Coaching and the GROW Model

Biggest misconceptions I find in business is coaching vs mentor. Most are unaware about how coaching really works. If you thought you know what coaching is and your not 100% sure here a nice little introduction to the GROW method.

8 tips for getting social media ads right

Are your social media ads missing the mark? Contributor Peter Minnium outlines eight tips and tricks to help you connect with your audience and build a community of loyal followers.

A friend recently complained to me that the targeted ads that persistently stud her social media feeds are not only disruptive but also frequently irrelevant. She uses social media primarily to keep track of friends and to follow artists and crafters that could offer her inspiration or technical knowledge.

As she vented her frustration, I wondered why the ads she saw were still so consistently missing the mark despite the great leaps in ad targeting technology. Surely there must be a better way for brands to reach audiences through social media.

Surprisingly, though almost two-thirds of social media users are irritated by the number of promotions that clutter their feeds, and 26 percent actively ignore marketing content, a whopping 62 percent follow at least one brand on social media.

According to the GlobalWebIndex, 42 percent of social media users are there to “stay in touch” with their friends, while over a third are also interested in following current events, finding entertaining content or killing time. Though 27 percent of users find or research products on social media, most usage is skewed toward building relationships. As such, it’s clear why many social media users are annoyed by ads they find intrusive, irrelevant or boring.

While this data helps us understand why users may find ads abrasive, it also gives us a glimpse into why they are so open to following brands on social media. Today’s hypercompetitive ethos is not limited to brands or ads. Consumers want to know about the latest trends in fashion and technology, and they want to know first. By following brands, users can keep tabs on the latest and greatest.

Following also allows consumers to interact with brands more directly and to voice their dissatisfaction when brands misstep. A full 46 percent of users have “called out” brands on social media, and four out of five believe that this has had a positive impact on brand accountability. The good news for brands is that when they respond well, 45 percent of users will post about the interaction, and over a third will share the experience with their friends.

Brands should note that 60 percent of callouts are in response to perceived dishonesty, which should lend some context to the fact that 30 percent will unfollow a brand that uses slang or jargon inconsistent with the brand’s image. This can be a costly mistake, as 76 percent of users aged 13 to 25 stopped buying from brands after unfollowing.

The news may seem bleak, but the truth is that these facts draw a clear path for brands that want to tap into the unprecedented consumer access offered by the social media revolution. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

1. Be authentic

Above all, brands need to strive for authenticity. Consumers have shown that they are not only open to branded social media content, they welcome it, provided the content is useful and relevant rather than disruptive to their experience.

From social media usage statistics, we see that users are most interested in staying connected and entertained. Brands that share news of upcoming trends or offer content that stands on its own merit can add value to users’ social media experience while reaching out to a more receptive audience.

2. Be useful

Understanding how individuals utilize their social media presence can help brands leverage their marketing dollars. Users may not want to see a soft-drink ad while scrolling through pictures of a friend’s trip, but an airline ad might hit home.

Instructional videos can be a particularly effective way of reaching an audience in a useful manner. Like many others, my friend would be far more welcoming of how-to videos from a yarn supplier than of the seemingly arbitrary clothing ads that pepper her crafting-heavy social media feeds.

3. Be contextual

As always, context is key. Not all social media interactions are alike. Users may look to one branch of their network for entertainment or news and to another for technical knowledge or inspiration.

While the current targeting approach estimates user proclivities based on the activity and interests of their network as a whole, determining how users relate to specific nodes in the network will enable brands to reach out to users when and where they will be most receptive to the marketing content in question.

4. Be credible

Differentiation is also critical in establishing credibility. An American Press Institute study showed that users place greater weight on who shares content than on where it came from originally. Social media users, especially those in the 13-to-24 age bracket, will actively share and discuss content they find engaging.

Brands can make use of this phenomenon to proliferate their content, but only if those who share it are perceived to be trustworthy by members of their network. How connections respond to a user’s posts or shares can be more important than how much the user shares.

5. Be accessible

Brands need to build an audience of active and reliable followers who will help spread branded content to loyal followers of their own. Beyond publishing content that is engaging and true to their image, brands can accomplish this by making themselves more accessible to consumers.

Instant messaging can be a powerful tool for answering consumer questions, responding to complaints and building more intimate relationships with followers. By responding in a more immediate and personal way to users, brands can empower users to take the initiative in building a stronger relationship with them.

6. Be persistent

The most important factor that determines a brand’s success in the world of social media is perseverance. In part, this means being responsive to user feedback and actively working to improve their social media presence.

At the same time, brands need to stick to their guns. A majority (some 60 percent) of users need to interact with content between two and four times before taking action, according to a Sprout Social survey. A steady production of quality content will keep users tuned in, translating user engagement with content into tangible results.

7. Be testy

Brands too often fail to invest in testing to understand the effectiveness of their social media advertising. It’s easy to make excuses for not doing so: “the per ad investment is too small,” “I get metrics from the platform,” or “we don’t have time” are the most frequently heard.

This is a mistake. Without independent validation that the ads achieve their objectives (both attitudinal and behavioral), a brand can’t be sure it’s made it through the gauntlet of challenges outlined above.

8. Use your listening skills

Brands that listen actively to social media users and respond earnestly to their needs and interests stand to gain a foothold in the new marketing frontier. Over 75 percent of users in the Sprout survey report purchasing a product after interacting with marketing content on a social media platform. Furthermore, just as many users discovered a new brand through social media as in-store or via a conventional ad.

While many brands are struggling to reach consumers on social media (and not for lack of trying), they can overcome the resistance they are experiencing by opening their ears — before their pocketbooks.

Article by:Peter Minnium 

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This is Why You Don't SUCCEED - One of the Best Motivational Speeches Ever

Very insightful! Comment if you check your phone in the middle of the night lol.

Why coaching, not gadgets, is key to getting the most out of employees

Forget the gadgets and “lifehacks” to increase productivity, my research with Julia Milner shows that managers need to become coaches to get the best out of their employees.

Coaching means many things, from simply listening to staff, to helping them set personal goals or understand the company’s objectives. When employees understand the business goals, they can make their own decisions and not wait for someone to tell them what to do.

When employees are listened to, they feel valued and empowered. They have greater ownership and commitment to actions that they themselves have identified as necessary. As one manager in our study noted:

When you coach people rather than command people, you almost always win their hearts and minds, so loyalty, trust and confidence are built.

Our research shows manager coaching led to improvements in productivity, engagement and customer service. One manager reported that coaching led to an increase in output from 35% of the target to greater than 100% within 12 months. One organisation improved customer service by 450% within five months of introducing manager coaching.

Coaching also transformed some underachievers into star performers. For example, one employee who was described as “very lacking in self-confidence” developed enough confidence to apply for a promotion and became a highly effective manager. Coaching had helped the employee to identify solutions, by providing advice and expertise when needed.

Coaching in practice

Coaching is a conversation between two or more people to find a way forward together. The participants reflect on the current situation, agree on a goal, and identify options and actions for moving toward the goal.

In practice there are four things mangers should do during coaching:

Genuinely listen to their employees, allowing time to think out loud and come up with their own ideas.

Ask questions that help employees develop their thinking. If an employee identifies a problem the manager can ask what solutions they can think of.

Work with employees to set goals. Create an energising dialogue to make this task more than ticking boxes.

Give constructive feedback to help employees align with organisational goals and develop professionally.

The majority of the 580 general managers and human resource managers who participated in our research coached their employees at least once a week.

Organisations in our study used quarterly coaching sessions to set employee expectations, monthly sessions to review progress, and weekly sessions with new employees or employees in new roles. Informal coaching happens whenever opportunities arise – for example, discussing an incident the manager has observed and identifying alternative approaches. The employee can take ownership of the situation by choosing what alternative to implement.

Of course, implementing manager coaching is easier said than done. Most training in coaching does not address the complexities of the manager as coach.

For example, what should a manager do if an employee tells them something in confidence that they would not normally tell a manager? The best way to deal with this is by being honest and upfront about what can and cannot be kept confidential.

Managers also find it difficult to make time for coaching, although they may save time in the long run as employees don’t need their advice as often. This frees up managers to spend more time thinking strategically.

Managers in our study spent more time with new employees or employees in new roles than with employees who were already comfortable in their roles. They also recommended choosing the right time to coach – for example, not starting a session in the middle of a crisis.

You’ve probably heard of “executive coaches”. These people are like consultants who work one on one with managers on how to improve their leadership style, act as a sounding board for their ideas, or manage work-life balance.

But, as our research shows, there’s no reason for coaching to be restricted to outside consultants – managers should coach their own employees.

Coaching achieves fantastic outcomes for employees, for the organisation and for the managers themselves. As one manager in our study said:

Staff who believe their managers and organisations care about them by investing their time in coaching them are naturally more positive, happier whilst working. They are great team players. Their skills improve, they get promoted.

Most importantly this flows on to how your customers are treated. Treat staff well and they treat your customers well. Your business then flourishes.

If managers don’t know where to start, they should begin by listening to employees. They may be surprised by how much staff know and how much they appreciate being asked.

The greatest reward for a leader is seeing their staff develop and grow. Coaching is a practical way to achieve this.

theconversation.com   

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