communication skills

Corporate CPR Episode 100: How Communication Might Be Killing Your Organization

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how communication might be killing your organization.

Pam Hurley, PhD, is the founder and president of Hurley Write, Inc., a certified women-owned small business. Pam’s teaching style has been described as “energetic” and “straightforward.” Indeed, many clients credit Pam with giving them the strategies they needed to start thinking critically about their own writing. 

Episode Highlights:

Impact of Effective Writing: Effective writing plays a critical role in shaping an organization’s reputation, customer relationships, and financial success. Poor writing can lead to confusion, questions, and damage to the company’s image.

Undervaluation of Writing Skills: Many organizations undervalue the importance of writing skills, expressing a need for quality documents while neglecting to invest in the development of their employees’ writing proficiency. There is an assumption that a college education ensures adequate writing skills.

Time and Cost Consequences: Poor writing has not only communication quality implications but also significant time and cost repercussions due to repeated document iterations and reviews. This is especially noticeable when employees, such as project managers, are burdened with excessive reviewing responsibilities that detract from their primary roles.

Equal Rigor for Internal Communication: Internal communication, encompassing emails and other documents, deserves the same level of scrutiny as client-facing communication. Miscommunication internally can lead to problems, impacting relationships and rapport within the organization.

Audience-Centric Writing: Deep understanding of the audience is crucial in effective writing. Knowing the attributes, relationships, and context of the reader aids in tailoring the tone, voice, and content appropriately. This prevents misunderstandings and enhances the overall effectiveness of communication, both internally and externally.

Pam’s Top 3 Takeaways for the Audience:

  1. Think of the organization in terms of the communication. Is there an organizational problem? Do you have a communication standard in place?
  2. Writing should be part of your overall strategic plan for the company. 
  3. Always think about the planning of your documents. 

How to Connect with Pam:

Website: https://www.hurleywrite.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurleywrite/

Corporate CPR Episode 82: How To Sell In A Remote World

/ Jana

Sean Campbell is the CEO of Cascade Insights, a competitive intelligence and market research firm for B2B technology companies. A 20-year technology veteran, Sean establishes the company’s strategy, drives the company’s thought leadership efforts and maintains relationships with key clients.

A popular speaker, Sean has discussed B2B competitive intelligence at over 250 events around the globe. He has lectured at MIT’s Sloan Management School, presented at worldwide Strategic Competitive Intelligence Professionals conferences and shared his knowledge at many other events.

Sean has written three physical books and two ebooks, most recently the 6th edition of Going Beyond Google. He hosts the popular B2B Revealed podcast, now with more than 100 episodes on methodology, B2B tech, and interviews with thought leaders.

Top Takeaways:

  1. Effective writing skills are crucial in remote sales as there is less face-to-face contact with potential clients. Many sellers lack the ability to write persuasively and concisely in their emails, which hinders their success.
  2. Remote sales require sellers to rely more on written communication to convince prospects, schedule meetings, and convey their value proposition. The ability to write cogent and compelling emails becomes essential in establishing meaningful connections.
  3. The shift to remote sales revealed a lack of writing proficiency among some sales professionals. The absence of in-person interactions exposed the limited writing skills of colleagues who relied on face-to-face communication to get their message across.
  4. Specialization and narrow focus are key to standing out among the overwhelming volume of emails prospects receive. Instead of attempting to sell multiple offerings in a single email, sellers should identify the one thing they do exceptionally well and align it with the prospects’ pain points or objectives.
  5. Understanding the reader is crucial in writing effective sales emails. Sellers should prioritize researching and studying their prospects to create personalized messages that address their specific needs, challenges, and interests. The value of an email is determined by the reader’s perception, and tailoring the message to resonate with their priorities is paramount.
  6. The ability to sell virtually is becoming a crucial skill that salespeople will need to have permanently. Virtual selling provides opportunities for efficiency and effectiveness, even if face-to-face meetings are possible.
  7. Building relationships and connections can still be done virtually, but there is value in in-person interactions, especially for brainstorming sessions or complicated projects. Being in proximity with one another allows for organic conversations and relationship building that is harder to replicate digitally.
  8. Virtual communication requires different management skills. Managers need to learn how to effectively manage teams remotely and create an environment where employees feel comfortable admitting when they don’t know something. This encourages open communication and problem-solving.
  9. The productivity challenges during remote work may not be solely attributed to employees’ time management but can also be a result of the loss of in-person interactions and relationships. Companies need to find ways to bridge this gap and foster collaboration and connection in a virtual environment.
  10. The return to the office debate should consider both the advantages of in-person interactions and the skills that can be developed and leveraged in a virtual setting. There are valid arguments for both remote work and office-based work, and finding a balance that suits the needs of the organization and its employees is essential.

Top 3 Takeaways:
1.     Read and watch things you disagree with. 
2.     Learn how to write better. 
3.     If you’re remote, pick up the phone. 

Connect with Sean:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancampbell/
Website: https://www.cascadeinsights.com
Email: sean@cascadeinsights.com