Let’s start with a look at a June 2014 Inc. article about Lolly Wolly Doodle (LWD), a children’s clothing company. In 2010, CEO Brandi Temple tested new children’s wear designs on the LWD Facebook page and gauged fans response. If the sample tested well they would manufacture the clothing designs to meet those orders and ship to their customers. In the brand’s early days, the CEO interacted with her customers via Facebook and responded to customer wishes for colors and style variations. She grew the company slowly and her audience helped by also posting images of their children in the cute outfits from LWD. It all grew word of mouth by moms posting on Facebook. Now the company has over $10 million in sales and 946,462 likes on their Facebook page. Lolly Wolly Doodle has no brick and mortar store or online presence other than the Facebook page and the website.

This is a good story for the first suggestion:

1. Make sure you have a social presence. Expand your brand conversation online via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social platforms to connect your brand with your audience and listen and learn from their feedback. This takes time. Post some test messages targeted at one or more of your audience groups, learn from the response and adjust your posts. Also, use industry data to your advantage. For instance, we know that over 93% of the millennial generation have purchased a product after hearing about it from a family member or friend. And over 41% then talk about it online. So listen carefully to what is being said online – you want to have a conversation and be a resource for your customers. And make it easy for customers to do business with you by offering free shipping. Currently, 47% of online transactions use free-shipping to keep those customers coming back. ¹

2. Participate in the mobile conversation. Studies show having a strong social relationship with your customers online is important but it’s also important that you keep in mind that your target audience may be viewing their social and internet pages via a mobile device rather than their desktop. According to a speech given by Mary Meeker of KPCB at the recent Internet Trends 2014 Code Conference, 19% of internet page views in North America (global web usage is at 25%) are initiated by a mobile device. It is also predicted that 50% of all online sales will come from social and mobile by 2015.²

3. Build a website that is mobile friendly. Now that you have engaged with your customers online and understood that each day, more users will be looking at your site via a tablet or Smartphone your company should have a mobile or responsive website. If a website is difficult to navigate, those viewers will go elsewhere. That adds up to lost opportunity and lost revenue. A good user experience – via any device – is key to expanding your brand, retaining users on your website and ultimately, converting those users into customers.

20% of mobile users are viewing with a screen resolution as small as 320 x 480 pixels. A responsive or mobile web site is needed for these smaller screen sizes and allows the user to have a better experience when navigating with their finger instead of their mouse.

So remember….

Be social – Present your brand as contemporary and current. Study your social pages and respond to your customers online. If they are reaching out with questions or comments, build on that relationship.

Be mobile – Make adjustments to increase user interaction and keep them coming back to your site as a resource.

Be responsive -Analyze how users interact with your website. Review analytics to determine what types of devices are used to access your site and the pages they visit. If your audience is on-the-go and needs information quickly then it makes sense to make the move to a responsive or mobile site.

By staying on top of trends and listening to your customer your bottom line will respond.

1. Adweek, August 11, 2014 issue

2. Inc. June 2014 issue

The post Mobilize Your Brand, It Pays Off appeared first on Portent.

That’s why we have full bands and, furthermore, the production and management crew that all help make a spectacular show possible. Portent is the same. Our strong team works together to provide our clients with fantastic full service that keeps them coming back for more!

As mentioned earlier, you can impress with a single display of amazing talent. However, with the right people alongside you, something greater can emerge and possibly go supernova! This doesn’t just apply to concerts and Portent. Everyone can benefit from solid teamwork.

The Band Members

The Front Man (or Woman)

The lead guitarist or singer is usually the first to be recognized or remembered in a typical rock band. These members are generally the “front man” who serves as the face and voice of the band.

Without a front man, there is an uncomfortable amount of room for a chance at a PR nightmare. Kind of sounds like an Account Manager, right?

We rely on Account Managers to clearly express who we are and what we’re doing for current and potential clients (who’re practically the audience).

The Drummer

When I ask non-musician friends what comes to mind when they think of rock drummers the response is often along the lines of “frantic people with sticks”. This is partially true.
While it may seem that drummers are just banging on drums and making noise, from experience I can tell you they are really the key to keeping in time and are crucial when it comes to determining where you are in a song.

Like the drummer, Project Managers are (while doing four things at once) keeping everyone at a steady pace.

The Producers and Accompaniment

Big bands often hire a very reputable producer or songwriter. It would be very overwhelming for any one person to write music for each instrument, the lyrics, and focus on mastering your part while teaching others. That is, unless they were already a master at their creative craft. That’s where these specialists come in.

They create the music for the band to perform for the audience. There are numerous famous bands out there that would cease to exist if it weren’t for their producers. There are, however, a good number of songwriters who still perform out there. That’s the kind of talent our subject matter experts have.

Whether it’s our PPC, SEO, or Content team, we’d be at a complete loss without them. Not only do we have them produce brilliant work, but they also act as consultants both to us and to our clients.

Band or business, there’d be nothing for anyone to do if there’s no substance or strategy to work with.

The Stage Production

Even if the music is great, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the show is going to be great. That’s where stage production comes into play. The stage production crew consists of artists, engineers, and directors who all work to incorporate a spectacular display and atmosphere in tandem with musicians. These range from light shows and motion graphics to stage props and costumes. This provides great assistance to the image and persona of the band.

Our Creative team is comprised of talented artists, engineers, and directors who specialize in a variety of trades and services. Just look at the Portent website, it’s pretty snazzy. When our clients need something that “wows” their target audiences, we have faith in our Creative team to do just that and more.

The Managers

Sometimes, being a master of your own craft is not enough to successfully turn it into a business. This is why we have managers. Gigs, budgets, and the big picture are what they provide their bands. Imagine what a manager could do if they were also experts in performing music. They’d be able to keep everyone on track with the long term goals and offer guidance.

We don’t have to imagine. Our leadership team consists of some of the most knowledgeable professionals in their industry. At the end of the day, they are the ones credited with keeping the band a cohesive unit.

The PR

Need to get word out about a new album? Want to make sure as many people as possible know about your book? Get PR on the line. These folks excel at the right kind of marketing, reputation, and public awareness. The results are bigger crowds, more sales, and more recommendations.

We have people who do that for us through means of social media with superb outreach. I present our social media team! Sure, Facebook is a product that millions of people know how to use, but how many people truly know the ins and outs and how that affects business? I can name a few off the top of my head because I see those folks here at Portent. I have personally learned how much more intricate social media can really be after speaking to the experts here. It goes beyond the stage AND the page.

The Roadies

Last but not least, I’d like to talk about what I believe relates closest to what I do here at portent. In all my time that I’ve performed as a guitarist, I was really lucky to have a roadie for a couple of months. Roadies are the backstage people who prepare things for the performers. These things include setting up the gear, assisting the sound and light masters, and providing support to the performers so they may rock the crowd as best as they can.

That’s where I come in. Whether it’s project support, technical support, or building a tool that can help background tasks running more efficiently. Although I’m not standing in the lime light, I get to watch the Portent teams “wow” their clients and have the satisfaction that I’m a key element of this band.

The post If Portent Were a Band: It’s All About the Hair appeared first on Portent.

Building relationships and strengthening interpersonal dynamics is essential to Internet marketing – but it’s also at the core of every industry, job, and facet of our personal lives. This makes building relationships important, and sometimes our lives depend on it… (Insert scary movie score here.)

While horror movie aficionados recognize that there are certain rules you must abide by in order to survive a horror movie, they probably missed out on the fact that – amongst the unearthly creatures, masked psychopaths, and gore – most classic horror movies can teach us something about interpersonal dynamics too.

For example, even scientists in a research station in Antarctica need to know about building relationships. These researchers need to understand each other and work cohesively if they’re going to make any notable discoveries. Also, if they have strong relationships, they will notice fairly quickly that their co-workers are being taken over by an alien life form. If these scientists had formed more meaningful relationships, there might have been a lower body count in The Thing.

Here are five ways that we can apply horror movie rules to building relationships.

1. Scream: Never say – I’ll be right back

As Randy points out in the film, you should never say “I’ll be right back,” because chances are you won’t be back – EVER. While, saying this phrase in real life probably won’t get you accosted by a masked killer, this type of phrase may unwittingly alienate people.

Whether you email, skywrite, or utter phrases such as “I’ll be right back,” “I’ll call you right back,” or “I’ll send the deliverable soon,” the outcome can be extremely frustrating for the recipient. Why would this be frustrating? Because the timing you’re alluding to in all of these phrases is extremely vague.

Everyone has different perceptions of time, which is why more often than not these phrases unintentionally incite hurt feelings and misunderstandings. For example, my mom will tell me “I’ll call you right back” and I hear from her 6 hours later. I clearly wasn’t expecting the return call to take so long, and she is generally baffled by my exasperation and the policemen at her door.

Instead of leaving timing vague, give people an exact date or time to expect things by. The timing doesn’t have to be to assigned an hour, minute, or second, but there does have to be some universal measurement. For example, if my mom had said “I’ll call you back in a few hours,” I would have been much more prepared and happy when she finally called me back.

2. Nightmare on Elm Street: Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep

Falling asleep in class, in a hospital, or pretty much anywhere can spell trouble in a scary movie. Sleeping may lead to nightmares where you’re running from a man with finger knives and a ratty striped sweater. As a rule, you’re pretty much doomed – not even Nancy survived Dream Warriors.

Falling asleep when interacting with others in real life usually won’t end in death – well not physical death, anyway.  However, it can lead to social death, or the slow death of a relationship.

Good relationships are built on good communication, and being an active listener in conversations is a large part of good communication. This is a key skill in interacting with others and showing them that you value what they’re saying.

3. Friday the 13^th: Don’t run into the woods alone

If you hear a noise and wander into the woods alone to check out the source of that noise – you’re probably a goner. At least, in a horror movie. You’d probably end up being chased by a hockey-mask-wearing maniac, and no matter how fast you run, he’ll eventually catch you.

The lesson that we can glean from this in real life is all about collaboration. When you have the benefit of others’ ideas and experiences – never go it alone. The ideas that come out of a brainstorming session will be different and perhaps better than the ones you come up with by yourself.

I’m not saying you can’t be an independent thinker, but relying on yourself too much can make your ideas a bit stale; eventually you will end up hitting a wall. Plus, collaboration not only lets you learn from others, it also lets you learn about others, and in turn helps to build a productive relationship.

4. Halloween: Don’t turn your back on people

Being ignored is irritating, and while most of us don’t don a William Shatner mask and seek out our estranged families for revenge, we are likely to express our frustrations in other ways that can be destructive. For example, the evolution of social media started in part because there was a large communication gap between customers and corporations.  And blogs such as Comcast Must Die came into existence because customers were tired of the poor customer service they were getting.

When brands turn their backs on customers, they start to lose revenue and turn promoters into detractors. Not having a good user experience on your site, not communicating appropriately to your customers, and not making quality products are a few of the ways that brands disappoint their customers. There are many ways to avoid this scenario, particularly with the emergence of social media.

1. Communicate with your customers where they spend time online (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).
2. Listen to what users are telling you they want. Social monitoring and analytics are great ways to find out what your customers are saying about your product, and ways they believe you can improve.
3. Improve the user experience on your site. Utilize tools like Crazy Egg or Google Consumer Surveys in order to get information about what’s working for them on your site and what’s not.

5. Poltergeist: Avoid building on a burial ground

It’s important to build relationships on solid foundations. Even though the Freelings made the potentially fatal error of moving into a house that was built on an ancient burial ground, they were saved by their ability to make and sustain good relationships with people (well, the ones who were still alive).  After all, I’m pretty sure they would’ve been in trouble if no one was there to yell, “Don’t go toward the light Carol Anne!” The family’s relationship with medium Tangina was so good she followed them through three movies!

A healthy foundation (such as the one between the Freeling family and Tangina) is built on communication, follow through, and trust. Building these elements into a new relationship is incredibly important, whether it be a friendship, working relationship, or another type of relationship. Building healthy habits and establishing trust will save your relationships when there are bumps in the night – or road.

For example, something unexpected happens and you have to tell your client that a deliverable is going to be late. If you’ve built a strong foundation by being transparent, honest, and reliable, this won’t be as big of an issue as it would be if you didn’t have a previously established rapport.

On the other hand, the same news coming from a person who is consistently late and doesn’t communicate very well will breed frustration. This frustration may build and eventually the relationship will end. Put in the time and effort now to ensure you’re not haunted by inaction later.

All of the “rules” that we’ve covered are basic guidelines to building and maintaining relationships. There is nothing new in these concepts, but we sometimes overlook these best practices in everyday life. Shortcuts are rarely the answer to building affinity with others. Plus, putting in work now can make things easier on you later.

So the next time you’re struggling with your interpersonal skills and your relationships are suffering, go watch a horror movie – you may actually learn something.

Is there a really obvious horror movie metaphor I have missed? Let me know in the comments!

The post The Horror Movie Guide to Building Relationships appeared first on Portent.

As such, I find myself in all manner of situations, solving all manner of problems.  Below is a sampling of some of the hats I wear on any given day.

I’m a Relationship Consultant.

I develop relationships with internal and external team members. I get to know what they like, who they are and how to communicate with them. I listen to their desires, ideas and suggestions, converting their wants into actualities.

I’m a Researcher.

Any good client-agency relationship depends on knowing a client’s products, services and customers. Extensive research allows me to help our clients grow their businesses, reach their goals and get to the next level. I ask myself: “Why did traffic go up on this day?” “What caused the spike in conversions?” “Why are visitors spending less than 1 minute on the page?” It is important to anticipate these client questions and prepare answers before they actually ask.

I’m a Teacher.

After gathering research, I explain to the client how we can help.  At Portent, we pride ourselves on articulating our strategies and processes to the client, inviting them to understand every step of what we do.  Educating clients about the reasoning behind the things we are doing helps everyone make better decisions. I’m also a teacher/educator to the internal team, connecting them to the client and giving them better tools to achieve client objectives.

I’m a Task Manager.

By breaking elements of a project into manageable chunks, we deliver high quality work in an efficient and timely manner.  I ensure things don’t slip through the cracks via tracking and regular catch-up meetings with team members. This part of the job is less about “do this task” than focusing our resources to accomplish client goals. Our teams work on a lot of projects, so managing company time and tasks is essential.

I’m an Interpreter.

SEO, PPC, Link Authority, keyword rich text links, non-branded vs organic visits, klout, hashtags, bit.ly, content strategy, and many more. These are in my vocabulary every day. If you aren’t in Internet Marketing, you may not know what these terms are. I have to know. I teach and share these terms with clients.

I’m a Crisis Consultant.

Crisis is defined in Wikipedia as: any event that is, or expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community or whole society. It can mean different things to different clients. Be it an all-hands-on-deck, four-alarm fire, or merely an inconvenient bump in the road, my role is to assess the crisis and adjust appropriately.

This “hat” list is hardly exhaustive. It seems that every day brings new challenges – the good kind, and the not-so-good.  But being an Account Strategist is never boring and the payoff of seeing a client grow makes it more than worthwhile.

The post Hat Trick: How Account Strategists Do It All appeared first on Portent.

In order to manage internet marketing projects well, a project manager often has to channel the ways of our furry and feathered friends. Here are just a few I try to use in my daily routine:

Communicate Like an Elephant

“My, what big ears you have. The better to listen to you my dear.” Image courtesy of anniekatec.blogspot.com

Let’s take a cue from our elephant friends. Not only are they excellent listeners, they send each other clear, succinct signals when action must be taken. Imagine if elephants wasted time on details. “So, there are these humans hanging around in the bushes. I wonder what they want? Anyway, I just thought I’d let you know. Hey, wanna meet for lunch by the watering hole on Friday?”

They get to the point because they have to. “Crazy humans with big pointy things! RUN!”

As a project manager, I should:

• Keep it short and to the point (bullets are super helpful, as I’m demonstrating here)
• Ask questions up front. If I make someone read through an entire email before they finally find my request at the bottom, I’ll not only annoy them, I’ll be wasting their time. In project management, there’s no greater sin than wasting others’ time.

Keep Watch Like a Hawk

A hawk’s vision is equivalent to 20/5. This means that what most people can see at 5 feet, the hawk can see with the same clarity, from 20 feet away.

Nothing escapes this guy’s watchful gaze. Image courtesy of bradwilke via Flickr

What does this mean in project management?

• Attentiveness. Pay attention. To everything. All. The. Time.
• Foresight. Recognize upcoming search trends, and take action before the volume reaches its peak
• Be a surveyor. Know exactly what each person on the project is doing. When they’re doing it. And when they’re delivering.

The hawk is a predator. That’s no secret. I don’t intend to create a perfect analogy here, because let’s face it, if I walked into meetings with talons on full display, ready to claw my co-workers into submission, I wouldn’t gain a whole lot of allies. Instead, I try to think of project management as a leadership position in the forest that is internet marketing. I survey the forest floor for opportunities and potential blockades. Then, I use my vantage point to address them with the same authority our feathered hunters project.

Commit Like a Penguin

Ever see March of the Penguins? If you have, you know where I’m going with this. If not, I’ll get you up to speed.

Emperor Penguins literally work as a team to look after their incubating egg. Once the female lays the egg, using her feet she carefully transfers it to the male, who in turn keeps it warm by holding it tucked between his belly and the tops of his feet. The lady penguin then takes off for two months to feed. When she returns, the egg has likely hatched and the male penguin returns the baby to the mother’s care.

Why does this matter? Here’s the deal: marketing projects won’t work unless everyone involved is fully committed and shares an equitable role in ensuring a successful outcome.

As a project manager, I should be:

• Fully briefing my internal teams on the client’s goals, and checking in frequently to see that our deliverables are meeting those goals.
• Building consensus and buy-in. If the team doesn’t agree that an infographic is the way to go, the quality of our deliverable will suffer. And the project’s progress will slow to a crawl.
• Delegating. A project isn’t just my baby. It’s everyone’s baby. Sharing responsibilities leads to a well executed strategy, or in our analogy, a healthy little Antarctic waddle-bird.

There are no deadbeat dads in the world of Emperor Penguins. Don’t be your web project’s equivalent.

Got any other animalian analogies? Comment below with your suggestions!

The post Herding Cats and Other Animalian Project Management Analogies appeared first on Portent.