Consulting Growth

Want to stay in touch with your clients, build your and your firm's reputation, and have people tell you when they're ready to work with you? A newsletter is a great way to do it. That's exactly what Michael Katz does: email marketing and email newsletters for small professional services firms. He's an email expert, having sent his first email newsletter in 1999. In this episode of Consulting Growth, Michael talks about how his approach to email marketing, including: * How to build an email marketing program at your firm * Where your first list of contacts comes from, and why you're ready to launch your newsletter now * How to generate content ideas for a full year * Steps you can take to outsource your newsletter, without trading off quality * How often you should send, and how you can extend the life of your email newsletter far beyond the inbox You can visit Michael Katz's website [https://www.michaelkatz.com] or sign up for his newsletter here [https://bluepenguindevelopment.com/free/].

Leadership, like personalities, comes in different shapes and sizes. Introversion or extroversion is not about how shy or social you are; it is about how you derive your energy. Introverted leaders who struggle with communication, succeed when they understand the underlying needs and benefits for those they lead. Today, our guest is Tom Yorton of Shyne Advisors. Tom works with introverted leaders in order to help them develop the skills to become better leaders and become their true selves in the process. In this episode, we'll be talking about: -What does it mean to use the conventions of media and entertainment to reach our audiences more effectively -Other ways on how can an introvert leader communicate more effectively and more interesting -How can you make yourself memorable through communication Technological advances continue to accelerate and are driving change in business. Most introverts embrace new technology as an ally and use it to advance their leadership position over peers and competitors. Introverts tend to be naturally quiet.  That can make them good listeners and allow other people’s voices into the conversation.  But people need a word from you from time to time; in order to communicate, other introvert leaders use the conventions of media and entertainment to reach our audiences. Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. Also, the best leader is not an introvert or an extrovert. The best leader is someone who can inspire, motivate, and enable others to act. Introverts can be great leaders, as long as they use their natural abilities wisely and use strategies to overcome the challenges inherent in their personality preference. Mentioned in this episode: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain [https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352153] Shyne Advisors [https://www.shyneadvisors.com/] tomyorton@shyneadvisors.com [tomyorton@shyneadvisors.com%20]

A brand’s purpose should be the center of attention in order to gain success. A brand with a strong purpose not only helps the overall good of society but also helps customers know what they stand for through purpose-driven brand actions. In a world in which consumers can quickly find out if a brand is acting on their promise, it is crucial for brands to be transparent, create connections and a strong relevance with their consumers. Today, our guest is Betsy Henning - Marketing Director of AHA Marketing Agency. AHA is a strategy and creative agency that combines "conventional" marketing with deep knowledge of corporate responsibility to help purpose-driven brands connect more deeply with their audiences and accelerate their success. They also helped clients like Johnson & Johnson, Charles Schwab, and many others, narrow down and hone their purpose. In this episode, we'll be talking about: 1. What it was like to get buy-in and its obstacle 2. Creating expectations and how does that relate to your brand 3. Why account management is the key in a project based agency 4. Qualities of an account manager who can develop business on a regular basis Your audience care about how you can help them. Think about your brand and how you want people to feel when they interact with it. Make sure to infuse everything you do with intention and get your audience excited about working with you. There’s no substitute for competence. As an agency specializing in brand purpose, account managers are responsible to communicate with clients regarding their goals, plans, and challenges. Account managers are industry experts who can help clients with their brand purpose. With literally thousands of brands launching every day, it’s challenging for brands to have a unique point of difference. Particularly when it comes to the functional attributes of a product. Sure, consumers consider quality, perceived value, price, and packaging when looking at new products, but often they are looking for something that will make a meaningful impact on their lives. In other words, often they are looking for a brand with purpose. A brand with a purpose delivers genuine value to consumers by standing for something consumers care about. Mentioned in this episode: Get over yourself: Debunking 3 communication myths [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-over-yourself-debunking-3-communication-myths-betsy-henning/] Drawdown by Paul Hawken [https://www.audible.com/pd/Drawdown-Audiobook/B071VQ7K5Q?ds_rl=1262685&ds_rl=1263561&ds_rl=1260658&mkwid=DSAINTTitle_dc&pcrid=239333741509&pmt=b&pkw=&source_code=GO1GBSH07271690CB&cvosrc=ppc%20dynamic%20search.google.634950925&cvo_crid=239333741509&cvo_pid=33581432409&gclid=CjwKCAjwqfDlBRBDEiwAigXUaG6fOB0wGU9mnVPHTRQ1NN3djwW5dJ1zcpknwNpZTXWwjKxmq51QvhoCHpAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds] Johnson & Johnson [https://www.jnj.com/] Charles Schwab [https://www.schwab.com/] betsy.henning@ahainc.com [betsy.henning@ahainc.com]

There is an increasing body of evidence that diverse teams of varying racial and ethnic makeup produce better results. They perform better financially, gain a competitive edge when recruiting top talent, experience less employee turnover, and offer greater benefits for those they serve. Today, our guest is Elena Christopoulos. A very busy consultant who builds project teams and bring diversity to her team. She also applied diversity in her political career. And she believed strongly in promoting diversity. In this episode, we'll be talking about: * What impact does diversity have on your bottom-line * What does diversity mean * Pointers for people who are developing ad-hoc teams in order to develop the team and then create cohesion and collaboration on the team quickly To succeed in building a diverse team you need to make it a key, long-term priority for management, and something that the organization as a whole explicitly strives for. We see diversity as something that is complex and holistic, a concept that’s constantly evolving. A diverse team brings together different skills, personalities, and perspectives, resulting in fresh ideas and smarter problem-solving. A diverse team looks like the real world and is more aligned with an increasingly diverse and global customer base. The key is determining how to harness the power of diverse thought. It can make the difference between a team being barely capable of working together and one that can strengthen your business. Mentioned in this episode: Project Drawdown [https://www.amazon.com/Drawdown-Comprehensive-Proposed-Reverse-Warming/dp/0143130447/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=project+drawdown&qid=1553546589&s=gateway&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=liston00-20&linkId=638515ae94de9b5c3f84335d6661b70f] Slack [http://www.slack.com] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com] ElenaChristopoulos.com [http://elenachristopoulos.com]

One of the most powerful ways to establish authority is through thought leadership. It is all about sharing ideas, insights and valuable information to your target audience with the goal of solving their problem and improve lives. Being a respected expert is essential in new customer acquisition and retention. Acting as a visionary expert makes it possible to build a reputation within a certain field and forges a relationship of trust. In this episode, we'll be talking about: * How to nurture authority in other people * Difference of point of view and writing * How to apply thought leadership in your business * Benefits of an established authority Thought leadership content can’t just be “pretty good.” When you create something engineered for thought leadership, it needs to say something — it needs to highlight your authority. By communicating through thought leadership you become part of the conversation, early in the consumer journey. You allow your audience to get to know you. Thought leaders seize every opportunity to showcase expertise and knowledge along the way. By doing so, consumers use their product and services. A leader is steadfast in beliefs, consistent in messaging, and diligent in creating and sharing content. In other words, they must be committed. Consistency is a key component to establishing a reputation as an authority and building the trust that comes with that reputation. Mentioned in this episode: Modern Sales Ep063: How to Build Authority [https://www.notion.so/lwc/Bob-Lalasz-76a4b8f35a674804af27cd60fd154677] Thought Leadership Marketing for the Subject Matter Expert [https://hingemarketing.com/blog/story/thought-leadership-marketing-for-the-subject-matter-expert] The Business of Authority Podcast [https://www.thebusinessofauthority.com/]