What Employees Need from Leaders

Just ran across an amazing little article from the Harvard Business Review entitled What Employees Need from Leaders. It was written by Dr. Cleve Stevens of Owl Sight Intentions Inc. I thought it was a great summary. In short, employees need:

• To love and be loved--defined as focused concern and action
• To grow
• To contribute
• Meaning

This list certainly resonates for me, and I can do better at helping the employees I work with find those needs better met with my leadership.

Getting your Business on the Web

You have designed your business for success; now it's time to do the same for your business' presence on the World Wide Web. You have several options for making this major step forward. The intrepid business owner may consider creating and managing his or her website alone. Or he or she may seek out a qualified web designer and developer. In any case, getting your web site designed and operational is a significant task.

Identifying Your Web Needs

The first step in the process is to specify what it is you want from your web site. Do you want to attract customers? Establish a reputation? Show off? Provide references?

What should your web site mean to customers? If you want to attract customers, then you will be interested in selling on your site. Some web sites are designed to enhance communication with existing customers–giving the status of projects, allowing review of materials, promoting collaboration, and so forth. This requires different tools than simply putting your brochure on the web.

Do you intend to offer items for sale on your site? If so, you will be interested in security, banking relationships, etc. Will you enable your site for other forms of e-commerce?

What do you hope your site will mean to your suppliers? Do you intend to purchase items over the web? Will you be an affiliate or a wholesaler of the products of others? Do you want to allow web access to your accounts payables, allowing electronic invoicing and payment transfers?

How about competitors? You certainly don't want to share your trade secrets; but are there some things that you want your competitors to know about your firm and your products and services? Do you want a site that is competitive graphically or functionally with those of your competitors, or will you fill a very specialized niche that has little to do with competitors?

And finally, what should your site say about your commitment to community? Do you want a chat room or a message board? Are you looking for ways to build commitment to your industry, and should your web site play a role in building that interest?

If you want to do your own website, you should be able to answer the following questions honestly in the affirmative.

1. Are you computer savvy? Can you do more on a PC than just word processing or spreadsheets? Do you have some basic knowledge of computer programming in general? Are you comfortable with your PC and with the Internet?

2. Are you good at designing things? Can you tell the difference between a well designed web site and a poorly designed one. Check out the information at this web site and see if you are impressed with their highlighted web pages that are poorly designed. If so, you probably do not have an eye for design.

3. Are you willing to tackle a learning curve? Learning HTML and the associated programming skills for good web pages is a steep learning curve. Can you invest the time and energy in getting ahead of the curve?

4. Are you willing to invest in the tools? Purchasing an HTML authoring tool, a good graphics program and other hardware and software tools can be expensive for one web application.

If you do decide to do it yourself, or at least try it yourself, you should consider the following:

1. Learn your tools. HTML authoring tools have varying degrees of ease for the novice user. Microsoft FrontPage is one of the most heavily used tools. Another to consider is Dreamweaver. If you are looking for a freeware solution, check out First Page by Evrsoft. You will also want a good graphics program for creating web graphics.

2. Experiment with templates. There are many sites on the web that offer free or low cost web page templates that are designed with good taste and colors and graphics. Check out Free Site Templates, Free Web Templates, and Web Diner. There are also low cost CD-ROM's with a variety of web templates available.

3. Beware of copyrights. Most web templates and graphics found on the web are copyrighted by someone. In some cases, a link back to the author's page will be all that is asked. In others, you will need to pay for the use of the template or graphics. Check out these requirements to keep you out of hot water legally.

4. Look for web tools on the Web. Many web sites use tools provided by other sites, such as forms, surveys, message boards, chat rooms, etc. Some of the best sites are Bravenet, Webmaster 123 and Free Site Tools.

If you decide that the do-it-yourself approach is not for you, it is time to begin a search for a web designer or developer. Take the information you prepared by asking the tough questions about what you want your web site to accomplish for you and have it in hand as you begin.

Build a Vendor List. As you see web sites that impress you, make note of the web designer or developer. Normally, this will be listed as a "footer" on the home page, or there may be a credits page or an "about our site" page which will offer this information. You will also want to go to the International Association of Web Masters and Designers and explore its resources. This directory, as well as the home page of the designer, will often offer a portfolio of their work. Click through their portfolio to get an idea of their capabilities. You may also want to check out local resources for web designers. Using the About Web Design pages is a good place to start. But don't limit yourself to designers in your geographic area. Web design is universal enough, and the technology tools are sufficient to make location a relatively unimportant factor.

Interview. Once you have selected your vendor list, then begin visiting with those on your list. You will want to ask questions so that you can determine:

1. For the designer, what is most important: meeting your needs or using the bells and whistles of technology? It is possible to have a technologically superior web site without having the needed substance for your customers. A web designer must be able to write good copy, not just make great flash introductions.

2. Is the designer experienced with web sites of your scale and scope? Web sites can be fairly simple with just a few pages or can be very complex. Is your designer willing and able to work with a site like the one you envision?

3. How are fees calculated and charged? Will you be charged by the hour, by the page, by the word? Are the fees comparable with other designers you have interviewed?

4. Do you have a chemistry with the designer? Do you feel at ease or intimidated? Can you communicate effectively with him or her? Does the designer seem to understand your needs and concerns.

5. How do other clients feel about the designer? Make a few phone calls or send e-mails to other clients of the designer. What is their feedback? Are there any red flags?

Using these questions and concepts, you will find a web designer who meets your needs and will be able to get you established successfully on the Web.

Writing Winning Proposals

So, you've received and reviewed the Request for Proposals from a prospective client, or one of your clients has described a project to you in detail and asked for a proposal. How do you prepare a proposal that tells your story effectively and gives you the best chance to get the contract?

Preparing proposals that sell your services and that give the right professional impression can often seem like a daunting task. The written proposal is the one best chance to make a good impression in writing and to communicate to the client that you are the best choice. How it is organized, how well it is written, how well it addresses the client's needs and how it appears can make all the difference in the world. And all four elements need to be addressed; failing to be effective in any of these areas can spell doom.

These tips should help you overcome your concerns and get to work producing a first rate proposal.

Organization

The organization of your proposal requires careful thought. You will hope to lead your reader step by step through your vision of the project. A well organized proposal communicates that you have the organizing skill to accomplish this complex and critical project. After all, if it weren't either complex or critical (or both), your client would do it without your help. A good proposal format should include:

• An executive summary
  
• An abstract of the project
  
• A detailed project description
  
• A summary of the background of the project
  
• A review of the need for the project and the benefits of doing it
  
• A thorough scoping of the project, including objectives and performance measures
  
• A description of the methods you propose
  
• A detail of the deliverables of the project–what the client will actually get
  
• A schedule of the project
  
• A project budget and the expected economic return from that investment
  
• A list of references of similar projects you have accomplished
  
• A copy of your proposed legal contract for services
  

Meeting Your Client's Needs

A proposed project will, after all, be paid for by your client. Understanding that client's needs, and then making a proposal that addresses them, is your best chance at success. The following recommendations would be in order:

1. Be sure you understand the project. If you are working from a formal request for proposal, take the time to really understand the requirements. The RFP will hopefully be detailed enough for you to prepare a first draft. If there is no RFP, then work closely with your client to ensure that you have a complete understanding of his needs and expectations. But if you have questions, make sure that you ask.

2. Meet with the decision maker. Even if you have a perfect RFP or a good understanding, it is helpful in preparing your proposal to meet with, or at least confer with, the client. Ask all the questions you have. Make sure that the client sees you as responsive. A cold proposal given without consulting in some way with those who will be making the decision simply leaves too many stones unturned.

3. Don't overkill. I remember once in my career soliciting proposals for a trainer on a specialized topic. One of the proponents, who never bothered to call or confer with us, proposed doing a comprehensive employee and customer survey to determine our training needs, and prepared his proposal around that theme. What we really wanted was a capable contract trainer, and that is the person we hired.

4. Know your competition. If possible, get a list of all those to whom the RFP was sent, or ask your client others who will be proposing. Knowing your competition will help you sell your unique strengths and capabilities.

Write it Well

There is no room for careless error in a professional proposal. Grammar and spelling must be impeccable. Never, ever misspell a name of a decision maker. Utilize your best skills at writing, and proofread thoroughly. In addition,

1. Make sure your executive summary sells your proposal. The executive summary, which should immediately follow your cover page and table of contents, is the one-page sales portion. It is not just a summary, but a tightly edited one that offers a review of the need, the benefits, and the objectives of the project, and sends the message that you are the best proponent. In many cases, the key decision makers will read the executive summary and a review of the proposal by the staff.

2. Justify the project in terms of need. Explain why the project needs to be carried out. Give concrete facts, examples and information to justify the project's inputs.

3. Be clear on measuring success. Carefully elaborate on how the project's success will be measured. Use clear and convincing criteria, and specify the evaluation method you will be using.

4. Thoughtfully define the project scope. This is often the biggest challenge to a proponent. You must explain exactly what the project will include, and more importantly, what it won't. Offer details about the project such as time frame, sample sizes, and studies involved. Your treatment of the scope will define what it is for which you as the consultant will be accountable.

5. Offer a realistic schedule. Be careful about being overly optimistic about time frames. Use a good project management software program to prepare a PERT chart for your project; one that you can defend and live up to.

6. Finally, define your unique qualifications to be the consultant on this project. Up until now, you have been demonstrating your understanding of and approach to the project. Now comes your opportunity to define why it is that you are the best choice. Include the results of similar work you have done. Define the resources that you bring to the project. Let your qualifications shine through.

Design It Professionally

A proposal should be graphically pleasing and should exude professionalism. Here are some recommendations on design:

1. Use a common theme. If you have an attractive logo, use it as a watermark or in a footer or header throughout the document. Consider using your client's logo on your cover page as well. Make sure that pages are numbered throughout.

2. Use a common typeface. Limit your use of fonts to one or two in the document. Using one font with different treatments (bold, italics, different sizes) is even better. Keep it simple and readable. Your message and content must be paramount.

3. Color or Monochrome? Whichever your choice, make sure that the final product photocopies well. Using multiple dark colors in a chart or graph will often not show distinctions in a black and white copy. If you use monochrome, consider using some grey scales for variety.

4. Allow lots of white space. Don't fill every page from side to side and top to bottom with text. Allow room for marginal notations by your client. And more white space is more appealing to the eye.

Conclusion

Your proposal speaks volumes about you and your professionalism. A proposal that addresses your clients needs, is well organized, well written and attractively designed communicates a professional and effective approach to your work. Following these recommendations will help you create a proposal which will market your skills and qualifications to clients and will result in more and better projects for you and your firm.

Keys to Successful Networking

As consultants and trainers everywhere have learned, the most important personal marketing we do is networking. Making ourselves known to potential clients, referrals or vendors is a delicate but most critical business. Too pushy and you are branded as an opportunist at best or arrogant at worst. But if you fail to make an impression, you lose a chance for recognition. Those who do it best know its value. What can we learn from the masters of networking?

These ten tips, gleaned from years of personal experience and from research into the best practices of top marketers, will, if practiced, help any consultant put his or her best foot forward in these networking opportunities.

1. The desire to network is the first key. It is no coincidence that the word "networking" includes the word "work." It is work, and it requires attention and focus. However, the most successful personal marketers try to have fun at it! Look forward to the opportunity to meet new people.

2. Project a professional image. Dress professionally and look the part of the expert in your field. Use professional and high quality business cards; project the best image you can afford. Consider using the new CD-ROM based business cards if you are in the high-tech arena. You might also want to consider a small investment in a quality name tag; it can generate conversation if done tastefully.

3. Prepare for networking. Think through and develop a succinct and interesting personal introduction. Practice it and polish it with people who will give you an objective view. Carefully work in comments that would elicit a question or two from your contact. But avoid name dropping as a technique; it is offensive to most.

4. Take every opportunity. Don't limit yourself to the traditional professional organizations and Chamber of Commerce events. Look at waits in line, rides in an elevator, or chats at a party as networking opportunities,

5. Set a weekly goal. Start slowly, but start! You may want to target only 1 or 2 contacts a week at the beginning, but grow the goal as opportunities grow.

6. Think sources and resources. You will want to be seen as a resource to your contacts. Think of what you can offer them (ideas, newsletters, articles) and of what your contact could offer to you as a resource (referrals, other contacts, business services). If you look at networking from this perspective, you will use opportunities to your best advantage.

7. Jot notes on your contacts. Set up a system for tracking your contacts. Consider software options, a Rolodex or other methods. But keep track of these contacts. It will make follow-up much easier.

8. Follow-up is absolutely essential to successful networking. Keep in touch with your contact list. Consider developing a periodic newsletter, either in print or electronically. Call you contacts periodically to remind them that you are there and that you can be of service to them or to their contacts. Statistics show that you will generate four sales leads from your follow-up efforts for every one lead that comes from your contacts' initiative.

9. Just Start Now. Procrastinators do not make good networkers. Begin today and take a first step. Prepare your self-introduction. Order new business cards. Find a name tag supplier. But do something today.

10. Smile. It sounds trite, but a cheerful attitude will go a long way toward making networking a pleasant and rewarding experience.

Internet Etiquette

All good sales people know that you only have one opportunity to make a first impression. We have a long history of learning to make a good impression in person or on the phone, and there have been entire volumes written on business etiquette in these situations. But with the growth of information technology, and specifically the Internet, it is more difficult to learn and grasp the intricacies of "netiquette".

This article summarizes the rules of the road for Internet users who hope to make a good first impression on those with whom you do business.

Using E-Mail

- Know your e-mail address. How often do we all meet people who have e-mail, but cannot remember their address? It is easy for the "newbies" among us to mix up our email address and our website. Putting your email address on your business card is a modern necessity.

- Beware of long or complex email addresses. Some businesses will have a long email domain, and require you to use long user names. For example, nathangwinterbottom@ americansocialanalystsinc.com is a little overwhelming. If this is your plight, consider using an e-mail forwarding service like cjb.net or @less.com , and getting a shorter and more memorable email, such as nate@asainc.cjb.net. It can also shrink the size of your business card!

- Get permission before sending cutesy-mail. While many people enjoy and actually look forward to emailed photos, jokes, inspirational quotes, etc., not all enjoy it and some are actually forbidden by company policy from receiving them. Make sure you check first with a recipient before adding them to your email list for such mailings. It is just common courtesy.

- Verify mails before sending them. Make sure that your email program has a spell checker and use it. You would never want to send out a resume with an obvious misspelling--how would you feel if you were the potential employer? Be sure that your email is professional and accurate. Also, employ a virus scanner on your computer. Even if it is inadvertent, an infected attachment can spell doom for a recipient.

Your Website

- Remember the purpose of your site. While the coolest colors and the niftiest animated GIF's are fun, they may or may not convey your message. Always develop your site with an emphasis on content, and less on the bells and whistles. Be careful to keep colors balanced so that text can be read. Light blue text on a light green background may be tasteful, but not readable.

- Keep content fresh and links live. Nothing communicates more poorly about a business than a site that is not properly maintained. Add new content periodically to encourage return visits. Have a news page that lists current accomplishments, projects and recognitions. Check your links regularly to make sure that they still work and lead you to the right site. Sometimes the difference between xyz.com and xyz.org can be like night and day.

- Be prepared to sell your site. Could you tell a potential customer or client what is on your site right now? Keep up to date with your site's content and offerings, and be conversant about it.

Using the Internet to market your services can be a low cost and effective way to share information and to make a good first impression. Using the basic skills of online etiquette will help you do this with style and good taste.