Tag: CBNWSX CoolBrands

“Not my hobby, but you should renew your profile pictures regularly” – Rodric Leerling

We had another good meeting with a potential new business network this week. We talked about the need to have a good personal positioning online. Not to white-wash any possible negative publicity, but rather to use the Google page 1 hits as your personal show case.

Google page 1 is where people will look to check you out (page 2 the perfect place to hide a dead body). As we all do before purchasing a new product, destination or service. What is available about you as a person and a businessman? Can they trust you and, even better, where do you stand for? Make no mistake, everyone is checking everyone, all the time.

Now, whether you are outspoken and proud person, or just a modest businessman, for Google it doesn’t matter, they will present you on whatever is available when being used for search. And ‘no news’ is not ‘good news’ because when all the 10 slots are blank, an opportunity to shine has gone wasted. Are you another nobody or a warm personality whom it’s great doing business with? It’s up to you.

After our meeting I had some pics taken to refresh my own personal presence. You will start seeing them appear on my blogs. When will I see yours being updated?

“Social Media” – Rodric Leerling

Being invited to train people in an international school is a welcome deviation in the life of an ad sales man. Especially when it’s a school in an exotic location. Admission marketers working hard everyday getting the seats filled for next education season, only 3 months into the current school year. They were invited to join a 2-day training course to be initiated in the world of social media. Despite being inundated by work, they managed to keep their phones off and gave it their full attention. The national government demands a list by last day of November of all pupils attending next school year, so work was piling up in the meantime.

We talked about creating more virtual touchpoints with the help of social media tools like Twitter and YouTube where prospective parents would be able to get a good feeling about the school, the teachers and the USP’s of their teaching plan. Happening all before they visit the school website and schedule a (short) visit. How to become that ‘purple cow’ (Seth Godin) among the many international schools in their city – what makes them stand out of the crowd? Extra curriculum activities, mother tongue teaching, flexible child care before and after school hours. How to reach the new generation of parents, the millennials, who demand a mobile communication platform and look for multiple referrals before they decide on a purchase.

We set up some new online profiles, checked the competition and I helped them with first social media tool choices and suggested schedules to fill the tools with content. All in all, a heavy but satisfying training project with that neat extra touch of exotic destination to tick off the list of ‘been there, done that’.

“Elevator Pitch”- Rodric Leerling

It was one of those weird meetings. The introduction call and elevator pitch on Friday morning had been successful. “Sounds like a great concept, let’s meet next week and show me a bit more”, was the reaction. I sent an Outlook invitation for Monday the following week.

But no reaction. As it was a Friday and the client seemed very busy, I didn’t worry. There was a date in my digital agenda and I even could work another meeting into the schedule. I even used a little trick and confirmed once again from my end before the weekend started and updated with a slightly later time slot. But still no confirmation, change or cancellation.

After two earlier meetings in town, I arrived on time at the prospect’s office. The 1st floor receptionist lady waved me in and I was picked up by another colleague at the main doors on 2nd. Told her whom I was meeting and got a cup of tea while ‘he was still in meetings’. And then a big silence. People came and went, briefly looking at me but no questions asked. I decided to start walking a bit to make sure I was noticed.

After 30 minutes, I decided it was time to take action and announce myself once again. The first person walking the corridor was approached and I told her I was waiting for so and so. Whether he was still in meetings? No, he is at his desk. Let me tell him you are waiting for him. The guy turned up and looked real puzzled. I had seen his pic on LinkedIn but he was now wearing spectacles. Why I was here? Our meeting was only ‘next week’. But this IS next week, we spoke LAST week. Yes, but I’m extremely busy this week, didn’t check your email. Really sorry.

Well, how long do you have? I’m taking a 15 minutes coffee break. he told me. Great, that’s my other elevator pitch version. We went through the slides and I repeated the key advantages of our platform. It worked. he was glad we made the quick tour after all and agreed for another bigger meeting in 2-3 weeks. I left his offices 45 minutes after entering. As always.

“A sales guy who never stops” – Rodric Leerling

It doesn’t happens very often, so it really took me by surprise. The lady I had found in my social network looked like the right person to talk to for my social media proposition. She also shared the same nationality and I tried the friendly native language approach, despite her probably English business environment.

Wrong choice, or just the wrong moment? I probably will never know, but she didn’t give me a chance and yelled at me why I called her! Well, that’s a question that can be answered in 30 seconds – the elevator pitch. Before I even could try to explain my reason and asking if she could help me find a better person, she just threw down the phone. So much for an international brand manager!

Ouch, that hurts. Of course, we sales people just start when we hear ‘no’, but I decided this time to leave it and dial another number. Just to get over it quickly and not to take it personal. The next person at the same company listened to me and suggested another colleague to talk to, who proved to be the right person. The door opened and he wanted to hear more.

I might bump into the bad-tempered brand person at my next visit. I will behave like a pro and will just tell her we have been on the phone, briefly, but maybe I should introduce myself properly this time?

Rodric Leerling

“Blogger and Author as Soccer Ref” – Rodric Leerling

While working and living in New Jersey, I used my skills and experience in soccer crazy Holland to ref games on weekends. It became an excellent way to discover the state of NJ and meet lots of people, starting with colleague refs, different level of teams and team coaches. So many good memories and also lots of weird situations unthinkable in the Dutch football tradition. I decided to record them and collect them into a booklet. Still available in the MijnBestseller store.

Rodric is US soccer ref 003 — Soccer Referee in New Jersey

pic RL NK 2012 Scheveningen.3 — Beach Soccer ref on Scheveningen beach 2013

pic RL EDO-VVC sept 8 2012 .2 — Field Football ref in Haarlem, 2013

pic BS Middelburg ref team 062312 — Beach Soccer ref team, Middelburg 2012

RefRod bookcover — RefRod in the USA, blogs about reffing soccer in NJ