ClaireMolineaux.com

Today marks 7 years that I’ve been working in my position, doing marketing for higher education.  I am so blessed.  I love my job.  I love the people I work with.  And I love the mission to which I contribute every day I go to work. Over the past 7 years, I’ve been a part of many projects and processes, and through it all I’ve learned one very important thing: I have no idea what I’m doing. Don’t get me wrong – I sure do try, but so many days I’m left wondering what in the world my employer sees in me. ·      I am outpaced and outperformed by so many of my talented colleagues on a daily basis; but they keep me striving to achieve higher goals. ·          I am continually stumped by new problems that arise; but they give me an opportunity to expand my troubleshooting abilities. ·          I am dumbfounded by new systems and technologies that enter the m...

If you’ve spent any time in customer service or sales, you’ve heard the benefits of connecting with your clients on a personal level.   You know it builds rapport, opens up lines of communication, and all that good warm fuzzy stuff. But is it really that valuable?   It’s difficult to gauge the effectiveness of relationship building.   There’s no exact formula for ROI.   You spend a significant amount of time and money on relationship building, but – let’s face it – you can’t easily monetize it. I don’t specialize in sales.   But I’ve listened to more than a few sales pitches.   As a media buyer, I can tell you exactly what customers are looking for – and what they’re not.   Here are some things you should know about your client’s expectations before you meet with them: Understand your customer .   Research your customer’s agency before meeting with them.   Look at their website, sign up for their emails, or maybe even use the ‘sec...