered on delivery medium it is unique, and it combines all previous delivery methods of information and education delivery into one medium, i.e., video, text, images, simulations, interactivity, threshold learning imperatives, etc., and as a result is must be include both a short term and a longer term strategic plan since its implementation demands changes in administration, policies and protocols and responsibilities within the organization responsible. While this may seem daunting it can be implemented in a phased in approach that allows the originating body to learn as it implements and to allow learners to participate in that process. Strategic planning also includes one additional important aspect and that is it helps define what content will be included and what level of expertise is required to help define that level of knowledge.

The next step is fairly simple, content development has utilized the same basic methodology since the industrial revolution.  The body implementing the learning brings together a committee or group of experts that have a broad cross section expertise directly relating to the content as defined by the strategic plan. Usually they represent a fairly academic group depending on the industry and knowledge being delivered.  The one trait most subject matter experts share is a lack of understanding of the medium they are working in -  and a general uneasiness in dealing with instructional designers or those providing the interactive experience that engages learners.  This is often the result of having to allow developers to work with the content where subject matter experts cannot exercise direct control over content.  This is usually overcome once the subject matter experts have an opportunity to view the results of the interactive process.  

The implementation is standard for the most part but as well, however, in the case of E-learning there can be, “a few curves in the road” so to speak. Organizations typically have to grapple with defining an effective way to manage and administer learning in a way that can include a dialogue with learners and include learners input and feedback. This can be difficult with reduced budgets and increased staff responsibilities.  This is where longer term planning has a more direct impact on delivery; and understanding that budgeting and staff responsibilities can be streamlined when E-Learning is implemented as a replacement for traditional learning as to realize better cost management and knowledge retention.

The final step in the delivery process is promotion and I have blogged about this a few times in the past. Promotion is often overlooked and under-appreciated. Most organizations whether we are referring to a membership body or a corporation believe that “if we build it they will come.”  Have faith brothers and sisters – we put it on our web site, we have announced it in the newsletter and we even sent them an e-mail with links.  All must do steps, but these fall far short from inspiring or engaging learners; and it does little to encourage them to buy into the benefit of that very specific information you are providing. If an organization has spent all that time and effort to create information, why is there no plan to promote the value of the content and its benefits to learners above and beyond the standard methods?  Organizations must employ what ad agencies have known forever, an event around the delivery of a valuable product.  Gaining participation in advance from your potential learning audience through events and teasers helps create awareness and anticipation. Using social media forums, contests and rewarding participation creates a buzz around the delivery creating a general groundswell of support for the information and awareness and its underscores the value that the organization places on information.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Synchronous E-Learning: Simulation, Video or Animation?

As synchronous and a–synchronous learning become more entrenched in transferring knowledge from one source to the other, ideally through such tools as E-Learning, a number of complex issues begin to emerge in setting the bar for comprehension.

How to effectively delve into the content and communicate it in a meaningful and cost effective way is essential to understanding what tools offer the greatest efficacy. The later part of that statement is key since up to this point E-Learning has grown at snail’s pace, largely due to cost.

Often in Learning in general and E-Learning in particular, these methods of communicating knowledge are designed to inform us about the correct or preferred way to do something. They help us understand the decision making process that support a best practices and allow us to think through a process. If it is truly interactive it allows us to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes by visualizing what might occur and how we might handle unique situations or barriers to completing a task.

The current pantheon of tools has grown in ease of use, cost of deployment, penetration in the marketplace and feasibility in general. Let’s have a quick look at each to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. The first we can review is simulation. 

While simulations can take many forms they generally include still images, coupled with audio. These can include illustrated characters, or drawn figures, as well as real people that are animated to some degree. Using such imagery and motion helps us break down a process and are often more generic in nature so as not to skew the learning process with gender, age or ethnic biases. A simulation helps us control the environment down to the smallest detail and can be cost efficient. Its weakness is its strength, it can appear very simplistic to a well educated audience and appear to be “taking down” to learners while the technology that controls these figures often introduce slight delays. I must also say that in many professional environments, given the wide range of opinions, there will be some very positive and some very negative reactions. Simulations can be very effective when using inanimate objects and illustrating a process.

Video has been around for awhile and of course it is often the preferred means of illustrating a scenario.  Its strengths are that it shows real people undertaking specific processes that most of your audience can relate to. It often employs the willing suspension of disbelief in that its displays scenarios that may not have been experienced by the learner.  Its strengths are that audiences have become accustomed to video and recently in reality TV and now accept working professionals portraying their day-to-day roles much more so than actors. This allows us to cut costs by using real people doing their jobs, but it introduces complexity by demanding more careful planning, places more responsibility on the client as participant in developing the scenarios. Costs have some down dramatically for videotaping and editing as low cost, high definition technology is now readily available with a skilled workforce to support it. Since the decisions around using real people relate to availability, cost and knowledge we have to remain vigilant about stereotyping.

Animation remains a fairly high cost alternative since it utilizes more specific software and hardware and there are fewer skilled technicians to undertake production. Animation can offer some very dramatic and effective illustration of scenarios and it excels when trying to demonstrate three-dimensional images.  Its weaknesses are that it is still relatively costly to deliver on a consistent basis  and like the simulation it can over-simplify a scenario.

My experience suggests that each of these technologies has a place in the development of synchronous learning but the parameters of any given assignment will dictate which technology to use. The three main parameters used to determine which technology is most appropriate to illustrate protocols and techniques are cost, available resources and comprehension. More often than not comprehension is the least considered parameter for supporting the choice and cost is the most important.  




Tuesday, July 17, 2012

E-Learning – Not an Additive …An innovation!

 All too often administrators and managers see new technologies as add-on elements to their existing continuum of learning. Not so with E-Learning …rather than layer on E-Learning to existing learning processes such as classroom training, lectures,  print materials, workshops, video, internet etc. We really have to begin thinking about replacing existing learning with E-Learning as the cornerstone of an integrated learning process.

As the increasing demands of maintaining up to date knowledge overwhelm us in an avalanche of information we need to adopt strategies that allow us to cope with it. Many theories suggest that the total human knowledge doubles every five years and every two years in health and medicine.

Developing a unique strategy for implementing learning that utilizes new technologies, addresses changing social norms and considers human interaction and communications as it relates to learning will help organizations be more effective and deliver a better return on investment for each learning dollar spent. This can be a significant undertaking but testing the implementation of unique learning environments and validating that test allows us to understand how to develop new learning standards and implement administrative protocols that are applied across an organization. Layering on E-Learning onto existing learning process simply drives up the cost and does not hold the learner responsible for comprehension. 

There is a cost and the only way that this cost can be rationalized is by reducing budgets and expenses on traditional learning processes that are not as effective.  We first have to look at existing learning processes and ensure we understand the costs involved with having instructor led programs, the cost of having a group of people sitting in a room, the cost of preparing tools and learning assets, the travel expense, the cost of qualified instructors, the follow up costs and the administration of these traditional learning initiatives. Overhauling an entire system may seem daunting but if we select a unique project based on priorities we can test the scenario and mange the parameters to ensure a firm understanding of the learning’s effectiveness in terms of comprehension and cost. Such tests can include both a-synchronous learning and/or blended learning but parameters and protocols have to be defined in advance to ensure we can benefit from what we learn in such E- Learning tests.



One of the most important protocols in implementing such a test is that existing traditional methods of learning such as classroom, instructor led or simple printed information presentations must be removed as an option in the learning process.  Once we have taken the time to design and implement a learning process that responds to our needs, we have to ensure that learners cannot not fall back into familiar patterns of learning.  The new strategy must be championed to ensure the new learning standards are implemented effectively and that and the initiative can be measured for effectiveness of comprehension, ease of administration and return on investment.

Friday, June 1, 2012

The Basic Press Release

One of the most important lessons that beginners need to learn is that writing media releases is all about developing a persuasive communication within the framework of a traditional news story format.
Editors will quickly trash media releases that make outlandish promotional promises -- "the best ever," "everyone wins," "one-of-a-kind," "changing humankind forever." You get the idea. Instead, press release writers must think like a reporter. Media releases must follow journalistic style in order to be given any kind of consideration. How do you accomplish this task? Here's the basics.
  1. The Headline: In about ten words -- or less -- you need to grab the attention of the editor. The headline should summarize the information in the press release, but in a way that is exciting and dynamic; think of it as a billboard along a highway -- you have just a few words to make your release stand out among the many others editors receive on any given day.
  2. Opening Paragraph: Sometimes called a summary lead, your first paragraph is critical. This paragraph must explain "the five Ws and one H" of the story -- the who, what, when, where, why, and how. This paragraph must summarize the press release, with the following paragraphs providing the detail.
The opening paragraph must also contain the hook: the one thing that gets your audience interested in reading more -- but remember that the hook has to be relevant to your audience as well as to the news media. A hook is not a hard sell or a devious promotion -- it's just a factual statement.
  1. The Body: Using a strategy called the inverted pyramid, the body of the press release should be written with the most important information and quotes first. This inverted pyramid technique is used so that if editors need to cut the story to fit space constraints, they can cut from the end without losing critical information.
  2. The Closing Paragraph: Repeat the critical contact information, including the name of the person, his or her phone number and/or email address.

Something to Enhance

Add Video or Images to the press release to offer other media outlets package materials that they can use in writing articles about the content of your press release. It may cost more but it is worth it.
Include a spokesperson who is available for post-press-release interviews with the media and can speak about the contents of the press release in detail. Finally, try and i
nclude observations and comments by respected industry peers that confirm the contents of your press release.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Calling All E-Learning Champions

Video, for many years and even in this day and age was and is considered, somehow, to be the preferred means for transferring information or teaching.  Video is a static presentation offering little opportunity for the leaner to interact but it does do some things well in that it is able to illustrate things very succinctly and that is why it remains so successful.

MacDonald’s has made an empire based on consistently delivering the same product and customer service to its customers while consistently trainings their employees using video. This is an example of a training video from 1972 … seems antiquated but you might be surprised to learn that many organizations continue to use some form of video to inform customers and train staff.  

As training has progressed over the years, interactivity has been added through such programs as PowerPoint, and in-classroom instructors which offer greater learner engagement and comprehension but at a significant cost in terms of labour and time.  While the comprehension levels have increased with more hands-on  or in-classroom training  the real cost of learning has continued to escalate in recent years since learning incorporates new and different kinds of media, increasing labour costs and more in classroom technology.

. E-Learning has been around for some time, and the technology has matured and become cost effective  when compared to traditional in-classroom training  but most organizations remain entrenched in the use of legacy learning practices  and tend to defer to the IT gatekeepers to help rationalize the initiative rather than champion  its merits. Surprisingly, most organizations, who have significant learning needs such as in health care, continue to use in-classroom training, along with their video and/or PowerPoint presentation and some handouts even though they know that this method is not cost effective nor does it result in enhanced comprehension.

Recent studies have shown that E-Learning is 40 % more cost effective than in-classroom training.  This was proven by researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of Washington who confirmed that a 30 minute multimedia CPR training program was more effective at training adults between 40 and 70 years of age than the traditional 4-hour instructor led classroom training.


My own experience has taught me that one hour of E-Learning is equivalent to about 4 hours of in-classroom training.  This is a result of removing the social interaction that typically occurs in a classroom that does not contribute directly to the learning process, disruption caused by people entering or leaving the classroom, instructor’s lack of focus or preparedness and lack of consistency in the lesson plan and testing process.

By enlarge most company and organizational leaders will agree with the concept that E-learning is more cost effective and more efficient as a learning strategy …yet there seems to be little appetite by professionals organizations and businesses to employ E-Learning. True self-paced learning (E-learning) learning has been slow to be adopted despite its many advantages. This has largely been due to the demand for significant initial investment required and the ongoing need to administer and manage learning.  This boils down to the  investment in time and effort by administrators in setting up policies, procedures and long term benchmarking practices that will guide the evolution of E-Learning and maintaining records and updating content within an organization.  

Today’s E-Learning utilizes the best of video, so-called speaker support, audio narration, interactive forums, chart functions, questions & quizzes and simulations to present concepts and test your comprehension.  Video has become a tool set within the E-learning environment as have the PowerPoint presentation and other forms of media information presentation. E-learning has become fairly easy to implement and there are plenty of flavours to help organizations manage and administer E-Learning through Learning Management Systems where there isn’t a significant investment required in hardware or software and organizations can evolve into E-Learning strategy that works for them at an affordable price.

Want to learn more ..stay tuned or give me a call.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Product Knowledge & Training as a Marketing Strategy

Educating existing and potential clients on the unique benefits of a product or service or simply creating awareness for your brand is poorly understood by many companies and organizations. The process of offering your clients information that for free - they can benefit by - without a clear ROI has long been considered a benefit that only large scale organizations can afford to entertain.

This has changed dramatically as new online technologies make the process more cost effective to implement in a broader geographical marketplace. The one thing , however, that has not changed is the focus and investment that has to be made on the part of the delivering organization to ensure that the information is professional, responds to clients needs and is valued by clients.

The most cost effective manner to implement “Knowledge Training as a Marketing Strategy” is to create an interactive “on-demand” presentation or “live-event” online event.  These events help your customers understand how your products benefit them and helps recognize their unique needs through such ancillary assets as case studies, frequently asked questions and live interactive question opportunities.  Once such a marketing tool is developed it can be delivered repeatedly with little cost and can be revised to respond to changing customer needs.  In this discussion I will focus on the “Live Event:” scenario but many of the same steps apply to the “on-demand” scenario.

The 11 steps to “Knowledge Training as a Marketing Strategy” are as follows:
  1. Define one product or service that will define your brand in the marketplace
  2. Write it down in a brief overview - the features and benefits and the “how-to’s”
  3. Develop one statement defines the unique selling feature or allows the client to relate to your message best
  4. Visualize: how this story can be made easier to understand through video, images, simulations, etc.
  5. Determine if this can be passive interactive information or live interactive information online
  6. Consider a budget for marketing channels: this tends to be online - complemented by other mediums
  7. Create a marketing plan & database for the live event:  PR, e-mail, print awareness, follow-up, etc
  8. Create a database to capture contact info: use existing database, online invitations, meetings, calls, etc.
  9. Define who are the players in implementing a live event online: script the event from beginning to end
  10. Determine what assets: such as images, video, documents, interactivity, questions, etc
  11. Pre-plan and implement follow up on the event with phone calls, e-mails, in person presentations
The only drawback to producing such “Knowledge Training as a Marketing Strategy” events is that you do have to focus resources on developing a complete professional presentation to maximize effectiveness. However, this is an elegant solution that allows small and medium sized businesses to reach into the marketplace like never before. The cost of acquiring (qualified) contacts, developing the media event and following up can be managed easily and can be very cost effective.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Trade Shows...is your USF Showing?

We’ve all read the many articles that offer tips and strategies for taking advantage of conferences or trade shows. Newsflash - most of this information is either inaccurate or just plain wrong.  These obvious strategies can range from recommending, “Use a Prize Draw or Contest” to, “Make sure you’re your booth is staffed at all times.”

While some of these tips can be useful if you are just getting started, they remain very basic and do little to differentiate you from your competitors. Trade shows and conferences will often have displays lined up, aisle after aisle; each jammed into a small space; each with its own colours. It can all be very confusing to visitors. For many of us the cost of registration, creating a display, allocating the time from a busy schedule, delivery and set-up and the cost of marketing before and after the trade show can be overwhelming.

As a result we don’t take the time to understand why people are attending, what they want to learn, and what attracts them to one display versus another. The psychology of trade shows and conference attendees crosses many boundaries and there are as many reasons for visiting as there are visitors; but one factor that is common to all attendees …the Human Factor. In the final analysis, a trade show or conference display is still primarily about…one-to-one selling with a focus on your USF!

Your Unique Selling Feature (USF) is the inalienable truth about your product or service that creates demand. This is what separates you from your competitors; and it helps create a focused message and profile for your company or product. One clear message, sparse text in large fonts and dramatic images that tell a story can bring a clear focus to your message.

Preparing a focused message means research before you attend the trade show or conference. It means taking the time to understand your customer’s challenges and distilling them down into a single statement on your display that engages them as they walk by. This lets them know that you understand their need and are not just trying to push product. If you’ve done everything right, the customer stops at your display - now what?

Having experienced, knowledgeable staff at the display that are passionate about the products and services is extremely important. Perhaps even more important is ensuring that the people you have at your display know how to listen. As David Ogilvy (Advertising Icon) once said “we are not selling ¾" drill bits . . .we are selling holes.” What he meant was that it is our responsibility to sell solutions and to do this we need to listen and ask probing questions that will help us understand a potential customer's challenges. Once we understand the challenges we can then propose solutions from our products and services that are tailored to overcoming challenges for each customer.

Taking notes while speaking with prospective clients can be an asset but it often leaves them feeling left out. Making good eye contact and engaging one customer at a time in a meaningful discussion can be far more effective than having many visitors flowing through your display, picking up trinkets. Staff who are attending a display should be able to provide notes for follow up at the end of the day. It is always a good idea to debrief after a trade show session and discuss each encounter and their prospective potential for your company. Often a gut feeling about a client can be just as dynamic as detailed notes. In a recent book, entitled “Blink”, Malcolm Gladwell discusses the concept of choices that are made in an instant. He brings together a number of research studies to help define the strength of the gut reaction in the decision making process. Make sure the trade show booth is staffed with experienced people – not just junior stand-ins!  

Another fallacy in trade shows and conferences is that the displays with the most traffic are perceived as more effective. The total number of potential visitors does not often support effective strategies at a trade show because it is not about the quantity of visitors to your display but the quality. You may go to a show and only get several visitors but if they are the right visitors they may help increase your sales significantly.
Consistent and timely follow up will help determine the ROI on your trade show. This, along with a marketing strategy that combines a well-maintained web site, professional collateral materials and frequent if not strategic ad placement make all the difference. A large client is always harder to bring to the table and takes much longer to do business with you as their business cycle can often take 1 – 2 years and so needs to be exposed to your consistent message over a longer period of time through a variety of mediums.
Is it luck when you finally land that large client – perhaps not – remember that luck is the combination of preparation and opportunity!

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Window of Opportunity

A window of opportunity can take many shapes and forms and can have impact on a company’s destiny regardless of where that company is in its lifecycle. As businesses we are always seeking to take advantage of some opportunity either through an innovation in a product or service, a trend in the marketplace or a change in the forces that regulate the marketplace.

Each of these can have a ripple effect and catapult a company to success but as with any window, the opening is narrow and the opportunity brief. To benefit from the “Window of Opportunity” we first of all have to be looking for it – ready to change and rise to meet the challenge of that opportunity. This means in part that we have to ensure that we are scanning the horizon (this is where your SWOT Analysis “comes in) . This simple SWOT chart provides us with the parameters for scanning that horizon.


By embracing change and understanding that a company has to evolve in the marketplace just as its customers must evolve we can begin to evaluate the potential windows of opportunity. Equally important is that we also have to understand that as people it is our natural tendency to avoid change and to embrace clear predictable patterns especially in business given its turbulent nature.

The most important component in the process in scanning for these “Windows of Opportunity” is understanding how your company, product or service can evolve to respond to marketplace demands. You must have clear understanding of your current company, products, services - features and benefits and how they meet the needs of your clients. This coupled with a change in the forces that shape the marketplace can offer ideas and unique solutions that can be adopted into your product or service design.

Some clues to identifying "Windows of Opportunity" can often be seen in some of the most obvious places. These can include traditional news media, online trend magazines and directly from the mouth of your client. A combination of these and other indicators will provide you with some insight into changes affecting your clients and how they use your product or services.

In more than 25 years of marketing I can’t say I have ever witnessed a client directly advising a provider or supplier to change a product or service to better respond to their needs. This may occur but only when the client/supplier relationship is so integrated that it become more difficult to supplant the existing supplier. Often, there is an alternate provider who has already seen the opportunity and is only too ready to fill the client’s requirement and displace your company as the supplier of choice. To take advantage of the "Window of Opportunity" you have to be ready to change your business model (and in some cases dramatically) to respond to those changing needs.

The idea that the "Window of Opportunity" is short is very important, since it suggests that you have a very limited time frame in which to act. Developing a plan, incorporating good advice from business advisors, gauging the client’s appetite for the evolution of your product or service and actually making changes that will affect company production and personal at the ground level in your organization all take time. This usually suggests months rather than weeks or years to take advantage of the "Window of Opportunity".

This applies to new and innovative technology even more so. New technologies today are eclipsed very quickly and the new technology that was a “have-to-have” just a few months ago could be old hat tomorrow. One final point, don’t over consult about this – rapid change usually is a result of one person’s vision because they have their finger on the pulse of clients and they have to champion the idea through the process. This is where the old adage of “no pain – no gain”, can be applied very effectively but it can be the difference between closing a business down and becoming a viable business in a very difficult business climate.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Channel Marketing

“Horizontal, vertical or multi - your clients want it. Are you giving it to them?”

Regardless of the type of business you manage, you are already using some form of marketing channel. The question is, “are you doing it as effectively and profitably as possible?”

What is a channel?
In the broadest sense, a marketing channel is a process for making a product or service available to a specific group of potential customers. A channel can be simple or complex. It can be organized in a horizontal, vertical, or a combination. If you are providing your services directly to clients you are operating the simplest, and most common, channel - a direct-marketing channel. You may not feel the need for more ways to reach your clients. But they may need more ways to reach you! The two most common channel arrangements are known as horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal marketing channels
Horizontal channels are formed when two or more unrelated providers put their resources together to capture a market opportunity. An example of horizontal channel marketing is H&R Block offering tax preparation inside department stores such as Sears, Roebuck & Co. Another might be a software developer and an accounting firm teaming up to provide custom products for clients that neither could provide alone.

Vertical marketing channels
Vertical channels exist when members in a marketing channel cooperate to maximize the gain of the entire channel rather than just their portion of it. One H&R Block channel uses offices to extend its customer base at lowered costs. In fact, of Block’s 8,923 offices, 45% were operated by franchisees.

How do you decide on a channel strategy?
You can use as many channels as possible to reach clients. But beware. A trap that many firms fall into is when a firm tries to be, “Everything to Everyone Everywhere.” Don’t try to provide the same level-of-service options through every channel. Instead first assess your client’s needs and adopt only those channels and services that provide value to clients, complement each other, and contribute to profitability. A service firm may develop a channel strategy where one channel is used to deliver the service (in person tax preparation or other services), another channel to dispense general advice and information (on-line contact information, tax organizers, forms, deduction guidelines or product reviews) and yet another to offer customers general and/or specific advice and information (telephone).

The Internet as a Channel
Today innovations in technology and the Internet are allowing large and small businesses to evolve from static “bricks and mortar” operations to dynamic “bricks and clicks” enterprises. One of the most important considerations in utilizing the internet as a key component of a channel strategy is that consumers, empowered by richer and greater amounts of information accessible online, increasingly drive and control the exchange process. This demands greater focus on resources and support for the development of this channel strategy, responding to its more fluid nature

How do you decide which channel is best?
Given the number of marketing channel options, how do you decide which is best for your practice? In Marketing Management, Philip Kotler suggests three channel evaluation criteria.

Economic – Each channel type will produce different sales results for different costs. As a result, some channels will provide a higher return on investment for a low volume of sales and other channels will provide a higher return on investment for a high volume of sales.
Control – With an in-house sales force there is more control over skills, training, and marketing approach than with a contract sales force.
Adaptive – In periods where the marketing environment changes rapidly, marketing channels must be able to adapt equally rapidly to these conditions. Compare the adaptive ability of the content on a web page to that in a brochure.

Conclusion
Marketing channels are an important part of any marketing plan. However, the appropriate channel type and combination of channels for your practice depends on your clients’ needs, your objectives for the channel, and the resources you make available to manage these channels.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Challenging …. a Client

Many of us have experienced a challenging relationship - as client or supplier. I will address the issue from the supplier side but I am sure each of us has experienced both sides of the relationship at one time or another!

We are invited to develop marketing or advertising materials and as such we undertake a thorough and professionals review of the company we are trying to help. We spend time researching products, services, customers, company culture, etc., and we then present creative ideas or marketing programs that respond to the needs identified by the client.

Ultimately the client simply disregards what we have presented and decides arbitrarily how they want to proceed. The client, in their position of authority as the payee on the project decides that they will forge their own creative or the details of the marketing program, regardless of the logic presented.

It happens a great deal and the size of the company or the project has little to do with it. Left brain people tend to be those in charge of companies or organization because of their business acumen and linear reasoning skills. Marketing and advertising tend to use a more creative lateral thinking process and as result make more use of right brain thinking.

Challenging a client to move beyond linear reasoning and understand the need to tap into the emotions of their customers is an important part of the success in a creative project. Convincing clients that they need to look at their products, not from their own needs, but from those of their clients is one of the most difficult demands of a marketing project if it is to be successful. I would take the time here to define success as not just getting paid for the project. Success for marketing or advertising must be defined by the success the client realizes through sales and customer awareness.

If you are defining your success on any project based by getting paid by the client then you are not truly a marketing or advertising professional. You have to be prepared to walk away from a client – to stand behind your convictions, your research and creative intuition, if you and your client are to be successful in any marketing initiative.

Walking away from a client or standing firm on an idea based on sound logic will result in one of two things – losing the client or gaining the trust of the client. Let’s take a quick look at “losing the client”. I would suggest that losing a client who seeks to implement their ideas of marketing on a project, to the detriment of the project are often clients who are more concerned about cost and the certainty of their own perceptions in marketing. Typically the relationship with this kind of client thinking is short and there is little opportunity for a relationship to grow beyond this current project. Often you will spend more time and effort satisfying this kind of thinking with poor results. “Gaining Trust” based on mutual respect has many positive benefits in terms of a longer term relationships, repeat business and the success of the project - not to mention the satisfaction you feel when your ideas prove to make your client more successful.

When is it time to stand up and be counted? Well that all depends on the preparation you have undertaken to ensure that your ideas are sound and the client understands the ideas and the research that supports those ideas. Working with clients that want to work with you based on a mutual respect of roles and knowledge is the key to a successful relationship and a successful project.