Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Sometimes, I am just plain ANGRY!!!!!!!

 Where to begin?  I am hearing Julie Andrews in my head, "Let's start at the very beginning..."  

Today we had a client visit our office/showroom to review some new exhibit properties.  A 10' exhibit and a table top.  

Considering what our industry has been through, you would think I should be excited, right?  Nope.  Today it made me ANGRY.

Let's go back a bit here.  2020.  We moved into a new space in January of 2020.  2019 was filled with excitement as the building owners were doing a custom build out specifically for us and our new space.  We were choosing flooring, paint colors, laminate colors, fixtures etc.  The whole family and all staff got involved in packing, throwing away things we didn't need any longer and even designing space.  

Our then 16 year old son has a great eye and he was helpful in decorating the new space.

It was a very exciting time.  Here is a little area that he envisioned and designed in our showroom/lobby.   Porter, our son, is a senior this year. At one point his dream was to run our business.  I'm not exactly sure where that dream is going to go now?


2020 was on track to be our BEST YEAR EVER.  We had so many committed orders, rentals, services jobs and so much more.  It was a very exciting time for us.  Our staff was growing and business was booming.

 Of course we all know what happened.  I won't belabor any of those details.  The job/order cancellation the lost business etc.  Talking about all that is just negative energy. It is history. It is behind us. We are moving forward. We are excited and encouraged again. Business is coming back.

But there are days that the anger, the sadness, the frustration creep back in.  Today was one of them. Since we moved into this gorgeous space, we have only had a handful of visitors. As we were preparing the showroom, I went to turn on the lights on some of the exhibits.  I realized something that hit me like a ton of bricks.  I said to David, "I don't even know where all the switches are to turn on the lights in the showroom."  Wow, I stopped for a second in my tracks and the last 14 months all came flooding back. I got MAD.  All the people in our industry that have been without work, all the companies that have lost significant revenues all the customers in marketing that were let go.  Dang it, no one deserved any of this.  

Despite my frustration, when that client walked in the door I was also hit with a wave of gratitude.  This is what it is about. I am face to face with a client and I am helping them look great for their upcoming events. I am listening to their needs and creating or selecting the perfect solution for them.  They loved some of our new products, and were excited to bring those ideas back to the team for their upcoming show schedule.

It is daunting, sometimes overwhelming, but we will rebuild. We will be better than we were before because we have grown and learned a lot during this time. We are fighters.  We are survivors. We are GRATEFUL.


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====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    

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Thursday, April 8, 2021

Sir or Madam Spamalot - What Happened Has Happened to Communication?

 I promise, this will not be my only theme these days.  Business has been a challenge for many industries these last 13 months.  We certainly are painfully aware of that fact and have been living & surviving it the best way we can.  I know that in today's world it is a challenge to connect with people and we continue as a society we continue to work with less and less personal interaction.  Look at Amazon and how it has changed the world.  You can buy almost anything now without ever talking to a human being.  You can even buy cars on line and have them delivered.

Then comes Covid.  Don't leave your house.  Don't go to restaurants. Get your groceries through curb side pickup.  Don't go to the office.  Don't have family gatherings.  I am not hear to discuss the merits of government mandated shutdowns.  The point is we are isolating ourselves more and more each day.

People are meant to interact with people.  To touch people.  To have friendships.  Even the introverts have need for human interaction.  I refuse to allow society to turn me into an emailing, instant message spamming machine.  I won't do it.  I still believe in personal interaction in the sales process.  How can you understand how amazing our service is?   How can you see how we treat and care for our clients?  We had clients at our wedding!  That wouldn't happen if we changed our style and our process.

I have taken a new tact with the spammers on Linked In.  Here is my most recent interaction.  I am really curious how many times her automated pitches are going to come before she gives up.  

I got a connection request from this person.  As soon as I accepted, this is what happened.

March 30th message

Company ABC is a cloud-based digital marketing platform powered by AI & Machine Learning.True cross-channel technology: Display, Native, Video, CTV/OTT, Facebook & Search, reporting & analytics, move budgets & audiences,& the best ROI. Is next week too soon for a demo?

LINK INSERTED WITH YOUTUBE VIDEO.


  • View Lori’s profile
    Lori A 

    Thank you for connecting.  If you have need, or know someone that exhibits at trade shows I would appreciate the business and/or referrals.  That is what a networking site is all about isn't it?

  • View Cheri’s profile
    Cheri  

    Hey Lori, I hope this message reaches you at a good time. Following up to see if we can be of service to you, if not now, sometime in the near future. ABC COMPANY  is A TRUE Cross-Channel Marketing Cloud Platform. ABC COMPANY Short Demo: https://youtu.be/hut63_cZB5c Is next week too soon for a presentation? Which day works best for you?

    ABC Company| Cross-Channel Marketing Cloud Platform | Universal Advert…

    youtube.com

  • View Lori’s profile
    Lori A 

    Hey Cheri:  I didn't get a response.   I hope this is a good time.  Thank you for connecting. If you have need, or know someone that exhibits at trade shows I would appreciate the business and/or referrals. That is what a networking site is all about isn't it?

  • View Cheri’s profile
    Cheri  

    Lori, have you had a chance to check out ABC COMPANY Short Demo?: https://youtu.be/hut63_cZB5c Let me know if you'd like to see this in action.

  • View Lori’s profile
    Lori A 

    I didn't get a response. I hope this is a good time. Thank you for connecting. If you have need, or know someone that exhibits at trade shows I would appreciate the business and/or referrals. That is what a networking site is all about isn't it?  You can check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com


Based on the interactions so far, she should be messaging me with another video link in the next day or so.  I really just don't understand a couple of things.
  1. BUZZ WORDS.  Call me ignorant about digital marketing (I probably am) but using a bunch of buzzwords is not going to get me to even watch your video, let alone respond to your pitch.   "cloud-based digital marketing platform powered by AI & Machine Learning.True cross-channel technology: Display, Native, Video, CTV/OTT, Facebook & Search, reporting & analytics, move budgets & audiences,& the best ROI"  As a salesperson or a marketer you can't ASSUME that people know what all your industry buzzwords mean.  
  2. Does anyone actually reply to these incessant messages from strangers?
  3. What do you suppose would happen if I actually clicked on the video and watched it?  Would I get a different automated message from her?  Maybe I should try.
  4. I know the world is changing.  But I really hope it is a pendulum that has swung so far into the non-personal, no contact sales world, that it will come back to center sometime soon.
  5. We have an entire generation or two that have no idea how to communicate in person (yes I am that old and that judgmental).
I will continue on, until there is no continuing to do.  

#dobetter
#sellbetter
#buildrelationships
#peoplematter

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====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    



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Friday, April 2, 2021

SERIOUSLY. This just happened to me. LinkedIn SPAM!

LinkedIn has become a very interesting place.   Hasn't all social media for that matter?   LinkedIn isn't quite as bad as things like Facebook, but it is quickly becoming a tool that seems to be a place where people connect with people they don't know simply to pitch them.

I know sales is hard.  But really, people buy from people they like right?  I still strongly believe that to be true, and I work hard to build relationships in my sales process.  I know it is old school, but it still works  

LinkedIn or some other tool is also often used.  LinkedIn Sales Navigator as an example.  You pay for automated messages on platforms like LinkedIn.  You are supposed to be able to target your audience based on metrics.

Well, let me tell you.  Whatever these people are using, doesn't work.

1.  I get spam/pitch messages from people at least 20 times a day on LinkedIn,

2.  Often they have scheduled 5 or 6 plus messages in a couple of weeks time.  Each unsolicited pitch frustrates me a bit more.

3.  Often the messages are for industries or things that A., I have no idea what they are talking about, so clearly I am not a prospect. or B., they are for a business or industry I have NEVER been in.

Today?  This was a doozie.

I received this message and a connection request.

  • Hey Lori, Your gym looks like a great asset to the community! I help gyms like yours attract more members through advanced social media marketing! Interested? Reply YES or NO. If you're REALLY interested, send me your number or email and I will reach out to you.

My response:
  • View Lori’s profile
    Lori A 

    OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY   Word.   I didn't know I owned a gym.   What a joke.  Your automated spam isn't working right.

His response:
  • View Dustin’s profile
    Dustin W 

    I’m sorry that it sent to you. I’d encourage you to be more loving. The king of love died yesterday over 2000 thousand years ago. Repent, and turn to him lest you perish in the way. But blessed are all who take refuge in him.

What an interesting sales approach.  Telling someone to repent because they called you out on a "spammy" LinkedIn connection request.   Just in case it wasn't clear, I HAVE NEVER OWNED OR WORKED AT A GYM.  Worked out, yes, but nothing else.

Oh and the major irony?  He sells digital marketing services.  Honestly the lack of attention to detail and the poor quality of sales efforts by some, simply makes me tired.

Do better.




If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    

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