6 Signs You Need to Use Video in Your Daily Communication

6 Signs You Need to Use Video in Your Daily Communication Every day, you entrust some of your most important and valuable messages to a form of communication short on clarity, short on personality, and short on results. I’m talking about all of those emails, text messages, and social messages that you type, double-check for meaning, perhaps add a helpful emoji or emoticon to (it doesn’t help), and click “Send.” Do you know what’s missing from much of your daily, digital communication? You! Over the past couple of decades, we’ve become increasingly comfortable in an increasingly faceless process of communicating. The consequence is that we’re not connecting or converting Six as well. But a growing movement of business professionals in all kinds of rolesâ€"including leadership, management, sales, customer success, marketing, recruiting, and beyondâ€"are restoring a personal, human touch to many of their messages with simple videos. A simple, personal video puts you back into your communicationâ€"your face, voice, personality, expertise, enthusiasm, sincerity, gratitude, concern, frustration, and all of those human elements that are blurred or even stripped away when we rely exclusively on the same black text on the same white screen. And you already own what you need to get started: a webcam or smartphone. Recording and sending video in emails, texts, and social messages can save you time through more talking and less typing, ensure that your meaning is clear, and build human connection across time and distance. But is it for you? Here are six signs that you should introduce simple videos into your daily communication. If three or four resonate with you, it’s time to get started! 1. You teach, train, sell or serve. Spoiler: you do. In his New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post #1 bestseller To Sell Is Human, Daniel Pink lays out clearly the case that we’re all in sales. Each of us is in the change business. Our work requires that we connect, influence, and persuade to advance ideas and opportunities with and through other peopleâ€"even if “sales” fails to appear in our title or job description. Your plain text alone can’t move people as well as you can. 2. Your sales process drives toward face-to-face meetings. Outbounding and prospecting? Following up with inbound opportunities? Whether machine-driven or manual, most of your phone calls, voicemails, emails, text messages, and other touches have the goal of scheduling an in-person or online appointment. Why wait to get face to face? Why wait to build trust and differentiate yourself? Get in front of people earlier and more often in the sales process by incorporating simple, personal videos into your cadence. 3. You want to improve customer experience. Explaining complex topics. Responding to inquiries. Showing, telling, or demonstrating. All of these are done better with video than with text and links. It puts a face with a name and humanizes your brand. And in the case that you’re communicating with a frustrated or confused customer, it allows you to manage tone, convey empathy, and let them know they’ve been seen, heard, and understood. 4. You risk disintermediation by web apps, tools, and automations. For their cost and unpredictability, humans are being reduced or removed in many business processes. If your role is being threatened in this way, you need to add more value than you cost. You need to restore the benefit of having a human in the processâ€"in part by restoring yourself in your daily communication. 5. You benefit from referrals, online reviews, and positive word of mouth. Each customer should be the source of many transactions through repeat and referral business, so we must provide experiences that people want to talk about. In so many cases, the positive stories we tell and the reviews we write are based on a person-to-person exchange. Getting face to face with more people more often at the many touchpoints customers have with you and your team members builds the connection and enhances the experience in a way that gets this done more effectively. 6.You win more opportunities when you’re face to face. All that rich, nonverbal communication that our brains are wired to send and receive from one another as fellow human beings and social creatures make face to face the most meaningful and valuable experience. But time and distance often keep us separated from the people who matter most to our success. Recording and sending a video when it’s convenient for you allows others to open your message and experience you in person when it’s convenient for them. Before you click “Send” again today, think about the opportunity to include an unscripted, unproduced video in your message. Casual and conversational. Simple and personal. When you introduce videos like these to your daily communication, expect more and better replies and responses. About the Author: Ethan Beute is VP of Marketing at BombBomb, coauthor (with Stephen Pacinelli) of Rehumanize Your Business, and host of The Customer Experience Podcast. Ethan has collected and told personal-video success stories in hundreds of blog posts, in dozens of webinars, podcasts, and stage presentations, and in countless conversations. He spent a dozen years leading marketing inside local television stations in Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Colorado Springs. He currently resides in Colorado Springs with his wife and son.

Making New Years Resolutions Start with a Vision of Your Future Me -

Making New Year’s Resolutions   Start with a Vision of Your “Future Me” - As the New Year approaches, people say things like, “My resolution is to be better at everything in this New Year.” “I’ll lose weight.” “I’ll go to the gym three times a week.” “I’ll network more.” Such New Year’s resolutions, while well-intended, don’t seem to be very effective and are often quickly abandoned. The list of resolutions above looks like a list of action plans, but action plans for what purpose? There’s a different approach to making resolutions that I have found to be extremely effective for my career, and my life in general. Perhaps it will work for you. Instead of starting with your New Year’s resolutions, I recommend starting with a vision of your “future me” a vision you can then use to develop this year’s New Year’s resolutions. Your Future Me Rather than developing this “future me” vision for the end of this New Year, I recommend thinking 5, 10 and perhaps even 25 years out. What would you like your life to look like then? Do you see yourself moving up the corporate ladder in your company, changing employers or locations, moving onto a totally different career path in a new function or industry, or perhaps starting your own business?   While your vision should reflect your likes and strengths, this is the time to stretch and dream. What Do You Want Your Life To Look Like? When I first developed my vision of the “future me”, I was a senior middle manager in a major corporation, was tired of moving every few years and wanted more balance in my life. I wrote a personal essay defining my vision of what I wanted my life to look like. My vision was 15 years out and included changing my lifestyle, my location and my career. I envisioned myself as a professor/researcher/writer working from home in my glorious yard overlooking the ocean. This vision was initially less defined and was not one I could implement quickly. I needed a doctoral degree as a starter, and I didn’t live near the ocean. Don’t be concerned if your vision of the “future me” is bit fuzzy at first.   Life happens, and it’s difficult to envision a future in an unfamiliar new world. Your vision will likely evolve. The Ingredients to Your Future Me You’ll likely find there are many steps you need to take to make your “future me” a reality.   What additional degrees or skills will you need? In addition to new skills, you’ll need people to help you accomplish your vision. Do you know any people who are living your vision now?   Perhaps they’ll be willing to share the process they followed. This might be a good year to begin to identify new networks to cultivate or new ways to volunteer that will help you develop relationships with people in your future world. You might even begin to identify mentors or sponsors who can help you achieve your vision. Once you have a vision of your “future me” and have identified the major gaps between “current me” and “future me,” it’s then time to develop your New Year’s resolutions, your first year’s action plans and your first steps towards achieving your emerging vision. How will you begin to fill one of the skill gaps you identified?   How will you begin to cultivate new relationships?   As you consider your resolutions and as you make decisions throughout the year, consciously ask yourself “Will this action help me accomplish my vision?” If not, decide no, unless there is another very powerful reason for deciding otherwise. Happy visioning, and may you keep your New Year’s resolutions this year.  This guest post was authored by Dr. Lynne E. Devnew Lynne E. Devnew is an associate faculty member within the University of Phoenix doctoral program, is a distinguished research fellow, and chairs the Women and Leadership Research Group at University of Phoenix. A former senior middle manager at IBM, she has a DBA in strategy from the Questrom School, Boston University.   She is also a graduate of Columbia University in New York City and Simmons College in Boston. Dr. Devnew’s research work and publications are focused on women’s leadership aspirations and leader identity development and women on boards of directors. She lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts and serves on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations.

How to write a blog post people love

How to write a blog post people love People always ask me why I have an editor for my blog posts. The big reason is that I dont want my posts to suck. But what he does more than anything else, is make sure that my posts adhere to a set of five rules. And if the post does not adhere, he makes sure I have a good reason for it. So here are the rules I use for writing a blog post. These will either help you to write better, or these rules will help you understand the specific reason you hate my posts on the days you hate them. 1. Start strong. Most first drafts of writing function as a way for the writer to find the subject. This means that maybe first 20% of a first draft can usually be cut. Whenever I hear Weezers Buddy Holly, it reminds me what a strong opening feels like. Its a boom, and its confident. And it says, heres a good part, right now. 2. Be short. Do you know why people love Seth Godins blog so much? Because he writes short. But watch out: you have nowhere to hide if youre writing short. If something is short, it must be good. And even if Seth doesnt soar every time, its fun to know hes aiming so high fun to be a part of that. The hardest thing about being short is that its scary. You have to risk that your one idea will really resonate. (You can see this playing out in a resume as well, by the way. A two-page shows less confidence. The resume says, I dont trust that the first page is good enough, so heres one more page. A one-page resume says, I have such good stuff here that you dont need to see any more of my history to want to interview me.) 3. Have a genuine connection. Newspaper columnists are oblivious to how many people actually read their stuff, because newspaper management is oblivious to how many people read a particular article. Thats off-line media. But today a blogger can tell right away when she is writing something readers care about. The ability to tell fundamentally changes the relationship between writer and reader. The writer is more connected to her individual readers instead of being isolated in some glass box called journalism. Heres how to start a genuine connection: In the 80s, it was fashionable for literary narrators to write directly to you, the reader. That genre is a primer for how to be a blogger using the high quality of literature and the street-level parlance of the second person. Some of the best are Jay McInernys novel, Story of My Life (bonus based on the NYC club-hopping years of the woman John Edwards recently had an affair with.) and Lorrie Moores book of short stories, Self-Help (my favorite is How to Be a Writer. The best part of teaching creative writing at Boston University was that I could make all my students read it.) But the best example is the opening of the inscrutable book by Italo Calvino: You are about to begin reading Italo Calvinos new novel, If on a winters night a traveler. Relax. 4. Be passionate. Passion is rare. Its something we are all attracted to, but its something few people can muster. Thats why most people are bad in bed, and its why most people are bad bloggers. Unleashing passion is scary. You dont know where it will go. So instead, most people try to sort of keep themselves under control. This is boring. You instinctively know its boring, because you remember who was fun in bed. A post with passion can actually overcome the curse of a boring topic or a lack of insight, and poor structure on top of all that. For example, here is a rant from the blog, Barstool Sports. I love this rant because its funny and emphatic and quirky. Most passion ends up being quirky, by the way, because when youre passionate you are letting yourself be totally you. 5. Have one good piece of research. At the Boston Globe, I was required to do research. And I loved what I learned from interviewing people. For my book contract I was supposed to have research on every page. I thought that was over the top, but I really needed the money, so I agreed to it. Then I turned in my manuscript, and it was rejected. Then I learned to use research consistently in my writing. And you know what? Its not just that I was a better writer, but I had more fun writing. I learned more. Another thing to think about when using research is that its a little present to the reader. The gift of a blog post is, first and foremost, your perspective. Because information is a commodity but your perspective is not. A fun piece of research ads zing to the post. Its like going to a good party where you meet someone interesting, and leaving, at the end, with a phone number and the bonus of a nice goodie bag. So heres the goodie bag. Ive been saving it for months: The smell of pizza makes men want to have sex.

The Great Summer Give Back 3 Volunteer Activities For Kids

The Great Summer Give Back 3 Volunteer Activities For Kids As a working mother, summers are chaotic. From those last weeks of school and the seemingly constant half-days and parent-sponsored activities, until the last days of summer vacation, we have to organize childcare, plan activities, and deal with the constant chorus of tiny voices asking for snacks and complaining of boredom. There needs to be a way to fill the time with more than just video games and sibling arguments. One great way to fill summer days â€" or just keep the kids busy on a rainy weekend when you’re stuck inside â€" is by encouraging them to give back to the community through volunteer activities for kids. After all, if we want to raise our children to be engaged, responsible citizens, we have to start young. And with the right activity, even the youngest children can share their talents with others. Get Crafty One of the easiest ways for kids to make an impact without adding to your busy summer schedule is by doing creative projects for a good cause â€" and you might already have the materials on hand. So what can they make that won’t end up at the bottom of the closet? Next time the kids complain they’re bored, get out the leftover fabric paints and craft some pillowcases for Camp Dreamcatcher. This non-profit summer program runs a summer camp for kids affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as other services, and these unique pillowcases can brighten a camper’s stay and help them feel more comfortable in their home away from home. Another simple activity that kids can do any time is paint some rocks. But who does that benefit? The recent rock painting craze stems from a small initiative called The Kindness Rocks Project; the founder painted rocks with inspirational messages and left them around her community and soon it took on a life of its own. Now families all over the country are painting cheerful rocks to share with the community. Plus, it’s a good opportunity to talk to your kids about bullying, friendship, and positive thinking. Just check out The Kindness Rocks Project Instagram for ideas. Give Back With Gear Some days, it’s hard enough to get the kids to put their shoes on and out of the house, never mind scheme up some volunteer activity to participate in â€" and we totally understand. So how do you keep up the conversation about giving back when you just want a nap? Those are the days you get out your give back gear, clothing from companies that are doing great work in the world. There are countless clothing companies that support charities with their work and are really community-oriented, and they’re definitely not boring. For example, Juvenile Virtuoso adorns their clothes with art by talented young people, while supporting the Arts for Healing Foundation, while the cool literary clothes from Out Of Print fund book donations and literacy programming. These companies offer your kids (and you) a chance to be a trendsetter while supporting charitable work. Just getting dressed can help get the word out about important causes. Set Up On The Sidewalk No matter where you live, no matter what your child is interested in, one day they’re going to ask you to open a lemonade stand. Why? If we had to guess, we’d say it has to do with the idea of making money and the popularity of lemonade stands in children’s media. But regardless of the reason, as a parent, your impulse is going to be to say no. It’s too much work. It’s not actually profitable. And it’s too messy. No. But what if that lemonade stand offered a way for your children to help kids with cancer? Through the Alex’s Lemonade Stand program, kids can support childhood cancer research while living that lemonade stand dream. They can also sponsor the foundation through parties, craft sales, and other activities, but it’s summer and why not let them try to hawk cool glasses of lemonade? Just set up a card table outside and let them get to work. Your kids will have fun, practice their math skills, and help an important cause all at once. One of the best ways to encourage your kids to give back to the community is just to listen to what they’re interested in and connect it to the larger world. Do they love animals? Maybe they can spend time volunteering at an animal shelter or the local zoo. Do they like to sing? Many nursing homes enjoy hosting youth musical groups for the residents to enjoy. So in the midst of the summer chaos, listen in, and expand the conversation.   Kids can do more than we often allow.

ECU Resume Writing

ECU Resume WritingERCU (Electronic Documentation of Certifications) is an electronic application form for ECU's. Many employers believe that a candidate with a number of degrees, most of which are in one field, is most likely to be 'busy' and not have time to pursue the education required for their position.The current economy is forcing many companies to re-evaluate how they should operate their businesses. Some of these companies have been forced to lay off employees, although others have opened up positions where employees can apply for jobs. Many companies are using the current labor market to look for qualified individuals who can fill the vacant positions.In order to attract employers, it's necessary to use resumes that have not only relevant information but also a title that are easily memorized. This means making sure that the title on the ECU is something that has meaning to the person. For example, you could use a 'Master of Government' ECU.Another technique that can be use d is by creating two versions of the ECU. One is a re-write of the application and another one is a 'cover letter' for the ECU. It's important to remember that a cover letter for the ECU is entirely different from an application or resume.The ECU's cover letter should be submitted at least six weeks before the first interview with the potential employer. You want to know that the ECU is a very strong candidate for the position. A strong resume is a strong first impression.The goal when writing the ECU's resume is to make it as attractive as possible. Having an attractive resume helps to keep the employee interested in the job and keeps the employer's attention.The next step in an ECU resume writing process is to focus on getting some personal references. By getting a few names of former students and professors, you're giving yourself the opportunity to increase your chances of being hired for the position.By doing this, you're sure to land a very good job as an ECU. Keep in mind tha t these are just some of the basics of ECU resume writing.

Defense in Job Search

Defense in Job Search Perhaps you watched some football yesterday?!   I couldnt help but laugh at the D Fence sign when it was held up in the crowd, it is so simple. But, job seekers, shouldnt you be of the offense?   Or OFF THE FENCE? How many of you are sitting on a fence?   Waiting for a response from someone?   Waiting for the phone to ring? Waitingtick tock? I find that waiting causes me to feel stress, anxiety, hopelessness, helplessness.   How about you?   You can change this.   Take action.   Tackle your next opportunity! How? Dont chase after job postings, create an opportunity by attacking potential target companies. Dont just email your resume and wait, pick up the phone after youve submitted your resume and ask what their time-frame is for reviewing resumes and ask when you can follow up! Dont expect a friend to provide you with a connection, ask to contact them yourself. If you want to win at this game, we need to see a lot of effort.   You need to give 110%.   Isnt that what coaches ask for?   So, have a plan and work it hard!   No dogging it! Football is like life it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority. Vince Lombardi

Does Your Resume Make You Look Like a Job Hopper

Does Your Resume Make You Look Like a Job Hopper When hiring managers read resumes, one of the first things they look at is dates of employment. If they see multiple short employment stints, they will often assume that you are a job hopper, question your ability to stay at one company for long, and move on to the next candidate.Often peoples choppy employment record may be caused by several factors beyond their control; but unless the story behind your job changes is made clear on the resume, you risk being passed over for someone who can offer the perception of a more stable work chronology. Here are some of the circumstances that make job seekers look like job hoppers and what you can do about it.Serial layoffs. It happens. You may be a loyal employee, but perhaps you have been the victim of serial layoffs and as a result, your resume depicts movement every year or two. Rather than just putting your dates of employment on the resume and letting hiring managers come to their own conclusions as to why you left, tell them why right on the resume. Add a brief explanation following the dates of employment such as company downsized, company relocated, or company went out of business. This way, the employer has the facts and isnt left to guess why you are no longer with the company.Temporary assignments. If you have spent the past few years working on consulting or temporary assignments, your chronology may be questionable to your reader. Instead of listing each temporary assignment and company with their corresponding employment dates, create one category for temporary assignments with the total length of time you have been working in this capacity. Then give an overview of the companies you have supported and highlight some of the main accomplishments that encompass all of your temporary experience.Rapid promotions. Frequently I see resumes where the person has been at the same company for 10-plus years, and they re-list the company name and new job title and dates each time they are promoted. To the reader who is quickly scanning the document, this may cause confusion; he may think these were positions at different companies. Just because it is obvious to you, dont assume it is obvious to the reader who may be trying to get through hundreds of resumes. List the company name once and place the full dates of employment to the far right. Underneath that list each job title with the employment dates immediately following. By placing full dates of employment and dates of specific company positions in different sections, you increase the chances that the reader will understand that these changes were the result of promotions at the same company and not job changes.Company mergers. Have you worked for a company that was bought by another company and then bought by another in less than five years? When you list all three company names individually with the dates you worked for each company, it can look like you voluntarily went to work for each of these companies during that short time frame. A better strategy is to list the current name of the company and in parenthesis write formerly company XYZ and follow that with the full dates of employment from the time you started at the first company before any acquisitions occurred.The bottom line is this: Employers dont read resumes. They scan them very quickly, and its easy to have your information misinterpreted if you do not make things crystal clear for your reader. Obviously there is more of a story to tell behind your employment experience and the reasons why you changed jobs. But in order to be able to tell that story to a hiring manager, you need to make sure that your resume provides enough of a positive hook that they decide to call you in for an interview.