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.

Over the years, however, I’ve developed some project management skills that have come in very handy with the little one.  Below are five of the biggest.

1. Write it down, somewhere

Parental brain exists. Whether it is due to lack of sleep or too many to-dos, you can’t remember everything. So write it down.

I use Evernote for my client agendas, recaps, and things I need to remember. I also create shopping lists, make journals for what I want my daughter to learn someday, plan parties that may or may not happen, and generally ramble.

2. Plan in extra time

Ever since a long-term client told me how much she appreciated me being early to meetings, I’ve made it one of the things I just do. If I am late, or even on time, I feel terrible. And so far, there have been only a handful of times with my newborn that I’ve been late. I actually remember more times where I’ve been early, with husband and daughter in tow, and have arrived before my friends/family with no kids! How do I do this?

Well, at work, I give myself 15 minutes before a scheduled call to prep docs, load the screen share, and dial in. I find if I have less than 15 minutes, I feel rushed and often have technical issues. At home, I plan an hour before things to start the process of getting going. Sometimes, we wait around twiddling our thumbs (or the baby chews on mine).

3. It takes a village

Raising a child for the first time is like walking in a forest with no lights. Unless you have a guide, you will trip over a lot of roots. Baby group classes have stopped me from thinking that “no one has ever experienced this” (that and random 2 a.m. searches for “my baby does ­­­­________”).

Running successful Internet marketing projects also takes a lot of super-smart people. Fortunately, we have that at Portent, and getting different departments to weigh in on things (even when they aren’t part of the project) can help bring better ideas.

4. Build relationships

I’m surprised by how many of my clients are interested in baby updates on our regular calls. Almost every one includes a “how’s the baby?” But when you build great relationships with clients, they do care – and the work we do together improves. Here at Portent, I feel like we do a pretty good job of that. We genuinely like our clients.

5. Get creative

Sometimes you just have to have fun. Being too focused on a specific contract or to-do list can stifle creativity. You may need a break from your ordinary routine to move a campaign further.

With my daughter (and any baby really) I always find it amazing just how silly adults can be. We make up songs, make funny faces and noises, and generally do ridiculous things just to make those little faces light up!

These are just a few of the things that have helped me as I have taken on this new role of parent. If you are a parent, what are some things that you’ve learned in your work life that have helped in your parent life? I’d love to hear and learn from you, so please share in the comments.

The post 5 Project Management Tips from Portent’s Newest Mom 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.