How to Lose Business

By Aaron Taylor

This week’s Pivot newsletter article on expanding the client relationship seemed to resonate with many of our readers. In the article, we submit evidence that most clients aren’t aware of the range of services provided by their professional services firms.

Why do clients who are pleased with the job your firm has done in the past occasionally turn around and buy services you offer from a competitor? Usually it is because they don’t know all that you do. If you aren’t actively explaining your services to clients, you are probably missing a lot of opportunities. According to our study — and reader’s responses — clients want this information and they want it delivered personally.

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Is Your Company Scared of Social Media?

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

Social Media Today recently published a very interesting (albeit not surprising) post about why companies are reluctant, and in some cases, downright scared to use social media. I really like this post because the six reasons given are ones that I have heard many times. The post goes on to address these concerns using compelling facts and statistics. Here are the six common worries (and some answers):

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Getting Past the Economic Ice Age

By Aaron Taylor

The air outside was noticeably colder this week, but each day brings new signs that the worst of the economic winter may be behind us. That’s good news, but nobody is pouring champaign just yet. Many professional services firms are still struggling with the same issues that dogged them a year ago — sluggish demand, competitive price cutting and reduced budgets. You can catch whiffs of caution almost anywhere you go.

One notable exception — the federal government contracting marketplace — has remained relatively hot throughout the recession. But even that industry hasn’t put away it’s winter coat just yet. A recent pair of articles on the WashingtonTechnology website discuss strategies government contractors can use to make it through these difficult times. Whether or not your business prospects are warming up as the economy thaws, the articles offer solid advice for marketing any professional services firm in good times and bad. The four tips below, taken from “Marketing Tips for Today’s Business Climate,” are supported by independent research Hinge has conducted into professional services firms:

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Customers Are Getting to Know You — Through Google

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

Many are saying that the first page of Google is the new resume. If it’s about you and searchable, recruiters can find it and use it to judge whether you are a good candidate. With that said, have you Googled yourself lately?

This same theory applies to your brand. I’ve recently had several new clients tell me that they found me through Google and were able to gauge whether I was a good match for their projects solely based on my Google links — without ever speaking to me. Scary, huh?

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Archiving Social Media? The White House Says YES!

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

The White House is hiring a Social Media Archivist. Not because they want to keep all of your Twitter conversations or save incriminating Facebook photos. The 1978 Presidential Records Act (PRA) changed the legal ownership of official records generated from the Executive Office of the President from private to public and mandated that these records be filed with the National Archives and Records Administration. The act came about as a result of Watergate and has been a huge yet manageable regulation to uphold…until now. Enter social media.

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Making Time for Social Media Marketing

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

I was recently presenting a workshop on social media for business and was asked the question, “How much time can I expect to spend on my social media marketing?” It’s a valid question and one that gets asked all the time. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to answer.

The short answer is “quite a bit” if you truly want to keep a consistent line of communication with your customers. But what is harder to explain is that social media doesn’t have to be a time suck if you spend your time wisely.

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