Golden Practices

"Are Employees Really an Audience?"

With permission, I post an e-newsletter article by a St Louisan in the PR profession, Les Landes. Les also recently started a blog called "Inside Out" which addresses "aligning marketing communications with employee engagement."

(I'm kinda proud of Les' entering the blogosphere because I helped introduce him to blogs at my presentation for the International Association of Business Communicators St Louis Chapter meeting awhile back!)

Anyway, here's his e-newsletter article:

Are Employees Really an Audience?

A few years ago, The Journal of Employee Communication Management published an article entitled "Employees Are Not an Audience." It was written by Glynn Young, who currently heads the Issues, Employee and Electronic Communications function for Monsanto Company. His basic premise is simple yet significant - the job of organizational communicators should NOT be mainly to create and deliver messages to the employee audience, but rather to facilitate conversations within the employee community.

That distinction is more than an exercise in semantics. It goes to the heart of why organizations struggle - and often fail - to generate meaningful employee engagement. It also explains why organizations get caught in the wrongheaded notion that they need better "two-way" communication.

Seriously - is there any other kind? Bottom line, if it isn't two-way, it isn't communication. It's message distribution.

Community of Professionals
Even if we're not conscious of it, we know in our guts that employees shouldn't be treated as an audience when it comes to communication. Just look at another metaphor often used for them - team. Can you imagine how Michael Jordan or Tom Brady or Albert Pujols or other sports team members would react if their organizations communicated with them like an "audience?" Pretty weird, huh?

But they're different, right? After all, those people are "professionals." Consider for a moment, though, how an organization might run its business and communicate with its employees differently if they viewed employees as a "community of professionals" - professional accountants, professional order entry clerks, professional maintenance workers, professional production line workers -- and so on? You get the picture.

Sure, the challenges are different when you're communicating with 12 to 50 people instead of 12,000 to 50,000. But the need for people to feel that their organizations are communicating with them as professional members of a team is much the same.

Shifting from Messages to Conversations
Admittedly, logistics are more complex with larger groups, and the options for communicating differ from one organization to the next depending on numerous factors. What's more, truly interactive communication simply isn't possible in all circumstances. If the building is on fire, for example, that's no time to engage an employee discussion group in considering various options on how to respond.

Still, organizations of any size and circumstance can and should shift from "sending messages" to "facilitating conversations" wherever possible by operating on two basic principles:

1. Stop using the phrase "communicate to," and replace it with "communicate with." If the best you can do is send a message, say so - but don't call it communication.

2. Where it's feasible and appropriate, frame "messages" as "conversation points," and create systematic ways for employees to converse and provide feedback on those topics.

While those principles are important for everyone in management to understand, it's vital for people in charge of internal communications to follow them if they want to get employees truly engaged and strengthen working relationships within the "employee community."

Les has an impressive list of communications of interest to people who understand that appreciation and respect of human capital is especially critical for firms who rely on Knowledge Workers. I hope you'll enjoy his messages as much as I do.

Excellent Meeting Tips (Especially Sales Meetings)

Came across this fantastic post on the blog of Alexander Kjerulf, aka Chief Happiness Officer.

We've all heard that the more someone else talks, the more brilliant they'll think you are! (or something like that.)

There are truly many different sorts of people in our world. But in general, we fall to two extremes, those who don't talk much and those who don't shut up. By nature, I'm pretty well immersed into the second group, but it is something I really do try to work on a lot. It's even part of why I became a facilitator...because we're not ALLOWED to talk much. Yet we still get to maintain some illusion of control. :-)

So, I'm always up for learning new methods of piping-down. Read the post for some great methods on biting one's tongue and, ultimately, becoming more self-aware.

As Alexander concludes:

Remember: good meetings are not characterized by the amount of talking but by the amount of listening going on.

If you’re a habitual talker like me, I’m sure that you will find that learning to say less and listen more will be a huge boon. People will find you more sympathetic, they will respect you more and even though you may end up saying less, what you do say will be received more appreciatively and have much more of an impact.

Blog Content Sources

As a starting point for blog content, I always (and I do mean that as an absolute) recommend that professionals interested in blogging start going backward through their sent emails for ideas.

In combing through those sent items, you'll no doubt find answers to clients' or prospects' questions or at least responses, maybe even supported by your research, that you've provided to internal clients (your bosses) if you don't yet have direct client contact.

These are perfect future blog posts.

Simply going through the email text, do two things...

1 - sanitize the email for names and other information that would be proprietary to the asker, and

2 - at the top of the e-mail/post, provide context such as "A situation arose for a $5M retailer in an urban marketplace [frame any helpful facts PARTICULARY industry, business size, and other good keywords]...in which it would be wise to consider [put forth your suggested approach or alternatives]."

This is really very easy for you, or someone on your staff, to do. Voila. You have a blog post. And a very helpful one indeed.

Don't be tempted to pare down the context or the approach suggestions too much so that they become extremely general in nature. The real benefit and value in blogs is that they make it quite easy to address specifics. In general, accountants are leery to recommend specific approaches. This doesn't help you much when it comes to looking like an expert.

But when framing the issue very specifically, you can begin to throw out some of the nuances that would affect a final choice. That is where the real meat is in a blog post that makes it better (more valuable to the firm) than an ordinary website. Even if you don't state the "best choice" under the circumstances, your knowledge demonstrated in listing the nuances will benefit you and the firm.

Remember, too, you would naturally have a broad disclaimer on your blog that says your content is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific financial advice...that a reader should always consult his or her professional advisor for advice specific to their situation.

It would appear I'm not alone in the belief that this is a good way to find what I'll call "blog fodder." Hat tip to Kevin O'Keefe for pointing me to "8 Reasons Why Client Questions Make Great Blog Content" by The Blog Squad...enjoy the post...

Accounting Blogs Sprouting Up All Over the Place!

Ya know how accounting marketing season begins in May and June? Well, this is my favorite marketing season yet.

The past two years delivered only teeny-tiny accountant blog growth despite growing awareness by accountants of blogs as business development tools. This year is a bit different. Lots of new blogs are popping up and I'm adding new ones to the Accounting Blog List almost monthly now.

Can't wait until it's weekly. (Be sure to let me know if you are a practicing accountant with a blog, okay?)

Anyway, here's a neat little story by Scott Sanuk who creates blogs for accountants (egads, a competitor, but a friendly one, at that) who talks about the last few years of accounting blog evolution. It's called "Where are the Accounting Blogs? Pt 1" <--check it out

Carlin and Taxes?

How do accountants spend the five minutes between learning about blogging, and heartily rejecting the idea of blogging?

They wonder, "what would I ever write about on a blog?" 

The answer to the question might (but not necessarily MUST) require some level of creativity. Remember, the most successful bloggers are successful because they string two or more seemingly separate ideas, concepts or thoughts together, to formulate a unique opinion or idea.

A lovely example is this excellent (and amusing) post by an accounting blogger I follow and greatly enjoy: Kay Bell of Don't Mess With Taxes. She posted yesterday, "Oh BLEEP! George Carlin has died" and wove breaking national news about a cultural icon into a relevant tax subject.

Read it and see a perfect example of a great accounting blog. Great work, Kay!

Hat tip to new AAM friend Phil Quimby who pointed me to Kay's latest post.

Must Be The Annual "Let's Send Them Everything We've Got" Mailing...

Funny but true.

A few years ago I was just starting to work with a 30ish person firm that, ironically, performed the audit for an organization who employs a good friend of mine formerly of the CPA world.

My friend dropped the bug in my ear that the audit engagement partner wasn't very service oriented. He didn't call or touch base very often. And, in fact, when Partner was asked by my friend to NOT give the standard financial statement presentation to the board, but to go into more conversation about what the implications of the numbers were, Partner simply gave the standard presentation anyway.

My friend wasn't too impressed. He told me about it so I could try to clue the Partner in to some flaws in his service skills.

Sadly, my anonymous report fell on deaf ears and was met with protests of denial that it was a valid issue. If only they'd known how big and influential a client this is...  Ironically, Partner thinks he's an amazing marketer.

So a few weeks later (December time frame), I received this email from my friend...

I need to correct my comment to you the other day about the lack of outreach from Partner. In yesterday’s mail I received a fat envelope from Firm.

It’s fun to look at packages like this from both a client perspective as well as a marketing consultant perspective (which probably isn’t fair, but it sure is interesting!) I thought it would be fun to give you some anonymous client feedback for you to consider as you help them.

The white envelope had a 1” x 2.5” white label in the return address area placed sloppily in the corner with Firm address info. It looked a little cheap that they did not have envelopes printed with their information on it. In the envelope I got:

• A xeroxed “Dear Valued Client” letter confirming the understanding of the terms and objectives of the engagement for services related to computer software consulting services. As far as I know, we are not engaging them for that service.
• A xeroxed “Dear Valued Client” letter confirming the understanding that they will prepare our 200X federal and state income tax returns. As far as I know, the CPA who does our books will be doing that.
• A 2-page xeroxed document that describes “Internal Control.” There is no indication on page 1 that this is a Firm document – on the bottom of page two are addresses and an invitation to visit the website – the first indication of who this document is from, but still nothing that names the firm directly.
• A 1-page xeroxed copy of a Company Car Lease Value worksheet to help with the preparation of W-2s. I assume this would be for us to fill out and return to them if they were doing our W-2’s, but they are not, so I’m not sure what to do with it.
• A 2-page xeroxed paper entitled “COOP – Disaster Relief.” It’s got some good information, but no indication anywhere that it is from Firm.
• The December 200X Business Pension Update newsletter. Looks pretty good, but leaves me wondering where the January – November issues have been.
• The December 200X Business Year End Update. Also makes me wonder where any January – November issues have been.
• The 200X Annual Tax Planning Letter – looks good. Must be a PDI piece…
• Firm Technology Solutions tri-fold brochure

My initial reaction to this package was that it must be the annual “lets send them everything we’ve got” mailing.

I was expecting the package to include information on our upcoming audit next month. That was not there but everything else was.

I’m sending you all of this as much for fun as anything else. Just thought I’d share this with you as an additional area to help them with – now I’ve got to get back to work!

I'm not posting this to embarrass anyone, but to spare other firms from creating similar impressions. Is it possible your firm has done any of this?

QUICK LIST OF DOs and DONTs

DO listen to your client's specific requests (even if you think the person asking isn't the key decision maker)

DO reach out to your clients regularly in a personalized, non-generic way

DON'T send an impersonal letter that starts off with "Dear Valued Client" -- It looks like you don't care. Either do the darn mail merge to personalize the salutation, or send the info in a newsletter or other format not intended to be individually addressed.

DO send only relevant information pertinent to the services that particular client buys. If you send additional information, preface it with what else you are sending and why "this may be applicable to you this year so let's discuss it..."

DON'T send engagement letters or forms for services never before discussed with the client

DO make sure you're not passing on an inconvenience to your client that you should bear yourself. Being too busy to filter what you send is lazy and inconsiderate. Wasting their time to filter information, item by item, to discern if they are supposed to do something with it, teaches them something: what you send is not always important. Next time you send something, don't be surprised if they don't open it.   

DON'T think that your client will ever be impressed by "quantity" over "relevance."

AAM 2008 in San Diego

It's lovely to be here in San Diego this week for the Association for Accounting Marketing Conference!

I'm here learning and am (as this posts) presenting on "The Web Now. What CPA Firms Need to Know" to about 150 marketers and partners of firms from all over the US and abroad.

Attendees of the session can download my slideshow (password protected, sorry other dear readers). Download AAM2008.pdf

Lovely photo of San Diego is taken by "psychojet" at www.traveladvisor.com, one of my favorite sites.

Are You a Better Listener Than Tom?

Just read a great story on Craig Weeks' Accounting Practice Business Development blog. The post is called "The Meeting Went Very, Very Wrong." 

I've seen very similar situations. It's like we're looking for that perfect opportunity during a prospect meeting to strut our stuff. And we'll jump at the first chance we get.

But what happens when it's premature? Or worse, when it's irrelevant (or at least the relevance isn't crystal clear)? We tank. Bad.

Read this little tale and see if you've ever "gone there" in a prospect meeting. I'm pretty sure I have.

Also, Craig's blog is only a month old, but I'm enjoying it. If you sell professional services, I think you might find some nuggets in it, too.

The Four Ways to Differentiate & Why Negative Ads Are Run

Differentiating professional service firms is enormously difficult to get firms to do.

Off the top of my head, it would seem there are only four main ways to differentiate a professional service firm:

1) Specialize. Specialize in a narrow market niche where word of mouth is sufficient, or in a broad niche, promoting it proudly and loudly.

2) Humanize. Feature the people of the firm, humanizing them by showcasing their individuality and highlighting their unique strengths, and team strengths. Sometimes accomplished by poking harmless fun at one's own firm or profession.

3) Personalize. Feature the personality (ie culture) of the firm, or a truly unique aspect of the firm or its processes, in a memorable way. Best done with a clever ad series or other public positioning.

4) Criticize. Try to get others to see how your firm is better which is, by definition, pretty nearly impossible other than to elevate your firm through reducing your competitors. Typically accomplished by bringing attention to known negative attributes of a firm, or profession in general, or by exploiting negative stereotypes.

Bruce Marcus, author of The Marcus Perspective blog, recently posted about how political "dirty tricks" tactics are "seeping into the legal profession."

It would seem the fourth approach, Criticize, is what the law firm discussed in Bruce's post has done. I think this way is becoming more common because, frankly, it is the easiest of the four ways.

And it's a natural for Big Law and other big professional service firms—not to mention politicians because The 'Criticize' approach shows confidence and strength whereas 'humanizing' is best achieved by showing people’s softer (read: vulnerable) side—not something Big Law lawyers are prone to do. It’s also better suited to general firm hype—quite the opposite of specializing.

The 'Specialize' and 'Humanize' approaches are the most effective and easiest ways for marketing to do its job, but firms are REALLY hard to sell (ideawise) on these approaches. It's a shame.

Boutiques and specializing firms of all sizes are enormously effective, even on tight budgets, because they are so focused on a particular market. Because they don't try to go a mile wide, they can go much more than an inch deep.

The 'Personalize' approach is one that the bigger firms all seem want to try but, the thing is, very few firms really ARE so different culturally or operationally that an effective campaign can be pulled off.

A catchy tag-line, cool ad series, or great theme type of image can be employed, but getting this out there is VERY expensive! And ads tend to wear out over time. A mascot can do the trick: think GEICO's gecko or Budweiser's frogs or clydesdales, so, translating to law, think of Womble Carlyle's bulldog (parachuting in the photo above).

So, back to my original point...

'Personalize' is the most expensive of these techniques and the toughest to do well. I assure you the ads and other necessary branding typically run a quarter mil or more--this figure tossed out by Burkey Belser as a minimum for such branding at a presentation he gave to Assoc. for Accounting Marketing back around 2002 or 2003 (to a stunned and disappointed crowd of marketers who knew they'd never get that sort of budget). Burkey is the ad whiz behind Winston's successful launch.

'Specialize' is most effective and needn't be expensive at all. But it requires being willing to do away with the "all things to all people" approach so many firms are fond of. It requires adopting a client-centric mentality.

'Humanize' can be reasonably affordable but requires effort AND confidence to put yourself out there in a way that lets people see you as accessible and someone they'd want to work with.

I think 'Criticize' is simply the easiest, cheapest way to get some attention because it doesn't require much change in behavior or approach. Just some guts.

And, as any toddler will make you aware, receiving negative attention is preferable to no attention at all. We've all heard the saying "there's no such thing as negative PR." But it's not without some baggage, is it?

Darfur Exhibit Sponsored by Houston CPA Firm

I recently visited Houston (for the first time!) in order to attend a one-of-a-kind event. CPA firm Gainer Donnelly Desroches hosted a preview of the "Darfur: Photojournalist Respond" exhibit at the Holocaust Museum Houston.

As written up in TRIBEZA Magazine:

For the first time ever, the museum opened its doors to a special preview event before its public opening reception. Supporters of UNICEF and the museum, as well as clients of the firm, including Dr. Carolyn Farb and Joanne King Herring (chairs of the UNICEF Southwest Regional Board of Directors), attended the cocktail soiree.

Within the last six months, the firm has established a relationship with the Holocaust Museum and is underwriting the exhibit in conjunction with FotoFest2008. The powerful exhibit features 30 images from eight photojournalists whose firsthand accounts documented the situation in Darfur, reflecting daily injustices occurring at the time. The exhibit runs through August 17.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you may recall that the firm is associated with photography as their very own Sam Gainer is quite gifted with the ol' picture box. They are also quite good at marketing.

Their marketer, Stacy Soefer (pictured above to my right, with her mom Cindy Soefer on my left) has a strong background in fund-raising and events public relations, particularly in non-profit event PR. Her polish showed in the quality of the event, and her PR skills were evidenced by the amazing press coverage drawn to this event. The high-profile guests (clients of the firm) in attendance didn't hurt. 

In addition to TRIBEZA, the event is picked up in publications including: Modern Luxury Houston, Houston Business Journal, Jewish Herald Voice, 002 Magazine, PaperCITY Magazine, ICON and HTexas.

All the great press aside, the coolest thing for the firm, IMHO, was a team member saying to another that "I've never felt more proud to be a part of this firm." How do you assign a value to that?

The firm has a whole photo gallery dedicated to the Darfur event on their site.

Personally speaking, my own experience at the exhibit was extraordinarily moving as I took in both the Darfur photo exhibit and the Holocaust exhibit. Houston's Holocaust Museum has done an amazing job of bringing to younger generations the facts and horrors we must never forget about this tragic time.

The juxtaposition of a railroad car which carried victims to their camps placed beside a Danish rescue boat is simply jarring. And, similarly, the current tragedies in Africa are depicted alongside the horrors of the Holocaust that we'd like to think could never happen again.