Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
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| last week's Yelptropolis event celebrated 30 plus makers, software companies, and restaurants |
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| Elites happily selfie-ing with the Chef at Pasion Latin Fusion ABQ |
The Elite members in Albuquerque have had lots of opportunities to learn from businesses done right... and wrong... over the past few years. I thought I might share a few things I have learned so that you can use these under-the-radar services that Yelp provides to help launch your own brick and mortar stores, non-profits, brands, and restaurants.
First, what Elites are... A Yelp Elite is someone who regularly reviews places that are "hot" in a town. They are usually in the know about the people and places coming onto the scene. They are, most often, what business thought leaders would term "early adopters". Elites, while they can be of any make or model in appearance and status, are often skilled photographers, foodies, would-be sommeliers, fashionistas, networkers, or they just have a great palate and they can storytell in their reviews in some way that makes their work stand out. Their reviews rise to the top of the list by design, because what they have to say is dependable. They are tastemakers. And taste confirmers. So if you think you have a great recipe for your new business (literally or figuratively), they can actually let you know if people will agree with you.
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| Tasting plate and liquor tasting flight at The Crown Room |
The next level of Yelp event, and the one I have seen launch many a business here into the ether, is called an Elite event. These private parties are a bit more discerning, and require more time and energy, but they are great investments. For these smaller parties, the invite goes out to all elites who RSVP if they are interested, and several are selected to attend the event. How they are selected changes, but the result is always the same: you get to test drive your concept on people who will give you honest feedback, and whose reviews will be seen first and whose photos you might want highly placed in your Yelp business profile. Hosting a Yelp elite event can literally launch your business by helping you to put your best foot forward.
One of the keys to using Yelp events well is to refine your concept and present exactly what guests will experience when they come to your place. Host the same events anyone can enjoy - the same tour, the same buffet, the same things from the menu, the same level of service...and be prepared for feedback. Yelp Elites take pride in being good at what they do, and if you have holes in your plan, they can and will feel responsible to let you and the potential visitors to your location know. They will also almost always give you a second look after the group event and they adjust any review comments accordingly as you refine your message, presentation, or service. Elites maintain relationships with the places they love. And they give second chances. That's what makes the program so interesting to me - it's a mutual investment in your success that both parties make.
Elite revisits and Yelp events also help protect Yelp users from being manipulated by (less than real) good reviews. Because you have people going back and checking and updating reviews, if a place has good reviews that aren't an accurate reflection of what's happening, those reviews will get filtered out by more considered and recent reviews. It helps keep review abuse in check, which Yelp already does but this adds another layer of checks and balances that allows you to know that the place you want to go that has four stars... deserves it.
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| Downtown Art Tour |
A typical elite event will bring 20 or so select people to you for a two hour adventure of learning and trying what it is that you do. We have enjoyed family style dinners or a buffet of tapas to taste; a mixology class of how to make fun drinks with new liquors; private behind the scenes tours and tastings at festivals; learned to roast coffee at a new shop; visited wineries; we have even gone to paint-by-wine classes! Another kind of Elite event may offer each person 2 free tickets to see a show. I've seen one amazing concert and another outstanding dance performance this way in recent weeks. Not only did an old theater I swore I'd never go to again get me back, they got a fan. In myself and Yelp, who hosted a community event there to bring even more people in to see the transformation. And the local "kids dance theater" made me see that they ALSO host cutting edge contemporary dance.
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| Chocolate making and tasting event at Joliese Chocolates ABQ |
Talking with our own community manager recently, he offered that oftentimes businesses are focused on reviews and intimidated by reviewers. I can totally get that - who enjoys knowing you are being judged? In my experience, while some reviewers aspire to be critical and to become known for their tastemaking, many if not most of the Yelp Elites, at least here in Albuquerque, are chosen specifically because they are NOT pretentious or judgmental. The Elites I know represent every demographic and every style of being. Some, like me, write short reviews and take lots of photos. Others write long reviews and analyze every aspect of the space and presentation. As Howie puts it, "(Elites) are valued because their reviews focus not only on the What, but the Why. If they loved it, they'll explain Why and if they didn't, they'll offer constructive, important feedback for the business to learn from." That's important. While 80% of the reviews on the site are positive (3+ stars), the Elites especially can help you to grab that next star by helping you to know what aspects of your work need finessing. It's like your own personal product testing service!
Being Yelp-connected also comes with bonuses. Many of the Elite squad members are connected to each other outside of the events, and we watch what other Elites are doing and we follow their lead. If my Elite friends say a place is awesome, I am 90% more likely to get there (and soon!) over reading a random person's review. Elites also tend to add tips, clarify inconsistent information on your profile, gather our own circles for an outing, and... more often than not, since we tend to be social... we also spread the word online and in person about your products and services.
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| Delicious bites and beer tasting at Torinos at Home |
I really feel that the programs Yelp offers, like the Elite events, are tools that businesses can easily utilize to help themselves to shine. I know that I've tried lots of new places because of the reviews. It seems like starting off with good reviews from people who know, care, and will share their experiences with others is a sound business investment to me! Really, the opportunities for utilizing this awesome community service that Yelp provides are limited only to your imagination and the cost of the investment in "a few bottles of wine and a test drive..." as one owner put it to me recently.
If you'd like to find your community manager, just google "Yelp Community (your town)" and you'll find a way to connect with your local representative so you can launch your brand... and succeed!
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| Yelp coffee roasting talk at Villa Mirriam |
So the other day, I was at the booth of this super cute designer at the farmer's market, and I asked her if there was a way I could get in touch with her about future custom orders. She hands me a card with her name on it, the name of her company, and NO EMAIL OR PHONE NUMBER. and NO ADDRESS. Just her name and her company. She tells me she's there every Thursday or whatever, and that "she doesn't do email" and her "phone is private".
Whatever. lady. Get out of the business and find a gallery or a market to schlep your stuff.
You're fired.
Friends, do better than this. I know you can.
#FriendsDon'tLetFriendsSuckatBusiness
Whatever. lady. Get out of the business and find a gallery or a market to schlep your stuff.
You're fired.
Friends, do better than this. I know you can.
#FriendsDon'tLetFriendsSuckatBusiness
great article from Fast Company about how design has changed and how you can use INSPIRATION from other sources to keep your ideas fresh
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665451/8-secrets-to-creative-thinking-hint-steal-from-others
Okay, I have to admit it. I LOVE that my personal profile was featured on the about.me home page for the past couple of days. Its SO exciting to get to share this vision with you all. For those that are new here, be welcome! For you all, a note of thanks. You're keeping me going. ♥
Are you on About.me yet?
If so, please share your page here in the comments! This article from a team trainer made me think. I've been wanting to integrate team grading into my classes. Because frankly, some people do all the work and get none of the credit, and that... I think... is one of the problems with architects today. The people who can spin the best yarn get credit for being the best designers, when in fact, they are not.
The article talks about guys and gals in team situations but for me its an interesting look into teams in general. I've found alot of what is said here to be true in my 15 years in the architecture profession.
Are you a good team player? Are you described as:
If so, come take one of my vernacular architecture classes! ; )
http://suddenteams.com/teams-blog/teammate-ratings-study-finds-good-and-bad-news-gender-wars
The article talks about guys and gals in team situations but for me its an interesting look into teams in general. I've found alot of what is said here to be true in my 15 years in the architecture profession.
Are you a good team player? Are you described as:
- "Prompt in attendance at team meetings"
- "Delivered agreed-upon parts of project in a complete fashion"
- "Met deadlines"
- "Volunteered appropriately during team meetings when tasks need to be accomplished"
- "Pulled fair share with regard to overall workload"
- "Showed enthusiastic and positive attitude about team activities and fellow team members"
If so, come take one of my vernacular architecture classes! ; )
http://suddenteams.com/teams-blog/teammate-ratings-study-finds-good-and-bad-news-gender-wars
Not Just for entrepreneurs: How to REALLY make it once you're out in the real world.
"You spent a lot of time getting an education.
But if you want to make it as an entrepreneur, it's time to forget some of what you learned:
1. If you only do what you're told, you'll excel.
2. Being micro-managed is to be expected.
3. Your time off is the highlight of the year.
4. Getting criticized means you failed.
5. Success is based on toeing the line."
None of these are true, if you REALLY want to make it.
Read the article at INC. to find out why.
Great leaders and companies focus most on their WHY - why they do what they do
i.e. in the case of Apple, for instance - they develop lifestyle products that are cutting edge and represent a break from the status quo. You can see this in the first commercial they ever made as easily as you can in their marketing today - People buy into the ideal, not just the products.
then they determine WHAT they do
Apple started out as a computer company. Now it's removed "computers" from its name and it makes everything from computers to telephones.
then they determine HOW they do it.
Apple products and its stores are completely different than anything else you will see. Apple looks different, acts different, and feels different. It is all about reiterating their mission - to do it better, and different - than the status quo.
Some other notes…
Page 28
There is a big difference between repeat business and loyalty. Repeat business is when people do business with you multiple times. Loyalty is when people are willing to turn down a better product or a better price to continue doing business with you.
Repeat business comes from manipulations – of price… of instigating fear (i.e. “don’t miss this great price!”). Loyalty comes from buying into your story… your WHY.
Page 83
“Happy employees ensure happy customers... happy customers ensure happy stockholders – in that order.” – Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines
Page 104
No matter how experienced, no matter how proficient, a trapeze artist will not attempt a new death-defying leap without first trying it with a net below him. And depending on how death-defying the trick is, he may insist on always having a net when performing the trick. Besides the obvious advantage of catching you if you fall, the net also provides a psychological benefit. Knowing it is there gives the trapeze artist confidence to try something he’s never done before, or to do it again and again… the more he trusts…the more he will take personal risks to make his act better.
If he thrives, the rest of the circus performers will follow, and the show will get better.
Better show = more customers = more $$$. Enough said.
Page 106
It is a prerequisite, then, for someone to trust the culture in which they work to share the values and beliefs of that culture. Without it, the (person) is… likely to work only for self-gain without consideration of the greater good. But if those inside the organization are a good fit, the opportunity to “go the extra mile,” to explore, to invent, to innovate, to advance and, more importantly, to do so again and again and again, increases dramatically. Only with mutual trust can an organization become great.
Page 122
The… act of incentivizing an influencer (someone who tends to be at the forefront of adapting to new ideas, and to whom people look to prepare for what’s coming) is manipulative. It renders the influencer completely inauthentic to his or her group. It won’t take long for the group to find out that a recommendation wasn’t made with the group’s interest in mind, but rather because of one person’s self-interest. Trust erodes and value of the influencer is rendered useless.
Page 134
Energy motivates but charisma inspires. Energy is easy to see, easy to measure, and easy to copy. Charisma is hard to define, near impossible to measure, and too elusive to copy. All great leaders have charisma because all great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves.
Page 223
When you compete against everyone else, no one wants to help you. When you compete against yourself, everyone wants to help you.
Like these tidbits? Then read Start with Why by Simon Sinek
"On a cold January Day, a forty-three year old man was sworn in as executive of his country. By his side stood his predecessor, a famous general who, 15 years earlier, had commanded his nation's armed forces in a war that resulted in the defeat of Germany. The young leader was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. He spent the next five hours watching parades in his honor and stayed up celebrating until 3 o'clock in the morning."
You know who I am describing, right?
Hint: It's January 30, 1933.
So... No, it's not John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as you probably guessed.
The man is Adolph Hitler.
You know who I am describing, right?
Hint: It's January 30, 1933.
So... No, it's not John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as you probably guessed.
The man is Adolph Hitler.
...Everyone makes assumptions.
From a recent lecture based on Ken Foster's model of success, I took the following notes, which might be of help to more than just I.
- Establish your core values. What about success is important to you? Is it achievement? Loyalty? Money? Know what that is an see how it motivates you.
- Establish a clearly defined visions based on your core values.
- Then establish responsibilities based on that vision.
- The establish a desired outcome.
- Surround yourself with people whose mindset is what you want to emulate.
- Set a goal (or goals) about what you want, or want to overcome.
- Take 5 actions steps every day to achieve each goal.
- Make commitments and then keep them.
- Repeat your mantras til you believe they are true (or possible.)
Seen in ArchDaily
Practice 2.0: Championing the young architect’s career, a lesson from technology startups
Figure these things out now, and you'll be better able to help lead the charge for change!
Practice 2.0: Championing the young architect’s career, a lesson from technology startups
Figure these things out now, and you'll be better able to help lead the charge for change!
Great article on open courseware and applying a passion to be MORE.
Renaissance Man - NYTimes.com
Renaissance Man - NYTimes.com
Maybe its time for architecture firms, and schools, to rethink the process of recruitment...
From the Wall Street Journal: No More Résumés, Say Some Firms
From the Wall Street Journal: No More Résumés, Say Some Firms
TED talks: Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability
If there is one thing I can teach you, it is that architecture is actually about connection.
Watch this and see how it applies to you... and what you can do in your design work to make it MORE.
If there is one thing I can teach you, it is that architecture is actually about connection.
Watch this and see how it applies to you... and what you can do in your design work to make it MORE.
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