Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.200
Are you trying to establish your brand
as a thought leader? Start a PODCAST,
2
00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:09.750
invite industry experts to be guests on
your show and watch your brand become
3
00:00:09.830 --> 00:00:14.830
the prime resource for decision makers in
your industry. Learn more at sweet phish
4
00:00:14.949 --> 00:00:24.300
MEDIACOM. You're listening to be tob
growth, a daily podcast for B TOB
5
00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:28.539
leaders. We've interviewed names you've probably
heard before, like Gary Vander truck and
6
00:00:28.579 --> 00:00:32.380
Simon Senek, but you've probably never
heard from the majority of our guests.
7
00:00:33.020 --> 00:00:37.770
That's because the bulk of our interviews
aren't with professional speakers and authors. Most
8
00:00:37.810 --> 00:00:41.929
of our guests are in the trenches
leading sales and marketing teams. They're implementing
9
00:00:41.969 --> 00:00:46.969
strategy, they're experimenting with tactics,
they're building the fastest growing BTB companies in
10
00:00:47.009 --> 00:00:50.320
the world. My name is James
Carberry on, the founder of sweet fish
11
00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:53.880
media, a podcast agency for bb
brands, and I'm also one of the
12
00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:58.159
cohosts of this show. When we're
not interviewing sales and marketing leaders, you'll
13
00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:00.880
hear stories from behind the scenes of
our own business. Will share the ups
14
00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:04.549
and downs of our journey as we
attempt to take over the world. Just
15
00:01:04.709 --> 00:01:15.390
getting well maybe let's get into the
show. Welcome back to BEDB growth.
16
00:01:15.469 --> 00:01:19.459
I am your host bit today's episode, Nikki Ivy, with sweet fish media.
17
00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:23.980
Guys I've got with me today show
more of Beuto, who is president
18
00:01:25.060 --> 00:01:30.620
and CEO at Paragon Global Resources.
Joe, how you doing today? I'm
19
00:01:30.780 --> 00:01:36.129
doing okay. I'm not many hurricanes, so I'm okay. That's right,
20
00:01:36.689 --> 00:01:38.450
that's right. A lot of us, a lot of us, we Floradians,
21
00:01:38.450 --> 00:01:42.250
had escape that sort of thing,
but it sounds like you, geographically
22
00:01:42.569 --> 00:01:45.650
are not in a place where where
you'd be at Risso so good for you,
23
00:01:45.769 --> 00:01:49.680
man. Uh. So we're going
to be talking about is something that
24
00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.799
I know a lot of you listening
have been, you know, doing a
25
00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:56.239
lot of a lot of rereading about, lot of research into, and I'm
26
00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.400
super interested in and that is the
importance of branding in be tob but before
27
00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:04.709
we jump into all of that,
Joe, I would love it if you
28
00:02:04.750 --> 00:02:07.909
would just give us a little bit
of background on yourself and what you and
29
00:02:07.950 --> 00:02:10.469
the folks at Paragon I have been
up to these days. Well, I'VE
30
00:02:10.509 --> 00:02:15.979
WORKED IN BUSINESS FOR FORTY YEARS and
I've worked all over the United States.
31
00:02:15.780 --> 00:02:21.139
The first twenty years I did management
consulting with some of the largest firms in
32
00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:24.620
the world and then I actually had
to start running my company, which not
33
00:02:24.780 --> 00:02:30.569
sure which was more fun. But
literally I've worked all over the United States.
34
00:02:30.610 --> 00:02:34.289
I've worked outside the country, both
in Asia and in Europe, and
35
00:02:34.650 --> 00:02:38.250
so I can say that I've touched, I think, all aspects of running
36
00:02:38.289 --> 00:02:43.729
a small or midsized business and also, since I've worked for very large companies,
37
00:02:44.250 --> 00:02:49.280
working in corporate America, you know
relative to the dynamics that that goes
38
00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:53.520
with working for a top one hundred
company. So I speak, I speak
39
00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:58.439
big corporate and I speak small and
midsized business pretty comfortably when I need to.
40
00:02:59.110 --> 00:03:04.349
Paragon Global Resources is the Holding Company
that actually owns for companies, paragon
41
00:03:04.430 --> 00:03:09.550
relocation resources, which is focused on
corporate relocation, Paragon Home Resources, which
42
00:03:09.750 --> 00:03:14.979
is our retail moving services. We
deal with first time buyers, right size
43
00:03:15.060 --> 00:03:21.419
buyers, empty nesters, seniors moving
to retire and seniors moving into assistant living.
44
00:03:21.860 --> 00:03:27.689
Paragon financial resources is our business process
outsourcing company because we do have an
45
00:03:27.689 --> 00:03:31.650
India connection, and also then paragon
real estate resources, which we're just now
46
00:03:31.810 --> 00:03:38.610
rebranding to do reach specific to senior
communities. So we got a lot of
47
00:03:38.689 --> 00:03:42.919
different things going on, a lot
of different revenue streams, but obviously branding
48
00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:45.960
is critical to all of them.
Yeah, yeah, you got you got
49
00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:49.879
a lot of different experiences, a
sort of whole from and that's what we
50
00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:53.159
we're talking about offline, is that
this idea of the importance of B to
51
00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:59.030
be branding can be pretty broad,
because sometimes that means to talk about employer
52
00:03:59.110 --> 00:04:02.110
branding right in a client or prospect
facing way, and then other times it
53
00:04:02.189 --> 00:04:06.710
can be and talking about recruitment marketing
right and how the how the organisation comes
54
00:04:06.750 --> 00:04:12.460
off to perspective employees, or you're
talking about branding at the personal level,
55
00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:17.220
the individual level, for executives or
for those individual contributors who work on a
56
00:04:17.379 --> 00:04:20.699
team. So there is a lot
not to to sort of keep straight.
57
00:04:21.259 --> 00:04:24.569
So what I like to have you
do first it just give us a little
58
00:04:24.569 --> 00:04:29.970
overview of what exactly you focus on
when you think about employer brandy. I
59
00:04:30.050 --> 00:04:33.490
mean's are when you think about branding
it be to be and where you learned
60
00:04:34.170 --> 00:04:38.089
some of these things, where it
first became sort of a clear to you
61
00:04:38.129 --> 00:04:41.000
the importance of these things. Well, you know, I could just relate
62
00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.639
a very funny story when I worked
at Merrill Lynch as a very young manager,
63
00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:48.560
I was doing these big proposals.
Than I decided that we needed some
64
00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:53.829
kind of stationary to actually do these
proposals on, and so I took the
65
00:04:53.949 --> 00:04:58.670
Merrill Lynch Bull, everybody's familiar with
the Mary Lynch Bull, and I put
66
00:04:58.750 --> 00:05:01.509
it over in the right hand corner
of the page, on the bottom,
67
00:05:01.550 --> 00:05:05.269
and then I'd had like a square
that was, you know, the piece
68
00:05:05.310 --> 00:05:10.220
of the paper that the text actually
went into. And I was using that
69
00:05:10.379 --> 00:05:14.300
paper for about a year and one
day I got a call from the Merrill
70
00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:18.139
Lynch Bull Police in New York City
and they said to me you're using the
71
00:05:18.300 --> 00:05:21.290
bull. I said yes, well, first I said what do you mean,
72
00:05:21.329 --> 00:05:26.370
because I played a little bit since, look, we know you're using
73
00:05:26.449 --> 00:05:30.529
the bull in an unauthorized way.
And I said, well, I didn't
74
00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:32.370
change the bull, I mean it's
the bull. And they said no,
75
00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:38.560
no, you don't seem to understand
the brand equity we have in the bull
76
00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:43.079
and whenever the bull is used it
has to be used as part of our
77
00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.680
Mary Lynch logo. It is never
pulled off that logo. It is always
78
00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:50.149
part of that logo. And they
said to me, and remember I was
79
00:05:50.230 --> 00:05:54.910
a young manager of about, Oh, twenty nine years old. They said
80
00:05:54.949 --> 00:06:00.509
to me you will either cease and
desist from using the bull in an unauthorized
81
00:06:00.629 --> 00:06:06.220
way or you will be fired.
Well, that was my first lesson about
82
00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:13.180
branding and what I came to realize
eventually when we founded paragon, and you
83
00:06:13.259 --> 00:06:17.300
know, our logos a double diamond
logo, and that happened almost by accident,
84
00:06:17.459 --> 00:06:20.930
with me just squiggling on a yellow
path, because in those days we
85
00:06:21.009 --> 00:06:24.689
didn't have a lot of money to
pay marketers, you know, and get
86
00:06:25.170 --> 00:06:30.410
fancy dancy consulting. So I designed
our logos a double diamond logo and that
87
00:06:30.529 --> 00:06:35.360
double diamond logo is in front of
everyone of the paragon companies that we own
88
00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:42.959
and we simply never mess with the
brand we've created because we have a tremendous
89
00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.310
amount of brand equity. We've spent
millions and millions of dollars over the years
90
00:06:46.949 --> 00:06:53.470
in promoting that brand and creating the
visibility in each market place that we need
91
00:06:53.910 --> 00:06:59.029
with that brand and fortunately, you
know, we've never had to file bankruptcy
92
00:06:59.189 --> 00:07:03.139
or anything crazy were you know,
sometimes when you have turmoils, you come
93
00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:06.740
out of that and you decide you're
going to Redo your brand because you know
94
00:07:06.860 --> 00:07:11.540
maybe that brand equity just wasn't there
anymore. Well, we've never experienced that,
95
00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:16.370
and so whenever I see anybody within
our company who tries to get creative
96
00:07:16.490 --> 00:07:20.730
with our brand, I give them
the story that I got when I was
97
00:07:20.769 --> 00:07:25.850
at Merrill Lynch and I say no, you will not use the double diamonds
98
00:07:25.930 --> 00:07:29.329
separately. You will not. You
know certain things in terms of what we
99
00:07:29.410 --> 00:07:33.199
will allow, including our colors,
which are blue and silver, and so
100
00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:36.399
there's just things we don't change.
And I will tell you when I first
101
00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:43.360
founded the company, the most important
thing was the brand and getting the brand
102
00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:47.110
out there before we had clients,
before we had revenue, before we had
103
00:07:47.230 --> 00:07:51.029
anything. I focused in those days. Today it's all Internet, of course,
104
00:07:51.069 --> 00:07:56.269
and the web and all path but
I focused on those corporate brochures and
105
00:07:56.350 --> 00:08:01.459
I focused on marketing materials because I
knew that if we didn't look like we
106
00:08:01.540 --> 00:08:03.860
were much bigger than what we were, and remember we were signing big,
107
00:08:05.100 --> 00:08:07.980
big fortune, five hundred companies and
doing business with them, we had to
108
00:08:09.100 --> 00:08:13.250
look bigger than we were at that
point and I knew that it was very
109
00:08:13.329 --> 00:08:18.529
important from a professional standpoint that everything
we were doing related to creating that brand
110
00:08:18.689 --> 00:08:22.529
was going to be absolutely critical to
the success of the company. So before
111
00:08:22.529 --> 00:08:28.879
I spent money on virtually anything and
everything, the money went into the brand
112
00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:33.200
creation because I do no matter how
good our services might have been at the
113
00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:37.759
time and even today, if we
couldn't sell the brand, we weren't going
114
00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:39.799
to be able to generate a revenue, we were going to grow, you
115
00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:43.909
know, we weren't going to be
a growing concern, and so I was
116
00:08:43.070 --> 00:08:48.470
very focused in the beginning on on
what that brand was going to look like
117
00:08:48.750 --> 00:08:54.029
and what image we were going to
portray. Today we have the slogan assisted
118
00:08:54.190 --> 00:08:58.059
assisting with life decisions, because if
you think about all the services that we
119
00:08:58.259 --> 00:09:03.059
provide, that's exactly what we do. And so that's that's slogan. Assisting
120
00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:09.820
with life decisions runs across all four
of our businesses, all four of our
121
00:09:09.940 --> 00:09:13.649
brands. That again or under the
Paragon logo, but with the differentiate or
122
00:09:13.730 --> 00:09:20.649
whether it's paragon relocation resources or paragon
resources, paragon financial resources or paragon real
123
00:09:20.690 --> 00:09:26.600
estate resources, but the brand identity
is very clear. That's so interesting.
124
00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:31.440
I you know, my experience is
mostly in start up and, you know,
125
00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:37.039
selling like a bub best solution,
and I haven't seen, at least
126
00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:41.909
not in a way that it was
clear to me right, folks take that
127
00:09:41.950 --> 00:09:45.389
out approach. You just talked about
where they start with brandom prioritize. That
128
00:09:45.470 --> 00:09:48.629
what I've seen more often than not
with and maybe it's because if you mentioned
129
00:09:48.750 --> 00:09:52.100
of the technology that's out there now, but what I've seen more often than
130
00:09:52.139 --> 00:09:58.620
not is there's a star made of
whoever the founder is of this this startup,
131
00:09:58.100 --> 00:10:03.779
and all the emphasis is on the
idea of this person had and how
132
00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:07.330
cool the technology is that there you
or how cool they're using the technology.
133
00:10:07.850 --> 00:10:11.250
And at most, when we talk
think about branding for those organizations, it
134
00:10:11.450 --> 00:10:13.610
comes down to you like a such
are kind of limited to whatever personal brand
135
00:10:15.090 --> 00:10:20.769
that that founder or that prominent executive
of add with that company has, and
136
00:10:20.970 --> 00:10:26.639
then the efforts to have a discernible
brand outside of that kind of become an
137
00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:30.960
after thought because they are they are
thinking about, you know, stealing from
138
00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:35.519
it in terms of their sales organization
or getting as any clients and in you
139
00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:37.750
know, acquiring as any clients and
poppable in the beginning. And so for
140
00:10:37.870 --> 00:10:41.429
you guys to say, Hey,
look we got. We're confident that that's
141
00:10:41.470 --> 00:10:45.509
going to come, so much so
that we're just going to figure out how
142
00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:48.350
to get, you know, eyes
and ears on us in a way that's
143
00:10:48.429 --> 00:10:52.980
meaningful, that's powerful. That's how
well I knew, to be honest,
144
00:10:52.059 --> 00:10:58.580
as founder of the company and as
someone who's done management consulting where I really
145
00:10:58.700 --> 00:11:03.539
was selling myself and presumble the expertise
that I had, I knew that I
146
00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:09.049
couldn't grow beyond just me if I
didn't create a transactional business. Right,
147
00:11:09.129 --> 00:11:11.129
that have nothing to do with me. Obviously I've been around for twenty eight
148
00:11:11.169 --> 00:11:16.529
years and I'm integral to the management
of the company. But I knew that
149
00:11:16.649 --> 00:11:20.720
that there's only so many out if
your management consult there's only so many hours
150
00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:24.360
in a year you can sell and
you could never have achieved the kind of
151
00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:30.000
stain ability of success that we've achieved
unless we created a brand that was way
152
00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.669
beyond anything I could do personally,
and so I was very, very cognitive
153
00:11:33.710 --> 00:11:37.990
that, having done consulting at that
point for many years, I knew that,
154
00:11:39.190 --> 00:11:41.750
you know, if we were going
to become a corporate relocation company,
155
00:11:41.830 --> 00:11:45.549
we had to have the ability to
move thousands of people all over the world
156
00:11:45.669 --> 00:11:48.980
for major companies. Well, I
wasn't going to be doing those myself.
157
00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:52.820
Obviously we have relocation consultants who work
with our customers. So I knew that
158
00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:58.659
we had to create a sustainable brand
that was going to appeal to very large
159
00:11:58.740 --> 00:12:01.769
companies, even though at the time
we were a very small company. And
160
00:12:03.049 --> 00:12:07.169
so we did that successfully and you
know, even now, as I look
161
00:12:07.169 --> 00:12:11.610
at our paragon home resources brand,
and that's company's about three years old,
162
00:12:11.649 --> 00:12:15.129
we just redid our website. Now, of course it's all Internet based,
163
00:12:15.210 --> 00:12:18.240
although we do have some printed materials. But you know, we just targe.
164
00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:24.039
We did our website so that we're
targeted at the five market segments that
165
00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.320
are the services that we deliver under
that brand. And if you looked at
166
00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.470
it, if anybody went to Paragon
Home Resourcescom, you would see that it's
167
00:12:31.590 --> 00:12:37.549
very, very brand specific relative to
the five market segments that we're focused on.
168
00:12:37.750 --> 00:12:41.389
You know, first time buyers,
right size buyers, empty nesters,
169
00:12:41.470 --> 00:12:46.740
seniors moving to retire usually from cold
to work places, and then also the
170
00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:50.779
seniors moving into assistant living. So
it's not Nebulus, it's very specific from
171
00:12:50.779 --> 00:12:56.580
a branding perspective to the customer that
I believe we're going to be working with
172
00:12:56.820 --> 00:13:01.009
and we are working with an or
that particular brand. So you know,
173
00:13:01.210 --> 00:13:07.490
I can't emphasize enough TRICKLI FOR STARTUPS, particularly for smaller companies, how important
174
00:13:07.529 --> 00:13:09.889
it is to figure out, you
know, who you are right, to
175
00:13:09.970 --> 00:13:15.720
make sure were that your brand demonstrates
it clearly, whatever it is you know,
176
00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:20.440
see, show the pizza man,
it doesn't matter. Has To be
177
00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.039
very clear as to what you're selling
right and knowing who you are. Obviously
178
00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:28.549
that definiteble and like all of life. But when you and I were for
179
00:13:28.629 --> 00:13:33.590
starting to talk about, you know, individuals developing their their personal brand,
180
00:13:33.629 --> 00:13:39.629
and so I am going to make
a confession here. I was on instagram
181
00:13:39.870 --> 00:13:46.860
and there's advertisement for this free ebook
on how to, you know, quickly
182
00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:52.299
gain a following or become an influencer. I was doing an instagram thing and
183
00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:56.210
I was starting an instagram account from
scratch, and a piece of advice in
184
00:13:56.370 --> 00:14:03.409
this in this Ebook, was like
you have to sort of cultivate some some
185
00:14:03.809 --> 00:14:11.759
personality that is like you, adjacent
that I don't know, like you're from.
186
00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.759
Everybody wants to be your best friend. Blah, blah, blah,
187
00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:16.320
blah, blah, and I re
I feel like that was really bad advice
188
00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:18.639
and that's why I so I stopped
reading this people without together, but I
189
00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:22.639
was like, look, it has
to be that who I actually am.
190
00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:24.870
And I think when you look at
in terms of Randy, we look on
191
00:14:24.990 --> 00:14:31.029
Linkedin like an example, who's winning
that competition or whatever the brand wars happened
192
00:14:31.029 --> 00:14:33.070
to be between individual a lot of
them can fultants like you mentioned, if
193
00:14:33.149 --> 00:14:39.500
those folks that come across add the
most clear to themselves on who they are?
194
00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:45.100
Well, today especially, you know, it's interesting. My son Michael
195
00:14:45.259 --> 00:14:50.860
is in charge of sales for us
and he is an expert at using social
196
00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:56.009
media. In fact he's in the
top one percent of linkedin users in the
197
00:14:56.049 --> 00:15:00.570
United States, maybe even in the
world, and so he has used social
198
00:15:00.690 --> 00:15:05.850
media in ways we know. When
you talk about personal branding, he's really
199
00:15:05.889 --> 00:15:09.919
good at this. In fact,
one of our former employees was in a
200
00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:15.080
training session at the new company she
was working for and it was about sales
201
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.360
and account management and they actually,
this is one of my competitors, referenced
202
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:24.070
my son Mike Because he's so visible
on the Internet in terms of social media
203
00:15:24.190 --> 00:15:30.509
and Linkedin and all the other crazy
things that people now I'm an old guy,
204
00:15:30.629 --> 00:15:33.870
that's way beyond me. But this
is where people young people, particularly
205
00:15:33.950 --> 00:15:37.700
in sales, and I do say
to my salespeople, you know, you
206
00:15:37.899 --> 00:15:43.860
need to brand yourself because before the
company, the client, buys us,
207
00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:46.620
they have to buy you and if
they don't buy you, they're not buying
208
00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:52.009
us. And so I say to
sales people one of the reasons successful salespeople,
209
00:15:52.450 --> 00:15:58.009
the twenty percent who sell eighty percent
of everything, are successful is because
210
00:15:58.049 --> 00:16:02.049
they've done a great job branding themselves. Today and in some ways it's much
211
00:16:02.049 --> 00:16:04.200
easier than it was. You know, when I was selling a million years
212
00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:08.799
ago, because social media didn't exist, when I started at Mary Lynch and
213
00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:12.879
I was the young sales guy or
I was in consulting. My branding all
214
00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:17.720
happened when I went to conferences and
networking and I always did all of that.
215
00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:22.269
But now, because of social media, you can extend your reach exponentially.
216
00:16:22.389 --> 00:16:26.350
And by the way, I would
make this suggestion, and I always
217
00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:30.789
on my radio show I talk about
Joe the Pizza Man. I don't care
218
00:16:30.870 --> 00:16:34.299
what the business is, the branding
element is absolutely critical, both from a
219
00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:40.179
company standpoint and from a personal standpoint
and to the extent that you, you
220
00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:44.379
yourself, no matter who you work
for, are a brand in and of
221
00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:47.649
yourself. You got to make that
happen. And those, by the way,
222
00:16:47.649 --> 00:16:52.129
are the most successful salespeople. And
keep in mind that if that person
223
00:16:52.649 --> 00:16:56.769
goes from one company to another,
their brand goes with them, right.
224
00:16:56.970 --> 00:17:00.169
So, even though they may have
worked tray BC company, now that they
225
00:17:00.250 --> 00:17:03.480
work for DF company, finally work
for another company, but the brand that
226
00:17:03.599 --> 00:17:10.960
they created automatically transfers to the new
company, and so it's that's one of
227
00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:15.279
the things that difficult when when you
are, you know, an individual contributor
228
00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:19.670
at an organization that maybe they understanding
importance of branding for them as an organization,
229
00:17:21.150 --> 00:17:26.910
but in terms of how you spend
your time in a given work day,
230
00:17:26.269 --> 00:17:32.420
there isn't always the Freetom to spend
your time and a given work day
231
00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:34.819
building your brain, because so many
folks, when it comes to steal people,
232
00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:38.180
are putting this pressure on them.
As far as well, did you
233
00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:41.220
get leads from it? Did you
book any meeting from it with the Rli?
234
00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:45.730
And it's like they don't understand the, you know, relationship building aspect
235
00:17:45.809 --> 00:17:52.450
of it in and of itself,
the awareenesself. I see the end result
236
00:17:52.769 --> 00:17:56.769
and you know, to the extent
that the sales people in our company that
237
00:17:56.849 --> 00:18:02.640
are most successful are those that have
have created their own personal brands, and
238
00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:07.799
so some part of their day is
just it's like, look, I've always
239
00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:11.119
said in my mind the sales people
are born, they're not made. That
240
00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:15.829
you can enhance sales skill, but
I think there's a genetic element that is
241
00:18:15.910 --> 00:18:19.509
either there or it's not there.
And this social media aspect of it is
242
00:18:19.670 --> 00:18:22.789
just part of the Business Day.
You don't even think about it. It's
243
00:18:22.910 --> 00:18:29.859
the way you use your brand to
contact other people, to shortcut the sales
244
00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:34.380
process, presumably, and ironically,
what I see anyways, is people will
245
00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:38.859
respond to a linkedin connection more often
than they will if you just send them
246
00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:44.089
an email. I'm texting myself right
now. Yeah, so that's what I'm
247
00:18:44.130 --> 00:18:47.849
finding and you know it's beyond me
at this stage in my life, but
248
00:18:48.009 --> 00:18:52.690
certainly in terms of our young people
that are involved in sales and account management,
249
00:18:52.089 --> 00:18:56.400
it's very, very powerful and I
really encourage them to do it.
250
00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.440
It's part of job. I don't
see it as a detraction. I see
251
00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:06.160
it as an integral part of what
their daily responsibilities are. I agree.
252
00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.519
I would never question it is I
guess what I'm saying. Yeah, but
253
00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:12.549
I think what happens is, besides
the time ten strain, and I know
254
00:19:12.630 --> 00:19:17.430
when I first started this, this
personal brand, being journey on Linkedin,
255
00:19:17.910 --> 00:19:22.589
there was a lot of just confusion
and the lack of resources in terms of
256
00:19:22.589 --> 00:19:26.819
understanding what content I should be putting
out right. So if, on the
257
00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:33.700
one hand, I want to be
engaging folks who are who might be prospectable
258
00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:37.980
one of the relationships with in terms
of the role that I'm currently in,
259
00:19:37.569 --> 00:19:41.529
and then, on the other hand, I want a brand that's going to
260
00:19:41.650 --> 00:19:45.410
transcend the role that I'm in.
So how do you, how do you
261
00:19:45.690 --> 00:19:52.250
navigate or or negotiate that ratio between
how much of your personal brand has to
262
00:19:52.329 --> 00:19:55.759
do with you and who you are
and what your trend thend the role and
263
00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:00.720
what has to do with the role
and you advancing there. We're always representing
264
00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:06.119
the company that you work for and
you're always creating some connectivity at what you're
265
00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:10.750
doing in social media to the company
that you work for, because that's your
266
00:20:11.190 --> 00:20:15.910
point of attempting to network and connect
with people. So it is it's just
267
00:20:15.990 --> 00:20:19.630
an integral part of what a good
salesperson does every day. I just don't
268
00:20:19.630 --> 00:20:25.220
see it as disconnected at all.
Yeah, I see it totally integrated with
269
00:20:25.819 --> 00:20:30.420
creating both the personal brand while you're
advancing the company's brand. I mean,
270
00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:33.500
to me it's centrical. But again, if you were to go to another
271
00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:37.210
company, a competitor, let's say, you still have created that personal brand
272
00:20:37.289 --> 00:20:42.329
equity and to the extent that you
use it for another company, you certainly
273
00:20:42.410 --> 00:20:48.170
can do that and I don't see
it, from a personal standpoint as time
274
00:20:48.329 --> 00:20:52.400
wasted at all, because you're always
going to have that personal connectivity in the
275
00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:55.240
market place. I agree. I'll
be specifics though. Right. So,
276
00:20:55.559 --> 00:21:00.200
I work for a startup that sold
into the construction industry. So the tool
277
00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:04.029
to subcontract us to make sure that
they were getting paid more quickly or paid
278
00:21:04.029 --> 00:21:08.750
according to their term, and a
lot of the marketing collateral that those sales
279
00:21:08.789 --> 00:21:15.069
folks or that we have sells folks
were being provided and encouraged to share on
280
00:21:15.190 --> 00:21:19.220
our social channels. You know what's
so specific that even if you were taking
281
00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:25.420
a good chunk of your day to
be on Linkedin and engage with folks,
282
00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:30.019
especially your engagement folks who might be
prospect once you are not in that role
283
00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:34.329
anymore and someone else from in your
new role or new industry maybe comes to
284
00:21:34.369 --> 00:21:37.490
your page and sees that all the
rest of the content, they're going to
285
00:21:37.529 --> 00:21:41.650
be I was confused to why they
wouldn't be confused, like, okay,
286
00:21:41.650 --> 00:21:45.970
if the person was talking about construction
stuff here with, you know, their
287
00:21:45.049 --> 00:21:48.720
companies, right papers, and now
they're giving me, you know, tips
288
00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:52.720
on how to stay motivated on a
Monday. So where is that individual in
289
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:56.039
all of this content? Is really
where I was going. I guess I
290
00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:03.069
just assumed that a successful salesperson would
go from one company to another that's a
291
00:22:03.190 --> 00:22:07.309
competitor selling the same problems services.
Now, obviously, if you leave an
292
00:22:07.390 --> 00:22:12.829
industry and you go to a completely
different industry, you know now your contacts
293
00:22:12.869 --> 00:22:17.740
are completely different, so you're selling
a different product. So you're kind of
294
00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:21.140
starting over when you're in that environment. But right, ideally, if you
295
00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:26.059
were going from going to another company
in the same industry, then for sure
296
00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:30.529
you're contacting the same people, you're
just now representing a different company. Right
297
00:22:30.650 --> 00:22:33.730
that I think you would lose some
of that brand equity if you left the
298
00:22:33.809 --> 00:22:36.170
industry. No, doubt, you
have to start over. That's right.
299
00:22:36.250 --> 00:22:38.369
That's right, which for me means
that I've just had to lead more heavily
300
00:22:38.529 --> 00:22:42.569
on things that are evergreen. Right, if I want to talk about I
301
00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:45.880
do talk more about, like things
that have to do with, you know,
302
00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:51.559
being most staying motivated, whether you're
individual contributor or a leader, and
303
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:56.680
I just identifying things that anybody,
and you need, business is going to
304
00:22:56.920 --> 00:23:02.069
want, you know, value from
or going to be having this same the
305
00:23:02.230 --> 00:23:07.950
same kinds of discussion. So picking
content that transcend industry has really been what's
306
00:23:07.990 --> 00:23:14.339
been working for me, and not
mention the fact that I fell into I
307
00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:17.420
felt a feller than my self marketer. So easy to parallel packet that way.
308
00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.980
But I cannot this with you all
day long. I do want to
309
00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:22.740
make sure that I give our listeners
a shot and getting to know you just
310
00:23:22.859 --> 00:23:26.329
a little bit better. So so
now that I've processfully picked your brain and
311
00:23:26.769 --> 00:23:29.609
seeing what I could get out of
it, at the time for you to
312
00:23:29.690 --> 00:23:33.329
tell us about what you're putting in
it. So talk about a learning resource
313
00:23:33.369 --> 00:23:38.690
or something that you've just engaged without
in life and is either inform your approach.
314
00:23:38.809 --> 00:23:42.400
That's just got too excited these days. Well, what I'm most excited
315
00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:47.480
about today, and one of the
reasons why I guess I'll probably never retire,
316
00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:51.519
is, you know, we market
and sell our services through a variety
317
00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:56.670
of sales channels that ultimately give us
visibility in the market place. So,
318
00:23:57.309 --> 00:24:00.589
you know, other than the old
way, which would have been national advertising,
319
00:24:00.630 --> 00:24:03.750
which is very cost effective, we
have other ways to get to the
320
00:24:03.869 --> 00:24:08.789
customer. But what I'm focused on
today is not only getting the customer from
321
00:24:08.910 --> 00:24:15.220
those sales channels, but actually selling
other services to those sales channel because,
322
00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:18.339
the way I look at it,
when you establish a business relationship, and
323
00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:22.660
it's true in any industry, the
question is, how do you maximize that
324
00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:26.569
business relationship, because you spend a
lot of time and money and resources getting
325
00:24:26.650 --> 00:24:33.369
that business relationship, that partnership,
and then how do you maximize that partnership?
326
00:24:33.450 --> 00:24:37.009
So, for example, we get
leads from senior care communities that these
327
00:24:37.009 --> 00:24:41.759
are people who need to sell their
homes in order to move into assisted living.
328
00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:47.920
Well, we're creating products and services
now to sell to those same senior
329
00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:52.109
communities. We can do business products
outsourcing for them. We're developing an elder
330
00:24:52.230 --> 00:24:56.990
care assistance program that they can buy
an offer to their customers, and so
331
00:24:57.829 --> 00:25:03.349
I'm now looking for, I don't
know, other ways to maximize our talent,
332
00:25:03.509 --> 00:25:07.019
frankly, and the pieces of the
puzzle that we bring to the table.
333
00:25:07.140 --> 00:25:11.779
And every day is the learning experience
for me with every meeting that I
334
00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:15.900
have with one of our partners,
because I'm a very good listener, having
335
00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:19.940
been in consulting for twenty years.
I listen very carefully and I listen for
336
00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:23.809
needs in the market place and when
I see in need that we can fill
337
00:25:25.049 --> 00:25:27.890
through one of our businesses, I'm
all over it. And so I'm actually
338
00:25:29.009 --> 00:25:32.849
focused on the new stuff. Yeah, because I'm the old stuff is kind
339
00:25:32.849 --> 00:25:34.690
of old stuff. It's not that
much fun for me anyway, but the
340
00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:38.480
new stuff is fun. And then, of course I have my radio show
341
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:44.559
Seeo business mind, which anybody can
we're syndicated. We're in markets across the
342
00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:49.430
country and you can catch that on
podcast as well at American matters media dot
343
00:25:49.509 --> 00:25:53.549
us. All the shows are there
from the last three years. You can
344
00:25:53.589 --> 00:26:00.230
go to CEEO businesspindcom and put in
your email address and follow the confirmation instructions
345
00:26:00.349 --> 00:26:04.339
and if you do that you can
check out my blog postings going back years.
346
00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:07.380
You can see some of the businesses
that we're in. You can even
347
00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:11.900
see some of the job openings that
we have somewhere in the United States,
348
00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:14.940
sometimes even outside. I love it. I love it listen. Thanks so
349
00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:18.329
much for laying that out for us
other than what you've wanted it to already.
350
00:26:18.329 --> 00:26:22.009
As far as you know, your
radio show and your podcast. If
351
00:26:22.089 --> 00:26:23.809
both want to connect with you individually, how can they? I go about
352
00:26:23.849 --> 00:26:26.690
doing that? Well, you can
always you know, I'm on email,
353
00:26:26.730 --> 00:26:32.329
seven hundred and twenty four a j
Moore, a Vito at Paragon Gurcom,
354
00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:36.400
and anybody that wants to connect to
me can certainly get me by email.
355
00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:40.359
The most efficient way to get my
eyes on what you're trying to tell me.
356
00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:42.440
And you haven't folk reach out.
Smart Man, lots of experience.
357
00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:45.799
Thank you so much coming on the
show, Joe, with all your experience.
358
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:48.109
I get I bet you could feel
a few episodes. We'll have to
359
00:26:48.190 --> 00:26:52.269
have you one again, but this
is being great. Thank you so much.
360
00:26:55.630 --> 00:26:59.710
We totally get it. We publish
a ton of content on this podcast
361
00:26:59.829 --> 00:27:02.900
and it can be a lot to
keep up with. That's why we've started
362
00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:07.980
the BOB growth big three a no
fluff email that boils down our three biggest
363
00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:12.220
takeaways from an entire week of episodes. Sign up today at Sweet Fish Mediacom
364
00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:18.049
big three. That sweet PHISH MEDIACOM
Big Three