An Overview of AIMC Business Solutions - Digital Marketing - IT - Intern...

How to Score a Rocking Linkedin Profile 2019 w/ AIMC Business Solutions

The Obsession, The Smartphone - How Businesses Can Take Advantage of Them

As I was driving into downtown Boston getting through yet another epic traffic jam, I couldn't help but look around at my fellow drivers and why periodically some end up drifting into another lane.  My betting money was they were not looking for their blinker, but instead they were heads down looking at their phone, checking out what is going on in their Instagram feed or responding to some worthless email.  I actually believe it is because of the smartphone obsession while driving and Uber, that traffic is worst than ever in Boston.

After an hour long commute to go 20 miles, I finally got to my office and decide to take a quick walk to Starbucks to get some caffeine.  On my way, it was like playing Frogger trying to walk around all the people not paying attention to where they were going, but instead  were looking down to their smartphone, hoping to get that last Facebook post in before they get to their destination.   Ugh!!

And it doesn't stop there.   On my way back to the office, I went by a bus stop and no word of a lie, every single person was looking down on their phone and there was no offline conversations going on.  Gee, have we forgot to smile and say hi to the person next to you?

I can go on on here including the time a young girl walked right into a bus, phone goes flying and her nose goes right into the side of the bus.    But heck, let's be realistic and positive here, we are in an online world.  The concept of conversation is Whats Up App, Facebook Messenger or tweeting more than the local bird sanctuary.   I actually saw someone freak out when they saw that rare pay phone at the train station. 

The old saying when something bothers you is if you can beat it, join it.  Yes, smartphones are a pain in the you know what, but there is a lot of ways for small businesses to take advantage of everyone's obsession.  Let's touch on a few quick concepts to turn the smartphone obsession to transactions for your business.

First, of course, is your website responsive?  Responsive websites are built to adjust to any device, whether is a computer, tablet or smartphone.   Since roughly 60% of all websites are accessed through a smartphone now and it is only going to get bigger, the time is now to make sure your website is built for the smartphone.

Do you use texting to communicate with your customers?  For example, can a customer have the capability to text an order to your company, for example a restaurant?  This is another fast growing concept, since the days of dialing toll free numbers and going through an endless menu of options is not the most convenient way to connect to customers.  They will likely hang up and pick up their smartphone and connect to your competitor.

Does your company have a mobile application to make it easy for your customers to collaborate with your company and conduct all business with you?  Think about a company like CVS or Open Table where via their application, you can do everything from ordering your prescriptions to reserving a table of 4 for dinner at your favorite restaurant.   If you have an application for your business, you are taking advantage of the smartphone obsession.

How prevalent are you on the social media channels?  How often does your company tweet or post on LinkedIn or Facebook?  Considering just about everyone has a smartphone and has all of the social applications on their phone, the sky is the limit in terms of who you can reach via the social channels.   If your company's post goes viral, it can reach millions of smartphone users!

So there you have it... does your business have a responsive website, or a texting capability to reach customers, are you active on social media or do you have your own mobile application.  If you are doing all this, chances are the obsessed smartphone user will be fully engaged and maybe become obsessed with your business.   That is powerful since they may refer business to you to their connections, via a text or a tweet.

Dying Professions in the Digital Age by JR Ridinger

Here is a great article on what professions are not worth going into if you want career security.
Dying Professions in the Digital Age

If You Don't Like Change, Maybe Information Technology is not the Career for You

Information Technology is all about innovation and how technology can help streamline processes and workflows and make it easier to access the information you need to make decisions, learn or simply get the job done.  With the Internet of Things and Robotics, it has also become somewhat of a controversial field with the loss of some jobs and the closing of factories.  But yet, a lot of IT Professionals get stir crazy when they hear the word "Change" whether it affects them directly or the company they work for.

I have a quick story about a manager that had a 1-on-1 meeting with one of his employees recently.

The employee came into the manager's office looking a little stressed about the topics at an all department meeting.  The employee proceeds to ask questions about why the company was bringing in all of this "new"technology and how it will affect the job they were doing.   The employee also recalled the speaker talk about being agile when it comes to project management and then asked what does agile mean.   After a few more topics, the manager was thinking that their employee really has no clue with what is going on in today's ever-changing technology world.   It reminded them of the perception of older technology workers is that they are not interested in learning anything new and the old "this is how we always did it" is a mantra for "if it ain't broke, then don't change it".   I am sure some IT managers can relate to this.

Nothing is further from the truth that saying "This is How We Always Did It" when it comes to Information Technology.   An IT Professional has to adapt to change since what they learned five years ago may not be relevant today.   Companies and businesses change, organizations change and even that database software you have known for over 20 years is going to change.  If the word "Change" scares you, then maybe IT is not the career for you.   

At a lot of older large corporations, you may have a veteran IT staff of professionals that have put in quite a few years doing the same thing day in and day out and have no interest in learning anything new.  I personally have managed teams like this and challenged myself to see it from their perspective and sell the idea that change is good and that they should always be ready to adapt.  One way I have done that is simply mention to them how IT has changed the way we do things anything from how you do your banking, order food at your favorite restaurant or get directions in a town you are not familiar with.   People adapted to and embraced those changes so likewise our company and you as an IT Professional have to be ready for change or else the company and yourself may be out of business.

So put away those Oracle Database Tech Manuals or that Cold Fusion Web Design book and be ready for being in constant learning and adapting mode.  If not, your picture may be placed in the local Computer Museum!

What I Learned About Sales from the Window Guy

Springtime in New England means it is time to plan and execute on some household projects and like every year as a homeowner I have my list.

On top of that list, I wanted to replace a few windows in our family room since it was time and we have been on an energy saving kick.   We finally scored a contractor that will be doing our job next week but it was pretty painful getting there.

The first vendor was introduced to me at a local home show.   It is a reputable company with high quality windows.  The sales person came to my house and was a nice guy and he knew exactly what I wanted,  vinyl sliders with double pane glass to keep the weather at bay.   He did not question me and went ahead and measured my window frames and gave me a rough estimate of cost.   As you should always do, I asked for a written estimate to be sent to my email and the guy said "No Problem, you will get that in a day or so".   A few days went by, then a week, so I called the company using the number the guy gave me and they said that I need to call the guy on his cell phone directly to get a status on my quote, so I did.  I left a message and asked for a response.    I did not receive a response or follow-up to my call and email, so I called the company again to check the status of my quote.  Again, they apologize and said that I need to contact the guy that came to my house for the quote.  At this time, I was like F*** this, I am going with another company.

Lesson #1 - In sales or in any customer focused business, especially a home improvement business, follow-up is essential.  In the world of social media and with so much competition, if you don't follow-up with prospects, you will get a bad rap and people will know about it very quickly.

So I looked through the list of vendors from the Home Show I attended and found another reputable company from Rhode Island that specialized in Custom Built Windows.   I called them to make an appointment to get a quote on vinyl sliders with double pane and they had a tech free on the following Saturday.  Great, we are moving now!   Leading up to that Saturday appointment, I must have gotten 6 calls from different people asking me to confirm my appointment.   I repeatedly mentioned that it is all set and did you talk to the other person that called me?

Lesson #2 - Communicate with your sales team and make sure you are all on the same page.  Nothing is worst than an impression from your customer that your team is scattered and unorganized.

We are still on the same Custom Built Windows vendor from Rhode Island.  So Saturday is here and the guy came right on time for our appointment.  He was well dressed, as if he sold insurance on the side and came to the door with his official PowerPoint presentation and questionnaire.   It was a warm day for April so he can see that he was sweating either due to the weather or nerves.   So I mentioned to him that I had about 20-30 minutes and if he can proceed with getting the window measurements and then provide me a written quote.  He did the measurements and then asked if he can go over the quote with me right there and then.   I was like, cool, we are getting somewhere.   He then proceeded to go through a 40 page presentation on the history of windows and the differences between shutters, wood windows, double pane vs triple pane and why his company is the best company in the business.  The presentation went on for 90 minutes until I cut him short and said, can I have my f**** quote?   He ended up going through all of these numbers as if he was writing up a mortgage, and finally came up with a quote that was astronomically high for vinyl sliders.  I was thinking gee are we paying for his time running through that 90 minute presentation?   I was agitated and asked him to leave since my wife and I were already late for an appointment.   He then feverishly mentioned that "one day sale" if I bought today, he will slash the cost by 40%.   I did not care and asked him to leave.  This was a disaster.

Lesson #3- Where do I start?  First, listen to your customer.  Second, customize your response to what your customer is asking for.  Third, be conscious of your customer's time.  This was probably the same presentation for customers that wanted shutters, sliders or a new roof.   Listen to your customer!

This was not the end of Vendor #2.  For next few weeks, they kept calling me and not leaving messages and until one day I picked up the phone and said to not call me anymore.  They said sure, then guess what, a couple of days later, another person called me from the same company.   I will end this with, see Lesson #2.

Finally, I vented my frustration on a local blog and well-known contractor gave me a call and asked if he can help.   At this point, I was like sure.  A third time is a charm, right?   This guy was very personable and asked what I needed and that he will take care of it.  Long story short, my windows are getting replaced next Monday.

Lesson #4:  Your customers are human, not dollar signs.  Be personable and get to know them and build their trust.   You do that and you will take your business to the next level.

Sales is a tough business.  I understand that being in business myself, but it is art.   The art of listening, being personable and having a great supporting team.  Spend the time achieving those skills and you will be a success!

How does Business Networking and Relationship Building compare in 1985 to 2018?

Even though, my family has had its fair share of sales professionals and entrepreneurs over time, it is interesting that I originally took the route of a Corporate Information Technology career after I graduated college.  I eventually "smarten up" and have since ventured into business ownership and am proud to have carried the torch held by my entrepreneurial family.

One grandfather was an insurance salesman and my dad was a food salesman.  My other grandfather was part owner of a jewelry company in the what was the at one time the Jewelry Capital of the World, Providence, RI.   I also had cousins that owned businesses and others that simply did not take the typical route through Corporate America.   Entrepreneurship was alive and well back in 1985 but it was how you built your business that was different than today.

I remembered growing up in the 1980s and how both my dad and grandfather had a gift of gab and the ability to relate to all types of people.  My Dad was a food salesman, so he frequently the many restaurants in Rhode Island and it seems every time we went somewhere, he would engage in multiple conversations with just about anyone that was within three feet of him.  He was the ultimate extrovert.  He demonstrated networking before there was networking.   Back in 1985, there was no such thing as social media or formal business networking.  I think BNI was around, but that was about it.    When you were in sales, you had to really hustle like my Dad did or go door-to-door selling insurance like my grandfather did.

The difference today is that we have so many tools available from social media and email campaigns that even the introvert can venture into sales.  Imagine what my dad or grandfather could have done with a smartphone?

So how does 1985 compare to 2018 when it comes to business networking?

In 1985,  door-to-door sales and cold calling were king.  The local newspaper was your main method of mass advertising and your networking event was your local church group or soccer field.   I think it was a better time to network since there were no smartphones and people actually had to get out of their shell and talk to people.   Another networking scene that was pretty prevalent back in 1985 was your local pub or restaurant.   Case in point with my dad, he closed a lot of his deals over a scotch and made more of his connections meeting people that led to more people that would match anyone today with tools available.   In 1985, there was no Facebook, Twitter or texting.   You had to pick up a phone with a cord and call people.  Relationship building was easier since you really got to know someone and understood their reaction right away.  Today, you can never know the tone from an email or a text message.   Thinking back to 1985, the world was more social and interactive.  Relationship building was happening in places that today would not be thought of.    You mean, I need to pick up a phone?

Fast forward to today, you have everything I mentioned that we had in 1985, plus social media and formal business networking.   So why does it seem things are harder today?   Yes, there is relationship building like back in 1985, but it is now normally done through a screen.  The cold call simply does not work and the pub scene is not like it was in 1985.  The soccer field is a big click.  The culprit seems to be that damn smart phone.  Go to any bar or sports event today, what do you see?   Everyone's hand is glued to some device.  Relationship building is harder despite the many options to meet people and potential business prospects but because of all the technology, everyone seems to be introverted and simply afraid to pick up the phone, go door-to-door or go to a business event.

So in summary, the difference between 1985 and 2018 is simple.    1985 was all about personal interaction and instant reaction.  Networking was not know as networking.  It was socializing.    2018 was all about using technology to cover up the fear of interaction and people's reaction to your inquiry.   There are a lot more business networking events today, but it is forced.   You can tell by all of the elevator pitches you hear at an event and LinkedIn requests you get after the event.  One way communication, no interaction and immediate reaction.   Now does LinkedIn help you pick up the phone and call someone?   Not really.     Sometimes, I think, take me back to 1985.

How Video Can Help You Beat Your Fear of Public Speaking

When it comes to what people's biggest fear, what are the first things that come to mind?

Going to the dentist?
Dealing with your ex after a breakup?
Going through tunnels in a big city?

How about public speaking?  25% of Americans say public speaking is their biggest fear.

Imagine if your boss or business partner pulls you into their office and asks you to present a key topic that in front of hundreds of people or on a smaller scale, you have to give a speech at a wedding in front of a bunch of intoxicated guests.   The first thing you want to do is hide under the nearing table.

Public speaking is one of the most fearful things anyone can do.   They stutter, say "Um" or sometimes pass out in mid-sentence.   It is much easier to be in the audience versus being the focus of the audience.

I personally had a fear of public speaking.  I remember getting in front of a room to present an IT project at a large retailer and proceeded to sweat so much, I had to put my dress shirt in a dryer to dry it out.   My speech was full of those "Um's" and "Ahh's" and the famous "You know" after every other word.

I ended up taking a Toastmasters class back in 2008, which really helped me beat the fear of speaking in front of others.  Case in point are some of my videos on my YouTube Channel where I had to get in front of people to talk about business networking and social media.

However,  there is a more immediate way to help beat the fear of public speaking instead of Toastmasters, and it happens to be that little device in your pocket.    It is the video camera on your smartphone.   I do recommend checking out Toastmasters at a later time.

Ok, I am going to cut to the chase.   My suggestion to you if you hate public speaking is to use your smartphone and video record yourself taking about your favorite topic and then work your way up to a topic that you may have to speak about in a public forum.   The old saying is practice makes perfect, so why not use something that is free, easy and personal to practice talking to people?

There are also all sorts of live video applications out there that you can practice doing live videos.   I look at live videos on social media as the next step after you practice doing videos on the Camera app on your smartphone.   By doing live videos on Facebook Live, Periscope or Instagram, you can ask your connections to critique your video and if there are any suggestions to improve your speech.   After all, your social media connections are your friends, right?

Start doing videos on a regular basis on your favorite topics such as sports, the weather, owning a business and other topics, and then over time you will notice your confidence increasing, especially if you start getting those social media likes for your recent live video.   Ask for feedback and note how much engagement there is after posting your video.

Ok, finally, you are asked to speak in a public forum.    So what really is the difference?   If you like the topic you are talking about, and if you look at your audience through the screen of your smartphone and think the audience are there to support you, then go for it and have confidence that you will rock it and woo your audience with great insight!  It gets easier more and more.

An Entrepreneur NEVER Asks How Much Money You Make

I was at a networking event last evening and was chatting with someone and after some small talk, the topic turned to what I have been working on.    I mentioned one of my ventures to be my Market America business, which I started around nine years ago.   As in any business, I have had my challenges and successes and have valued what I have learned over the years understanding what works and doesn't work.    Eventually, my colleague asked me about my MA business and that dreaded question - "How Much Money Do You Make with Market America?"

Arrrrrrgggg!

My first impression of this person is that they do not understand business ownership, and the art of risk taking.   Typically, if you have a job, you are paid hourly or a salary for your time working at your employer.   You may get that 2% raise every once and a while for the overtime that you work.  Even though the question "How Much Money You Make" has a straight answer at your corporate job, it is still a ballsy question to ask someone.

The difference between a corporate job and owning your own business is how much you control your financial flexibility. 

You see if you and I owned the same business, selling the same products and service while participating in the same compensation plan,  it is very likely we would not be making the same amount of money.   Just because I make six-figures in my business, does not mean that you will make six-figures in yours.    That is the beauty of owning your own business.  You can dictate how much you earn, by how hard you work, how great you are leveraging your time and how self-sufficient you are leading the pack and building your own empire.  The ones that take action, simply succeed.

Now, there is a little more to being successful in your own business than working hard.   You would also need the ability to be a risk taker as mentioned earlier.  Corporate Employees are not risk takers.  They like comfort.   Entrepreneurs/Business Owners win the battle all the time since they are self aware and acknowledge what is happening in today's world and are fully aware there is more to life than a salary and performance raises.  Entrepreneurs set the bar in terms of how much money they make and also understand it is unfair to ask other entrepreneurs what they make.   They are risk takers that know social media is important, that age is not a factor in success and taking action is the most important road to success.

Finally, in summary, understand that in business, there is no cap on what you can accomplish whether it is financial or personal goals. 

Don't get defensive if someone asks you how much money you make with your business.  Instead educate that person that is depends on how much risk, how hard you work, how you leverage your time working your business and your willingness and patience to answer questions like the dreaded money question.

Life is Precious - So Live It and Be Positive

Today was a very tragic day here in America, with the events in Las Vegas and with in the unconfirmed (at the time of this writing) passing of the rock legend, Tom Petty.

In both cases, just yesterday for the attendees of the Route91 Festival in Las Vegas and for Tom Petty, life was moving along and was fun.    Twenty thousand country music fans were singing along to Jason Aldean songs and Tom Petty and his band was celebrating a great tour with three shows at the Hollywood Bowl just last week.

And then just like that, today things changed.

It makes you think how precious life is and why is it so important to take advantage of it the best way you can.  Whether it is taking that trip to Europe, starting your own business or simply giving back to society, life is too short to let time pass by.   It really took me to heart today and I am thinking it did the same to a lot of other people.

One of the worst words in the dictionary is tomorrow.   We will take that trip tomorrow, we will start that business tomorrow or I will visit my ailing relative that needs me tomorrow.   Tomorrow may never come, so if you have a chance, take a chance, today.   Another saying that is the worst is "I'm so busy".  Busy doing what?   How are you spending your time?  How are you leveraging time?  Are you doing result producing activities?    Unfortunately, with access to social media today, a lot of people are busy being negative and controversial on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.   It is fact.

I wanted to share a few quick business tips that may help you become more successful.  These are tips that some successful business owners have followed and have reaped the rewards, understanding that life is precious and short, and to take advantage of their life now, not later.

1. Take control of your life as best you can.   For example, if you want to start your own business, start one.   If you live the 9-to-5 life working for someone else, you will one day look back with regret that you had no control on your life and career.  Another aspect of your life is your health.  Start today taking care of yourself by exercising and eating the right foods.    Again, don't look back if one day you are told your life is limited and you have a pill box full of meds to take.

2. Plan and be strategic, whatever your life or career can be.   Always, be planning your next gig.  The worst thing I have seen is, is someone that is settled in a job, or in a bad family situation or in poor health and they are not thinking about their next step.   Always, be ready and plan your next step in life whether it is your career, your health or your relationships.

3. Work hard on result producing activities.   In other words, don't procrastinate, or spend time on negative activities that would do nothing toward reaching your goals.    Cut out spending time on social media responding to controversial posts on your news feed.   Believe me, I am guilty of this and am getting help, but it is a serious issue today, where the "I'm busy" person is actually busy doing Instagram and Facebook posts all day on nothing other than some political statement.

4. Stop talking, discussing and debating.   Just do it.   In other words, don't be a politician.   The more you talk, debate and re-thinking, the longer you will go with no action.   I see this a lot in business, where someone may be presented with a great opportunity and they think about, wait till tomorrow or next month, and then the next thing they know, time passed them by.   Go on your instinct and just do it.   If you have the mindset mention in #2 above to be always planning, you may not have to discuss and debate every opportunity.