Management Blog

The secrets of successful cold calling

Has social media marketing meant the end of cold calling? Definitely not, according to Harvard Business Review blogger Steve Richard.

In a recent post, Richard argues that cold calling is still a valuable aspect of B2B marketing that should not be ignored in favour of 'fancy webinars' or 'snazzy web-based marketing channels'.

To help marketers boost their B2B cold calling success rates, a number of tips are offered. In summary, these include:

• Be direct - bypass receptionists and always take the time to get the direct number of the person you're cold calling
• Mix it up - personalise each message, vary between calls and emails, and add value each time you make contact
• Do your research - use online research sources, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, to understand your prospect's background and needs

A helping hand for parents with sick kids

Innovative US startup Chicken Soup + Nursing is offering working parents the help they need when their children are sick.

According to Springwise, the Washington state based company offers bed rest and supervised care for children with low-level but contagious illnesses, such as fevers, conjunctivitis or rashes.

Health professionals at the daytime-only facility provide condition reports to parents throughout the day; plans are also underway to offer remote viewing of patients by parents while at they're work.

You can see how the concept could really help professional parents. Do you think it has the potential to work in Australia?

The do's and don'ts of workplace happiness

Everyone has good and bad days at work. But if your low moods go beyond the occasional bout of Monday-itis it's time to take action.

A recent Guardian article suggests the best approach to overcoming workplace blues is to harness the power of positive thinking and to focus on the good things that are part of your job.

Other tips include:

• DO get a good night's sleep - avoid working excessively long hours and skipping sleep
• DO think about your strengths - remind yourself about what you do better than other people
• DO be kind - attempt to accept constraints rather instead of complaining about them
• DON’T put your head in the sand - if you're not happy at work over an extended period, ask yourself what changes need to occur
• DON'T make mega-lists - focus on the near future and what will move you forward today
• DON'T take the first new job that comes your way - do your research before taking your next career move

Ridding the world of styrofoam

The ecological threat of styrofoam and plastic packaging materials is an issue that's well within the sights of biomaterials company Ecovative Design.

In this PopTech! video, the company's Eban Bayer explains how a new generation of biodegradable alternatives derived from mushrooms can work as direct replacement for styrofoam.

Fast-tracking social media policy

Is it possible to create a corporate social media policy in a matter of minutes?

The company behind the PolicyTool for Social Media thinks so. Aiming to deliver 'policy for the masses' rtraction's generator asks a series of questions before producing a customised policy.

According to FutureLab, the policy generator simplifies the task of developing a social media policy that's capable of respecting employee rights and protecting organisational reputation.

Porsche extends its brand to phones

Luxury sports car maker Porsche has launched a new mobile phone that's only available to owners of its vehicles, The Age reports.

According to the article, the Porsche Design P'9522 BLACK features a matte black anodised aluminum and black mineral glass casing, and includes a fingerprint sensor to identify it users.

The company says it expects demand for the phone - which retails for AUD1,723 - to be high across the increasingly affluent Asian Pacific region.

It's suggested much of this demand will be driven by the penchant of Asian phone purchasers to desire unique gadgets as opposed to more generic phones.

Enterprising innovation: embracing a deaf workforce

Indian enterprise Mirakle Couriers is establishing a name for itself thanks to an ethical point of difference: it only employs deaf workers.

According to Springwise, the Mumbai based company has grown dramatically since its 2008 launch due its commitment to employee training and support.

Mirakle says one of its key aims is to breakdown the stigma associated with deafness in a country in which 6 per cent of people are hearing impaired.

The company stresses that it is not a charity but a social business, with plans currently underway to open branches across India and other parts of the world.

Games to boost worker engagement

Video games are set to become a useful means of engaging the next generation of workers, according to a US academic.

Speaking to ITNews, Indiana University researcher Lee Sheldon says workplace games are emerging as a valuable way of applying organisational culture and learning techniques.

Sheldon claims the key to successfully using video games to engage workers is to have clearly defined goals and fair, incremental rewards for ‘players’.

He notes that one of the key challenges to the successful adoption of games at work will be educating managers on the intricacies of gaming.

Harnessing emotions to make positive change

The smartest way to implement organisational change is to take an emotional approach, according to Chip and Dan Heath’s new book Switch: How to Change When Things are Hard.

A recent review of the book in McKinsey Quarterly claims the authors have drawn on new research into how the brain works in order to reach their conclusions.
       
In an interview with the Quarterly, Chip Heath says the book’s core idea is that there are two sides to how humans think about an issue: a rational side and an emotional one.
       
The emotional side requires more input because often employees experience great anxiety about organisational change.

Harnessing the emotional engagement of workers is described using case studies including GE’s successful ‘ecomagination’ strategy, which encourages sustainable business solutions.

Graduate programs set to grow: study

A new study suggests many employers are set to increase the size of their graduate programs during 2010, The Sunday Telegraph reports.
       
According to a Graduate Careers Australia study, 21 per cent of organisations plan to expand their graduate recruitment programs in the future.

And in news that may not surprise recent university graduates, the study found nearly one in three organisations were forced to downsize their graduate programs during the GFC.

The study also considered how hiring managers choose graduates, with ‘strong communication skills’ emerging as the most important selection criteria.

A lack of enthusiasm, drive and initiative were cited as characteristics that turned employers off recently gradated job candidates.