MABC Blog

Chapter Nineteen - Principles Matter: Honesty is the Best Policy - Diana Mahaffey

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants to Grow Your Business"

#Principled Leadership
#Leadership

Principles Matter: Honesty is the Best Policy

Dianna Mahaffey

Mahaffey Consulting, LLC
Founder and Principal

Book Launch Party!

Come celebrate with fellow MABC Member, MJ Reiners, as she hosts a launch party for her newly released book, “Engineering an Epiphany: Master Business Evolution Using the 7 Forces.” This is her first energy engineering book for business leaders and change makers and is available on Amazon.

The party will be held on Thursday, September 21 from 4-6pm at Serendipity Labs in Madison; head to the sixth floor of the Johnson Bank Building for the festivities!

This book will teach readers how to use the powerful concept that helped MJ triple her change consultant salary, and how to use the energy secrets that make change stick. It will focus on the “7 Forces of Transformation” to increase business change capacity better, faster and cheaper!

MJ Reiners launched Summerland Education LLC in 2011 to enable organizations to leverage internal resources and develop high performing work teams in order to reach their business goals. She has the expertise to execute organization-wide projects effectively while saving significant dollars, time, and stress, and has 22 years of working with executives and board members across the country.

Learn more about MJ and her new book here and here: https://summerlandeducation.com/engineering-an-epiphany-book/

Speaking Opportunity for MABC Members

MABC member, Stuart Fields, was recently contacted by the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) and was asked to share potential speaking opportunities for their organization.

The IDDBA membership includes more than 1500 companies ranging from small independents to the world’s largest corporation, and one of their activities is to bring expertise to their members from experts in the industry through webinars.

They are looking for possible Webinar presenters to give educational/business presentations (30-45 minutes) on a topic relevant to the industry; attendees to the webinars include c-suite to line-level managers. The According to the formal request:

“Presentations should be educational in nature and should be brand agnostic. We are not looking for a sales presentation; however, you would note your affiliation at the beginning of the presentation to establish your expertise and you would provide your contact information at the end so that the audience knows how to seek out your services. The live webinars are free to the public and there is no financial exchange involved, but you get the opportunity to connect with the audience. We can share the registrants’ contact information with you as well.”

If an MABC member is interested in collaborating with the IDDBA on a Webinar topic, please contact Stuart Fields, and he will share contact information and any additional background on the request.

By Tara Ingalls, Owner Tingalls Graphic Design

Becoming a guest author in our blog has three main benefits since only members can post articles:

1. Expanded Reach and Exposure for MABC: Guest blogging allows you to tap into a new and potentially larger audience. When you contribute content to the MABC website, you expose your work to their established readership.

2. Building Authority and Credibility: Publishing guest posts can enhance your reputation as an authority within your field. When you share valuable insights, expertise, and well-researched content, you position yourself as a knowledgeable and credible source.

3. SEO Benefits and Backlinks: Lastly, articles will make a positive impact your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. When you include relevant links back to your own blog within your guest posts, you create valuable backlinks. Backlinks from reputable websites signal to search engines that your content is credible and worth ranking higher in search results.

Below is a collection of resources and tips to help guide you as you write your article.

Brainstorming Topics/Titles

Below are tools to help brainstorm topics for your blog articles:

https://answerthepublic.com/ - Get Instant, raw search insights, direct from the minds of your customers

Google.com - In the search field, begin typing your industry's keywords and see what Google fills in as suggestions
* TIP: once you get search results, look for the "People Often Ask" section of search results for FAQs

5 Great Blog Topics You Can Use Today (Tingalls blog article)

Popular Blog Article Formats

• How-tos: "How to Boost Your Productivity in 5 Simple Steps."
• Listicles: "10 Tips for Healthy Eating" or "7 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills."
• Questions: "Are You Making These Common Marketing Mistakes?"
• Problem-Solution: "Struggling with Insomnia? Try These 5 Natural Remedies."
• Comparisons: "WordPress vs. Squarespace: Which Website Platform is Right for You?"
• Personal Stories: "How I Overcame My Fear of Public Speaking and Became a Confident Presenter."
• Behind-the-Scenes: "A Day in the Life of a Digital Nomad: Working and Traveling.

Imagery/Photos

My opinion is that original, non-stock photos are best but if you need to use stock, you can find free images at Unsplash.com or paid stock images at istockphoto.com. Before uploading images with your article, be sure you rename the files from their stock name, i.e. "IMG_08383.jpg" to something more keyword-rich like "tingalls-graphic-design-website-tips.jpg"

Structuring Your Copy

To ensure your blog is SEO-friendly and ranks well in search results, it's important to structure it effectively. As far as length, some content marketing experts suggest that 1500-2000 words are the ideal length of a blog post. However, many companies and brands stick to shorter blog length guidelines (500-750 words) to honor a specific element of their marketing strategy.

Below are the essential sections to include in your website blog:

1. Compelling & Keyword-Rich Title - Craft an attention-grabbing title for your blog posts that contain relevant keywords. Compelling "problem-solving" headlines not only improve readability but also help search engines understand the content hierarchy. Remember, the headline you write should summarize the content of the article and resonate with your target audience.

2. High-Quality Content - Create well-researched, original, and valuable content that addresses your audience's needs. Focus on a specific topic and provide comprehensive information. Subheadings should be used to help to break-up long sections of copy and can also allow for quick skimming by the reader. Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your content. Research keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify terms with high search volume and low competition.

3. Add a Clear Call to Action - In the conclusion, add a clear and relevant calls to action that guides readers on the next steps. Whether it's signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource, or leaving a comment.

4. Author's Bio - Since this is a blog article for our MABC website, include a short paragraph about you as the author with a headshot and relavent links to your website and/or social media accounts.

By structuring your website blog with these sections in mind, you'll not only create a user-friendly experience but also enhance our organization's SEO efforts.

Email me (Tara) your blog and imagery and I'll get it scheduled to post on our website!

Chapter Eighteen - The Customer is Not Always Right! - William McCarthy, PhD

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants to Grow Your Business"

#Customer Service
#Leadership

"The Customer is Not Always Right!"

WILLIAM MC CARTHY, PHD

Project Manager and Trade Compliance Adviser
linkedin.com/in/williamjmccarthyphd

Consultants need to delight our clients—to exceed their expectations. When a customer provides an implementation plan, we must first determine if it’s the right solution. 

     I was asked to lead a team redesigning a feedback system that aligned a critical component. This was a major project with a substantial budget and would likely raise the cost of the analyzer reducing margins in a price sensitive market. 

      The feedback worked like driver assist on an automobile that makes small movements on the steering wheel to keep the car in a lane. Occasionally (about once a day) the feedback loop would make a large unnecessary adjustment and become unstable. It would be as if the car suddenly swerved across two lanes.

      I asked to see the raw input. There were too many data points for Excel because the feedback system took thousands of measurements a second. 

      So I manually scrolled through the screens of data and noticed something unusual.

      The numbers ranged from 1-11 millivolts until suddenly a physically impossible reading like 60 billion volts would appear. It would be like that hypothetical driver assist was told that the car was two counties away. 

      Because the numbers were averaged it was impossible to see that the issue was a communication error and not a control problem without examining the raw input. The communication error was easily fixed with a simple electronic chip upgrade. My project was unnecessary. I provided a solution that put me out of a job. 

Always ask about the why before starting any project.

• Why is often more important than how.
• Get down to causes and conditions before jumping to conclusions. 
• Preparation is as important as execution.

The customer is not always right. No one is...including you!

• Be humble and respectful. 
• Do not talk down to a customer, but do not assume they have the whole picture.
• Remember they are asking for help. It is our job to give them the correct help.

The customer is not always the right customer.

• Be prepared to walk away if it is not a good fit.
• Have a list of consultants you can recommend. 
• Have confidence in your expertise.

WILLIAM MC CARTHY, PHD

William McCarthy uses his strong science background with particular expertise in business processes to provide project management, product marketing and trade compliance for technologically oriented companies. 

Trade compliance, the aspect of corporate compliance that ensures imports and exports conform with laws and regulations of all involved countries, can be especially complex for innovative technology companies. He translates between technical-oriented customers (engineers and scientists) and regulatory experts.

Chapter Seventeen - Create Your Personal GPS - Nancy Kruschke, CPO

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants to Grow Your Business"

#Time Management
#Productivity

Chapter Sixteen - Three Ways To Improve Your Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Efforts - Lisa Koenecke, M.S. CDP

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants to Grow Your Business"

#Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
#Workplace Culture

"Three Ways To Improve Your Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Efforts"

Lisa Koenecke, M.S. CDP

Inclusion Ally
Certified Diversity Equity Inclusion Speaker
InclusionAlly.com/ Lisa@LisaKoenecke.com

Whether you own your own business or help other people with their business, you have probably heard the term DEI. Diversity, equity and inclusion have been with us for a long time. We are now using these terms to improve our environments. Let’s explore three ways to improve your DEI efforts.

1.     SHOW

•       How do you show someone that you are an ally?   What a great question.  As a consultant, you might show your allyship by offering to meet at a conducive time for your client depending upon where they live in the world or what their daily schedule might allow.  SHOW through flexibility.   
•       Other ways to SHOW your inclusion is by learning a different language (even just a greeting) and understanding important dates on a calendar so you can plan around celebrations. You can also SHOW your pronouns next to your name for video conferencing or in your email signature.  These are excellent ways to SHOW you’re making an effort in the world of DEI.

2.     SHIFT

•       What does SHIFT have to do with diversity, equity and inclusion?  Thanks for asking!   When we SHIFT, we make a change.  For the purpose of DEI, let’s consider SHIFTING our mindsets and behaviors, shall we?   Brilliant!  In business, we work with lots of different personalities, deadlines and communities.  Those who are able to SHIFT their mindsets from exclusion to inclusion might benefit greatly.  We all have unconscious biases.   
•       Please consider SHIFTING your everyday language, your marketing efforts and access to your company to become more inclusive.   
  
•       What if you were to SHIFT some of your resources to create an employee resource group?  How about SHIFTING your supplier from a large distributor to a local business?  These examples will SHIFT how the community views you, and perhaps increase your ROI.

3.     SHAPE

•       Let’s consider our mission/vision statements, our policies and our procedures as our third way to improve your DEI efforts.  Certainly, there are many ways to SHAPE your business, and please remember there is a difference between equity and equality.  Equality is where everyone has a pair of shoes, equity is where those shoes fit!   
•       As you SHAPE your policies, have you enumerated out all of the populations you want to serve? We usually think about race, gender and age, so, please SHAPE your policies by including abilities, veteran status and gender identity.

LISA KOENECKE

As an experienced and energetic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) professional speaker and facilitator, Lisa specializes in counteracting unconscious bias and LGBTQ+ inclusion in business. Her impact is amplified through strengthening each person’s allyship. With a demonstrated history of working in secondary education and a passion toward community and social services, she is an expert in counseling, crisis intervention, educational leadership and program development.

After receiving her diversity and inclusion certification from Cornell University, Lisa launched her Inclusion Ally business. Being an expert in LGBTQ+ issues has allowed her to present in all 50 states and keynote numerous school counseling conferences.

She is the author of the best seller, “Be an Inclusion Ally: The ABC’s of LGBTQ+.” It became an International Book Award finalist.

Lisa’s speaking style can best be described as dynamic, energetic and interactive. After 12 years of being a middle school counselor, she is now an adjunct instructor at Lakeland University training the next generation of school counselors. 

Chapter Fifteen - The Deal is Never Done Until the Check Clears - Lee S. Johnson

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants to Grow Your Business"

#Leadership
#Business Contracts

"The Deal is Never Done Until the Check Clears"

Lee S. Johnson

Partners in Development, LLC
Founder and Principal
LeeJohnsen.com/ Lee@LeeJohnsen.com

     How do you put a price on the loss of a business relationship, let alone a friendship?

     Several years ago, a colleague asked me to assist with a project that involved the design and delivery of a training program to one of his clients. My colleague and I had worked together for years and had become personal friends.

      My colleague had established a relationship and agreement with the client regarding the project deliverables. When my colleague was called out of the country for an extended time due to a family matter, he asked me to step in. After explaining and asking for my help, of course, I agreed. Once my colleague left the country, I began working directly with the client.

      As things progressed, I learned the client had a different understanding of the expected deliverables. In the absence of my colleague, I made decisions based on my experience with other clients. These adaptations required additional time and scope to meet those expectations beyond my initial understanding.

      Following the training delivery, the client was pleased and commented the program exceeded their expectations. In following up with my colleague, I shared the client’s comments and presented him with an invoice. My colleague later called saying that my invoice was larger than expected and he would only pay half.

      Without further story details, you can likely guess its moral. Always put business agreements in writing!

Let’s Make a Deal

      It’s been said, “If two parties want to do business together, they’ll work out the details. If one of the parties doesn’t want to do business, the details won’t make it happen.” Once the two parties agree to do business together, now is the time to work out those details to ensure mutual success.

Create a written agreement that spells out:

·       Project deliverables, responsibilities/expectations of each party, timeframes, contingencies and payment terms. (For projects over an extended period, build in installment payments based on scope and partial deliverables.)

·       Include a debrief at the end of the project to discuss results, provide mutual feedback and follow up, if desired.

·       Ask the client to review the agreement and return a signed copy (written or electronic). If there are questions or changes, resolve them and create a final agreement.

·       Secure final signatures of all parties and provide copies.

Establish regular status updates to discuss progress, obstacles, and options to address. Rarely does everything go as planned. When working virtually, misunderstandings and misinterpretations are not uncommon.

·       Share feedback as agreed. Ask your client for feedback and adjust as needed. Consider having the client sign off on work completed.

·       Invoice promptly.

At the completion of the project:

·       Conduct the debrief, including any follow-up actions and observations of potential additional needs.

·       Promptly submit the final invoice.

·       Thank the client in writing, with an expression of your appreciation and desire to collaborate in future opportunities.

Final Note: While these recommendations may sound like common sense, I have learned that common sense isn’t always common practice. Apply these practices and make your common practice permanent.

LEE S. JOHNSEN

Lee is the founder and principal of Partners in Development (PID). The motto of PID, “Closing Gaps in Workplace Performance,” acknowledges that there are many reasons why organizations and their team members either do or don’t achieve their expected results. Lee works with them to discover all the reasons for performance gaps and applies solutions to close them.

Lee specializes in helping virtual team leaders and members feel like they’re working in the same room – even when they’re not. For over 10 years, he has become an expert at building the performance of organizations with global virtual teams and a hybrid workforce. In 2019, he released the second edition of his book, “Literally Virtually, Making Virtual Teams Work” and has spoken to audiences internationally.

Strengthening the skills of organizational leaders and team members is Lee’s passion. He has designed, developed and delivered face-to-face and live, online training on topics including leadership and management, coaching, leading virtual teams and organizational development. Previous projects have included employee engagement surveys, strategic planning, executive coaching and team interventions. Previously, he held officer and management positions in Fortune 500 corporations and government agencies.

Lee is a published author coauthoring the book “Real World Teambuilding Strategies That Work.” He has served as an adjunct instructor at five universities. He has the international distinction of being one of only a few who are certified by three international human resources organizations.

Chapter Fourteen - Discover Your Unique Selling Proposition - Tara Ingalls

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants To Grow Your Business"

#Business Branding
#Sales

"Discover Your Unique Selling Proposition"

Tara Ingalls

 Tingalls Graphic Design, LLC
Owner and Creative Director www.tingalls.com / tara@tingalls.com 

“How is your business unique?”

I'm always surprised how many of my clients don’t have an answer to this simple question. Their responses are usually in one of two camps: either they’ve never been asked or they simply don't know. If you yourself don't know, how are your customers supposed to know why to choose you?

     When I give presentations on branding, I ask business owners to raise their hands if they have “excellent customer service, affordable pricing and friendly staff.” Without exception, everyone in the room raises their hands. They wouldn't be in business long without these things. But in continuing to ask more and more questions, what I realized is that true differentiation typically lies within four key areas: people, process, products and pricing.

      At Tingalls Graphic Design, we believe branding is all about differentiating yourself from your competition and then creating messaging and artwork based on those unique selling propositions (USPs). If you truly aren’t different than your competitor – or you don’t know how to articulate how and why you are better – how can you expect your customers to make their decision to support you?

      Throughout the years, I’ve been able to work with my clients to help them discern their USPs using simple questions based around those four key areas. Grab a pencil and let’s dig in!

People

• ·        Do you have team members that have reached milestone anniversaries?
• ·        What skills or ongoing education is your team provided to stay current in their trade?
• ·        Is your team empowered to make customer-centric decisions?
• ·        How quickly do you and your staff respond to customer requests or feedback?
• ·        How would you describe your company culture?
• ·        How does your company culture extend into the customer experience?

Process

• ·        How easy is it for clients to get information about your business?
• ·        Are you clear about the process of working with your company?
• ·        Is client onboarding effortless if they have to move companies?
• ·        Are you available after the project/service is complete?
• ·        Are you a one-stop shop so your clients don't have to complete portions of the project elsewhere?

Products

• ·        What features do your products/services offer that others don’t?
• ·        What solutions does your company offer others haven’t even thought of or can’t imitate?
• ·        Is your product or service more reliable/durable than your competitors’?
• ·        Can it be easily maintained throughout its lifetime?
• ·        What is your product or service guarantee?

Pricing

• ·        Does your pricing reflect the value you offer?
• ·        Is your pricing transparent and competitive?
• ·        How close are your estimates to final invoices?
• ·        Do you offer financing or a payment plan?
• ·        How is your pricing model different than others?

      The list above is just the beginning. Feel free to create new questions as they arise and keep asking yourself, “Why is this USP important to my customer?”

      When your list is complete, or when you’ve run out of steam, share it with your team members for their input. Employees in different departments – not just communications or marketing – may bring fresh and thoughtful ideas to the table owners. Do some online research to weed out any answers your competitors could also lay claim to, or that seem disingenuous.

Once you've compiled your list, perform an audit on current marketing efforts to see if they align with your new findings. Build messaging and create artwork to add to your website, social media, and employee onboarding paperwork so everyone on the team is clear on the company’s position in the marketplace.

TARA INGALLS

Tara Ingalls is owner and creative director of Tingalls Graphic Design, LLC. Since 2000, her firm has been Madison, Wis.’s go-to design agency for incredibly fast logo design, print collateral and website design solutions. Their stress-free design process keeps clients engaged with approval checkpoints along the way to ensure satisfaction.

View their design portfolio on the web at www.tingalls.com, email info@tingalls.com, or call 608-268-5525 to learn more.

Chapter Thirteen - Constructive Joy: The Indispensible Twin To Hard Work - Hollie H. Hollister

"We Wish We Had Known - Everyday Tips from Consultants To Grow Your Business"

#Leadership
#Coaching

"Constructive Joy: The Indispensible Twin To Hard Work"

Hollie H. Hollister

H Cubed Group, LLC
Founder and Principal
HCubedGroup.com / hollie@hcubedgroup.com

“Every JOY is gain.

And gain is gain, however small.”

 Robert Browning

My clients and colleagues often jest that I trick them and their teams into creatively approaching their most dreaded tasks and/or daunting projects from a place of “constructive joy,” ranging from networking at business events, growing their leadership skillsets to hammering away at high-impact projects.

      No tricking involved. It’s a customized practice fitted to each individual, team and organization.

 

      While it may appear that constructive joy has always been embedded as a north star guiding my collaborative work, this is not so.

      In one of my past lives serving as a new marketing services manager and first-time supervisor at an international Fortune 500 company, I was tasked with rebuilding the marketing services department during turbulent times. With so much riding on my position, I put in grueling hours months at a stretch with disregard to my wellbeing.

      Fortunately, I had the foresight to go against the grain of the company culture and invest in hiring a leadership coach to help me navigate the interdepartmental warfare and unchartered terrain.

      Prophetically my leadership coach shared that each time a person burns out, it will take them substantially longer to come back. Regretfully it took me three times to trust this advice with every fiber of my being. The third time I walked to the very edge of burn out, I wasn’t sure I was going to come back.

      What I wished I had known as I entered the business world is that constructive joy is not a nice to have. It is an essential form of self-care and an indispensable twin to the work we are called to do.

A bit of warning…constructive joy is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. For example, it may look different to an introvert, extrovert, solo entrepreneur, leadership team and vary by industry type or if working from home, work office or in a hybrid work environment.

      Although there are hundreds of variations, the heart of this process involves teasing out each individual’s interests and passions (personal and professional) combined with drawing on their strengths.

 

      A core action step is to bake in the practice of constructive joy up front so that it becomes a key ingredient or component to help prevent or minimize depleting tasks or work environments.

 

Here’s a simple three-step exercise to jump-start your weekly constructive joy practice:

 

·        1)     List up to three recurring work tasks or events that regularly drain your energy.

·        2)     Select the one that feels the most draining.

·        3)     Brainstorm by yourself or with trusted colleagues how you could infuse one or more of your interests, passions and/or strengths so that it that would contribute to an uplifting or more energized work experience.

HOLLIE H. HOLLISTER

Hollie Hollister is a pragmatic visionary who aspires to combine the personal with the professional to bring fresh thinking, unique insights and holistic solutions that help heart-based small business owners grow their businesses and themselves (all without stifling who they are or selling their souls).

She has a talent for blending wisdom with “constructive joy” and creatively distilling it into guiding principles and simple, workable steps to help her clients, colleagues and friends reach their goals.

Specializing within the area of coaching and leadership development, Hollie has over 18 years’ experience working with organizational groups across diverse industries within the private, government and social sectors, including Fortune 500 companies.

     

Support services for heart-based small business owners to (re)discover and put into action their personal leadership practice include:

1) Kick-start strategic thinking sessions to identify and activate their core values.

2) Customized coaching and mentoring packages.

Hollie is active on LinkedIn and would welcome connecting there: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holliehhollister/