One morning, my District Manager came into my office, he stated, “I would never have become a manager if someone told me about all these employee problems.” This was in 1986. Over the years, I heard this statement made by many managers. I always wanted to manage people, this is management. I thought everyone knew, maybe not.Welcome to my world. I am a first line manager and have been for over 40 years. Your life changes when you become a first line manager. A first line manager occupies a critical position in the corporation; the management position between employees trying to make a career and employees just trying to make a living.First line managers are the backbone of a business. Most times, first line managers are the only employees who understand what it takes to make a product; or perform a service. They are the managers on the shop floor or customer service office who keep the business in business day to day, hour to hour. If someone in middle or upper management is absent, no problem, the business will still function at the first line. But, when employees that work for a first line manager are absent some part of the plant or service process will suffer, and thus, the business. The first line manager must get the production line or service line moving again when it backs up. First line managers stand in the gap between the business and the customer. They are the real deal makers in any business.A young first line manager came into my office recently. He is struggling with a problem. He said he is involved in a disagreement between his manager and a higher level manager on a performance issue. I told him welcome to the bottom of the pond. He asked me what I meant. I stated, “You and I are like a catfish at the bottom of a pond. Catfish know the bottom better than any fish. Catfish are not pretty. They usually live in a hole. They do not have scales; but, very tough skin. Catfish have long whiskers to feel the bottom when the water gets muddy. They can see the flashy and pretty fish above darting around. But every time they attempt to get off the bottom they fall back. It is hard to catch these flashy fish; people spend a lot of money on bait to catch them. Catfish are so hungry they will eat anything they find on the bottom, and every now and then they have to eat crap.”The young man laughed and said, “What a description?”In the book, “How I raised myself for failure to success in selling” by Frank Bettiger, he states, “experience is the best teacher, it just costs too much.” He meant, if we read about someone’s experiences we get that experience cheaply. If we get experience by our hard knocks in the real world, that experience is too costly.My blog is about catfish management. How we can survive at the bottom of the pond. This blog about the people I have worked with and dealt with over the years. When you search the web you will not find many first line managers talking about their problems. This is what first line managers need. I hope my stories about my experience will save you time and money.
Monthly Archives: May 2022
5 Immersive B2B Marketing Trends for 2017
It is no surprise that digital marketing is a moving target. With the launch of new algorithms that undergo changes from time to time, some features are discontinued while new ones take root. Reviewing the marketing trends enable the marketers to stay ahead of the competition. A rule of thumb to review the trends for all the marketers in B2B sector is to think through innovation across all the leading digital marketing channels. Addressing all these concerns, here are five key digital marketing trends that can uplift your business:1) Marketing AutomationMarketing automation is overrated as it is one of the best technologies for B2B marketing. Owing to current need in digital marketing, marketers need to automate tasks, such as emails, social media and several other website actions. The marketing automation software simplifies these tasks by connecting the companies with their target audience. As a marketing team is needed to be in constant touch with their potential customers, marketing automation software has become the jewel in the crown of a marketing team.2) Interactive ContentInteractive digital content has become a staple in B2B marketing. In the current digital landscape, engagement is lifeblood, and the efforts of marketers are paid off when their audience not only go through the content, but also acts upon it. This signifies the importance of interactive content as it helps in generating conversions. Customers do research and compare various service providers before purchasing anything. Here, interactive content works as a competitor differentiation and educate the buyers, thus help them in making their choices.3) Social MediaAccording to research, social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter cater the best results to B2B businesses. YouTube and Slideshare prove to be more effective than Google+. The reasons being, an increasing number of B2B businesses use Google+. With so many social media platforms, it is important to prioritize and opting for the most effective network is the best idea.4) Live Video StreamingAccording to report, it has been estimated that video will be responsible for up to 82 percent of traffic by the year 2020. Over the last few months, live digital marketing campaigns were executed on social media networks, including Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. The response was remarkable as they gathered more attention from the target audience. Live video engages the audience in an effective way as people find it authentic.5) Mobile MarketingNowadays, 80% people use mobile for using the Internet. Mobile being used rampantly by users to access the Internet, digital marketers can maximize their brand’s value by employing mobile payment methods, mobile search and mobile apps. In addition, digital marketing agencies targeting Ads on mobile specific applications help them in enhancing their brand awareness. Mobile marketing when combined with social media marketing brings desirable result in digital marketing.
New Home Based Business Ideas – How Online Opportunities Enhance Success
New home based business Ideas? How about a home based business which you:1. do not need to spend much time to set up?
2. do not need to spend a single cent as start-up cost?
3. do not need to spend a single cent to get the products or inventories for your business?
4. do not need to spend a single cent to market your product?
5. do not need to bear any risk if it fails?If you answers are “Absolutely! Yes!” then you should start exploring online home based business. Follow the following simple 5 steps of new home based business ideas and leverage on the online opportunities to start making money online.Step 1. Sign up for a PayPal account (an online opportunity to receive money from your customers without incurring any cost and without any constraint)It will just take you a few minutes to sign up for a free PayPal account. Once you have a PayPal account you could start receiving money from your global online customers 24/7. Unlike the conventional business where you need to rely on the conventional banking systems to receive money from your customers and you may also incur account opening cost.Step 2. Conduct Research for a profitable niche market (free online opportunities to determine who are your profitable customers for your online home based business)Conduct your own online research. Visit ClickBank, Amazon, eBay websites. These are the online platforms for you to find out what products are ranked high or popular to determine your profitable niche customers. Leverage on Google AdWords keyword tool to confirm the popular niche markets for your home based business. A high demand niche market is the key to earn money online. All these researches could be done within a day and without spending a single cent.Step 3. Source for a product for your niche market from the affiliate networks (free online opportunities to obtain the products for your home based business)Join an affiliate program. It is a business model where you make commissions from promoting the merchants’ products or services through online means. You could get all the products for your niche market for free from the affiliate networks, for instance ClickBank, PayDotCom, LinkShare, etc. You could promote as many products as you wish. Affiliate networks are the free sources for the products of your online home based business.Step 4. Create your own blog as a platform to market the products to your niche market (free online opportunity to have a store for your home based business without the need to pay rental)You could create your own blog for free within minutes, for instance at Blogger.com. It just takes a few easy steps. In a matter of minutes you can start posting text, photos, videos, etc. to your blog. Post or write something interesting about your affiliate product on your blog. Place your affiliate link on your blog. Your blog will be your free online “store” for your online home based business. It is the platform for you to market your product and earn money online.Step 5. Promote your blog and affiliate product through article marketing (free online opportunity to market your online home based business’s product to your online customers)There are various ways to generate traffics or customers for your online business. But for a start, you only need to focus on article marketing.You could sign up a free article directory account with EzineArticles, GoArticles, etc. Start writing 250-500 words articles about your niche market or your affiliate product. Alternatively, you may outsource the articles writing to the online professional writers. These articles will help you to generate traffics or to get online customers.Remember to place your blog’s address at the resource box of all your articles. Your readers may be enticed to visit your blog and will find the affiliate products at your blog. They are your potential niche customers. This is an effective way for you to market your online home based business to your global online customers.With the above mentioned online opportunities, you could start your online home based business within weeks or even days and at the comfort of your home. Your online home business could operate 24/7 and never stops helping you to earn money online. By using these ideas, you do not need to invest a single cent to start your home based business. This will certainly increase your profit margin. If you fail, you could easily start a brand new online business again at anytime and anywhere. With the power of World Wide Web, there is no geographical constraint for you to earn money online and you will have global customers for your online business. You should leverage on this online opportunities to make money online.Now, are you able to see how these online opportunities could enhance your success? What are you waiting for? Join the bandwagon, take action and start an online home based business and start earning money online.