Social Media Trends

Ten Video Production Tips for Demo Videos

admin — Fri, 26 May 2023 22:26:36 +0000

More and more web videos have become a cornerstone in recent years to any fully developed web marketing program. However, given this growth, it is no longer enough that companies be able to produce and distribute web videos. Where high quality, well developed video content may be able to do immeasurable good for a company’s marketing campaign, conversely, poorly made videos have the potential to do irreparable harm. This can be even truer when talking about demo videos whose quality, if poor, may then reflect equally as unsatisfactorily upon the product of service being demonstrated. Therefore, in order to help companies avoid any unnecessary setbacks as a result of subpar demo videos, here is a list of ten brief tips outlined that organizations may effectively guide their video efforts.

1. Keep things simple and straightforward. Trying to mimic some TV infomercial will only come off as gimmicky and over produced. Instead, stick to real life situations, settings, and people, to let the audience see how this product or service works in an everyday situation.

2. Take a step by step approach. If there are various stages of setup, use, and break down required, illustrate each stage in an orderly fashion one after the other so as to avoid confusion.

3. Keep things as simple as possible. Overloading the audience with too much complex information will only muddle the message and damage the goal of the video.

4. The whole point of demo videos is to allow viewers to see the product. So show it to them rather than telling them about it. While using a narrator or spokesperson to demonstrate the product’s function and highlight certain features is acceptable, these individuals should not be relied upon to carry the video. Keep the focus on the product itself.

5. While brief, concise message can be displayed throughout the video to highlight or stress certain points, audiences don’t want to spend an entire video reading text. One of the biggest advantages of video is its ability to share information more quickly and effectively than text, therefore overloading a video with text that the viewer must then read defeats the point.

6. Perhaps one of the most effective tools that companies can use in their videos is people. More specifically, those individuals who really understand the product. Having someone in the video to physically demonstrate a product, even if it is just someone’s hands, can help to create a human connection between the video and the viewer to help hold their attention.

7. Timing is everything in web video production. As important as it is not to drag the message out and bore the audience, it is just as important that the message not be rushed, wherein the viewer may not be able to keep track of information and may become irritated or annoyed and equally loose interest. Finding and maintaining an efficient pace is key.

8. Having the proper tools to get the job done, and create a quality finished product is also important, so that viewers may see a professionalism in the video and come to trust the company to be equally so.

9. Creating a video is only part of the battle. Next comes placement. For this, companies will want to employ SEO strategies in the placement and tagging of their videos to ensure that search engines will better be able to locate these videos and allow a greater audience to see them.

10. Finally, it is important for companies developing demo videos to remember that these are not meant to be promotional or branding tools, but rather are intended to more easily convert interested parties from leads into customers.

Taking the Fear Out of Freelancing – Is Self-Employment Right For You?

admin — Fri, 12 May 2023 06:31:48 +0000

Janine was thirty-something and the mother of one when her marriage broke up. She moved to a new city and started looking for a well paying job with parent-friendly hours and was getting frustrated with how rare those positions are.A friend suggested she consider shopping her language translating skills as a freelancer so she could work at home and watch her daughter grow up. Janine liked the idea but couldn’t imagine taking the financial risk of fending for herself and her child. Fear and insecurity stopped her in her tracks.But wait.What if the risk really isn’t as great as we think it is. There sure are a lot of people working for themselves these days. What do they know that we don’t?The Self-Employment FactsThe US Census Bureau reports that there are now over 18 million self-employed entrepreneurs in America. These one-person operations make up a remarkable 70% of all US businesses.So who are these brave souls turning their backs on the cubicle farm and doing it for themselves? Everyone from accountants to bakers to writers.The Census Bureau says the fastest growing self-employed sectors these days are: real estate appraisers, nail technicians, landscaping services, software publishers, and bed and breakfast owners. But there are plenty more choices out there to satisfy the maverick in you.The Satisfaction FactorA survey of freelance writers published in 2005 by the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) painted a surprising picture of the “average” freelance writer. She is:Female, 49 years old, white, married with at least one child. She is well educated and lives in a large city. She is usually paid by the item and makes an annual income between $40,000 and $49,000.Now here’s the surprise… in spite of that modest average income, over 90% of those surveyed said they considered freelancing their long-term career and were very satisfied with their self-employed lifestyle!In fact, most of the survey participants had quit regular jobs in order to become freelancers. They weren’t laid off or fired. They quit. And were glad they had.The Ups and Downs of Self-EmploymentHaving said all that, self-employment is not for everyone. But I’m willing to bet it would actually be a good fit for a lot of people if they weren’t so afraid of the perceived risks.So let’s deal straight up with the realities of the freelance/self employed life so you can make an informed decision about your future without any unwarranted fears or unrealistic expectations.The Challenges:
It can be hard to get established. Freelancers surveyed by ASJA said it took at least five years of networking and cold calling before they felt settled in the writing business.

Micro enterprises (those with fewer than 5 employees) have lower survival rates than other small businesses. This may be because they require less investment so owners take greater risks rather than research the business model thoroughly in advance.

Work fluctuations. It’s often feast or famine when it comes to jobs, and that can lead to…

Financial uncertainties, which can be relieved with a lot of…

Self promotion. Marketing yourself is an ongoing necessity for freelancers.

Setting your rates and/or negotiating fees with clients. It can take years to figure out what the market will pay for your time and expertise.

Taking care of your own pension, taxes, unemployment and health safety nets.

The fridge, TV and coffee maker. Working at home means resisting a torrent of sweet distractions. The Pay Offs:
No bosses or annoying coworkers.

No cubicles, harsh fluorescent lighting or recirculated air.

No set schedule. Work when you want and as much (or as little) as you want.

Work at home, save on commuting costs and business attire.

You pick the jobs. If you don’t feel like designing a porn website or being a virtual assistant for your ex-husband’s company, just say no — it feels great.

The best reason of all: That glorious feeling of self-determination. Of course, living like this does require certain skills to make it work: discipline, the ability to live on a modest income, at least for a time, the willpower to set some money aside for the doldrums, the ability to work alone without missing society too much, and the faith in yourself to endure the slow times knowing the jobs WILL come again.Oh yeah, and it helps if you genuinely love the work you’ve chosen. That and a rainy day fund will get you through any drought.Facing Down Your FearsI caught up with Janine not too long ago. Turns out she got a job in a government office making not bad coin. But the work is boring; she isn’t using her training at all and they don’t give her the authority to make any decisions. Plus she had to hire a full-time nanny, so her paycheck isn’t going very far these days. But hey… it’s a regular salary, right?When the time comes for you to choose between a salary and self-employment, don’t let fear and insecurity decide for you.Instead:Do an honest evaluation of your personality and skill set to know if you’ve got the freelancing stuff.Check your bank account to see how long you can coast without an steady income if need be. Better yet, explore ways you can slowly ease into self-employment while you hang onto the paying job.Do thorough research on the type of business you plan to launch to ensure it’s a good fit and there’s a viable market for it.If you need financing, write up a plan. You can view sample business plans for various industries here: http://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.htmlThen look forward to the happy day when you can cut that final apron string and become your own boss. Sound planning and self knowledge can take the fear out of self-employment.

There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.

admin — Thu, 11 May 2023 18:43:40 +0000

#EANF#

Trick Photography and Special Effects – A Photographer’s Magic

admin — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:19:18 +0000

If photography is your passion and you are troubled for not owning an expensive camera, you need not worry. Trick Photography and Special Effects’ is at your disposal! This eBook has everything that could be instrumental for a budding photographer as the name very well indicates. The book has everything from photographs by professionals, video tutorials and a long set of instructions.A True DelightThe Trick Photography and Special Effects eBook is nothing short of taking professional classes from an accomplished photographer. It has captured almost all sorts of photography at the same timing revealing all the tricks that help capture the perfect photographs.The picturesque shots contained in the book are enough to take your breath away. It seems even Photoshop could not accomplish the feat of making pictures look that attractive. The book is rage because of the variety of pictures it caters to like freezing motion, light painting techniques, motion blur, star trails, special effects, 3D images, long exposure effects and much more.Sharboneau’s ExpertiseEvan Sharboneau has indeed opened avenues for many passionate photographers out there who cannot afford to indulge in luxuries like expensive equipments and classes. Sharboneau has been at his creative best in the book and this reflects in the satisfaction and exhilaration of the readers after having read Trick Photography and Special Effects. In fact, the book is a revolutionary attempt as many pro-photographers do not like to reveal their photography secrets.To begin with, the book does not require the reader to be a master in photography. Moreover, the numerous photos and videos are adept to make an amateur develop an interest in photography. You could sometimes be lost in these photographs and videos. The book has all the tricks for capturing infrared lights to taking surreal pictures. It just makes your imagination come true.A Must ReadTrick Photography and Special Effects is a photographer’s magic journal and has an immense potential to contribute to his growth as an artist. It answers all the hows’ of photography. Along with tricks and techniques of photography, the book also mentions the best editing tricks.I would highly recommend this book. The ideas are original and explained in the simplest manner possible. However, there is no substitute for hard work and practice. So, perseverance will take you much ahead. The eBook format of the book makes it all the more helpful and accessible. You can do full justice to the book by grabbing a copy because some things can be best understood by self-analysis.

Managing Ostomy Emergencies and Accidents

admin — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 20:33:54 +0000

When living with a stoma, sometimes the unthinkable happens: pouches or barriers leak, a pouch pops open, odors come through; an insurmountable number of possibilities all related to having an ostomy, just waiting to happen at any time.But it doesn’t happen to be this way. With proper care and planning, you can minimize or eliminate the possibilities of accidents occurring in the first place. And even if there is a leak, blowout, or odor, a little preparation will make crisis management easy.Probably the most common accidents are leaks, blowouts, and odors. Let’s describe these situations briefly, then we’ll discuss some tips to best manage these common predicaments affecting Ostomates:Leaks – A “leak” is when any contents of the stoma are compromised, leaking out through the Ostomy appliance. Leaks will almost always form at the point of least resistance, and in many cases get worse if not managed quickly. The most common leak points are under the barrier (due to weak or compromised adhesive), through pouch closures (drainable pouches), faulty pouching systems, or through punctures (rare to go unnoticed, but can still happen.)Blowouts – Blowouts can be a royal pain and happen for many of the same reasons that leaks can happen – over-filled pouches (usually from filling too quickly with air), poorly maintained pouching, external pressures on the pouch, and faulty appliances. The portion that pops open, like leaks, is usually where the least resistance is.Preventing Leaks and BlowoutsWith some simple steps, both of these scenarios can be avoided entirely:
Install a Pouch Release Valve – Valves such as the Osto-EZ-Vent or Filtrodor filters can be installed directly onto pouches to quickly release gas buildup in a pouch. This will help the pouch from getting too full too quickly, cut back on bathroom breaks to relieve contents, and of course, prevent leaks and blowouts from pressure buildup inside.
Drain or Change Regularly – Monitor the pouch contents and relieve it when it’s at least 1/3 full. Not quite there yet? If you have access to a bathroom and you’re not sure when you will again, take care of it then. And make sure you drain before bed to prevent any nighttime accidents. The rule of thumb is this: Always think ahead of your stoma!
Pack A Kit – A good kit should contain at least one full replacement and all the wipes, creams, odor sprays as well as the clean-up & disposal supplies you need for a full change. This kit will stay on you if you’re traveling, and keep a stationary one in the office or at school just in case.
Patch it up – If a situation arises and you do not have a kit handy for a full replacement, you’ll need to patch up the leak the best you can. Find whatever you can (a napkin, paper towel, a band-aid, duct tape) that can be used to seal off the leak. It’s hardly a good fix, but it can buy you extra time to get to a bathroom or to a private place to take care of it.
Wear the Right Clothes – For active folks, if you’re moving a lot you could increase friction against the baseplate and/or pouch, in the least causing some skin irritation or at worst causing a leak to form through the adhesives. Wearing looser clothes can help alleviate this problem.
Eat Right – Know how nutrition affects your ostomy. All foods will digest differently, and this will affect how and when your pouches fill. For instance, drinking a lot of beer and eating a big meal before bed may not be the best idea – you may end up waking up to empty your pouch at least once or twice through the night!
Carry a Spray – For odors, get something strong enough to neutralize the odors instantly, not just mask them. Medi-Aire Odor Eliminator and Odor Assassin are both great options to eliminate odor.
Devrom Tablets – These tablets are called “Internal Deodorant”, which helps minimize odors of pouch contents. Great for odors.
Lastly, if you’re still having problems with leaks, blowouts, or odors, try changing your products. Everyone’s stoma is a little different, so finding the right products is key. Sometimes the Ostomy supplies you have may not be giving you the proper care.For instance, if you have a flush or retracted stoma (in relation to the skin surface), using a standard barrier may cause contents to leak under the barrier and weaken the adhesive. But a convex barrier with a little bend towards the middle could be enough to prevent this from happening. There are some situations where you would prefer to use a drainable pouch and some situations where a more discreet, disposable closed pouch is preferred.So, if you are not satisfied with your Ostomy appliances, do not be afraid to experiment with new products – you’ll soon discover what you’ve been missing out on!

Automotive Advertising Agencies Focus on Consumers Vs Auto Dealers to Sell Cars Because Google Does

admin — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:24:46 +0000

Consumers prefer to go to the Internet to shop for a vehicle to get information to make a buying decision without having to visit a dealership. Sometimes they turn to the World Wide Web vs. their local car row to avoid being pressured by a self serving car salesperson — real or imagined. Other times their objective may be to save gas and time before they jump into the real world where they may be pressured into making a premature buying decision based on emotion and limited information. Frankly, in many cases, they are right; can you say — spot delivery.Job one for search engines, like Google, is to provide relevant information to their online customers to help them narrow down their list of vehicles of interest and answer associated questions like trade-in value, payment options and the many items that must be addressed before they can select — the — vehicle vs. — a — vehicle. Once those issues are resolved, they need to help their online shoppers find an auto dealer that can provide a vehicle that best satisfies those terms and conditions; in that order — vehicle first and dealer second. My point is that when Google first directs their customers to the most relevant source for their desired information it is not necessarily limited to a particular dealership. Today’s car shoppers are much better educated than yesterday’s. They know what questions they need to ask before they can make a buying decision so their online search words are more able to target vehicles that warrant their consideration rather than limiting their search to their local car dealerships. For better or worse, auto dealers can’t put that horse back in the barn!The adversarial relationship between consumers and auto dealers that governed old world selling processes originated in the real world to help auto dealers control the shopping and negotiation process and they survived briefly on the virtual showrooms being built one on the Internet, but — today and tomorrow — not so much! Once auto dealer’s realized — or more correctly — once customers told auto dealers that they no longer controlled the access to the information that they needed to purchase a vehicle the dealers tried to control the information on the Internet; how is that working out for auto dealers!Automotive advertising agencies first assumed that S.E.O. and S.E.M. was a way to put Google on the auto dealer’s side of the Internet Super Highway. If they placed the right search words, meta tags, URL names — and the various manipulations of the Google search algorithms that automotive advertising agencies have memorized as fast as Google changes them — then they could manipulate the search results to place their auto dealer clients as the most relevant source for the information that customers were searching for and earn the auto dealers a position on the car shoppers short list. Given the vertical priority placed by Google to position a listing on page one based on relevancy to their customers search words or phrases, that technique certainly has value. However, since customers are prioritizing finding a vehicle before a dealer and/or to answer related questions before they open negotiations on a specific vehicle at a particular auto dealer, auto dealers that base their online marketing efforts to accomplish that priority are positioning themselves mid-sales cycle and they may be a day late and a dollar short for a large portion of today’s and tomorrow’s shoppers/buyers.Automotive advertising agencies have attempted to answer customer’s questions on their auto dealership’ websites in an attempt to earn them a top position on vehicle based searches. Their assumption is that the more information the better — as long as it is relevant — however, once at the auto dealer’s site the more accurate priority is “transparency!” More time on page, and more page visits used to be considered a good thing but today, once again — not so much! The easier and faster the online car shopper can find the specific information that they need to make a buying decision the better! Site designs are being simplified with more intuitive user interface and dedicated landing pages or linked micro sites to allow customers to limit the amount of “clicks” or wasted exposure to information that may be relevant to the dealer but not necessarily to the customer; at that time in their shopping cycle at least.Once the shopper actually ventures onto an online showroom the plan is to keep them there by providing direct or linked access to anything that they need to move themselves further down the sales/buying funnel. The dealer may see these information resources as a conversion tool or a lead generator but if they lose track of the truth — that the customer is still in charge — they risk losing them with the click of a mouse. Sorry, but throwing their trade-in keys onto the roof won’t work in your virtual showrooms!The solution is for auto dealers to listen and learn from their online customers before they presume to sell them anything! Human nature has survived on the World Wide Web and relationship based selling still has a strong influence on consumers. Today’s online shoppers are being directed by Google and the other search engines to social networking sites because the marketplace is a conversation and people are social animals. Auto dealers who want to attract customers with a message that they are the best source for information to serve the customer’s interest vs. their own are better served to have their customers make that case for them.Next generation inventory based search portals — like ronsmap.com — accept an auto dealer’s inventory for free with the ability to push their vehicles into social media using their vBack application to Ask-A-Friend or Tell-A-Friend about the vehicle — and the dealer –that they are considering within their social networking communities of online friends. Google has already admitted that they are prioritizing real time social media to establish relevancy, and automotive advertising agencies already know that more vehicles on a site provide more relevancy to more online car shoppers. As a result, they have found that the way to attract more online customers to find their auto dealership as the place to go to get all of their questions answered will be the message that is carried along with their individual vehicles listed on this communal consumer-centric site; which is what the customers are looking for to begin developing their shortlist of dealers to do business with!Customer friendly applications that distribute the information on an auto dealer’s individual website which have the secondary value of functioning as a conversion tool or lead generator are also key differentiators that quickly build branding value for an auto dealer’s virtual showroom and enhance their online reputation as the place to go to get customer’s questions answered vs. their being sold something. For example, GetAutoAppraise.Com is a next generation appraisal tool that provides credible third party trade-in values sourced through NADA with integrated inventory information that allows the customer to review the entire transaction more efficiently. Their trade-in appraisal form includes vehicle, price and payment information to and from both parties to the transaction in one easy transparent and customer friendly process.Video platforms, like SiSTeR Technologies Video CarLot, is another transparent Google friendly application that converts pictures on an auto dealer’s website into interactive videos with human voice that are also pushed out onto the World Wide Web through their dedicated API to You Tube and soon to be announced applications that push their vShock platform onto social networking communities like Face Book. Their proprietary video platform is fully index able for the search engines and it provides relevant information to the customer from within the video as well as direct links through their vShock application that opens a dedicated micro site with similar vehicles chosen from the dealer’s inventory using algorithms and business rules custom designed by the dealer to improve the customers vehicle selection. This process is another example of a customer friendly information delivery system that will improve transparency for the customer once they find an online dealership which will also extend the auto dealers S.E.O..The point is, the more information that an automotive advertising agency provides through their auto dealer client’s websites in the most relevant and transparent manner the better. However, auto dealers need to get online car shoppers to find and visit their virtual showrooms first, and since information is a key differentiator between them and their online competition — or according to Google and online shoppers, it should be – then the information alone won’t make it! Automotive advertising agencies must focus on consumers’ interests in order to best serve their auto dealer clients because Google does; and Google does it because their customers demand it!

School Debates – A Brief Overview of Current Educational Issues

admin — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 22:51:28 +0000

Whilst all societies recognize the value of and implement systemic education of their population as children between the approximate ages of 5 and 15 for primary and secondary education, and into the early twenties for tertiary education, contemporary debate is in constant ferment as to what the format and content of a proper school curriculum should be. No one disputes that it is advantageous for both the individual and for society that people should enter into early adulthood literate, numerate and with a variety of social skills such as the early school environment enables, but beyond that there is infinite scope for disagreement as people debate education issues and argue as to the proper scope and manner of teaching in our schools.The School Uniform DebateTake for example the school debate as to whether it is appropriate to dictate the clothing which shall be worn by a child attending school, which some regard as dictatorial, but which others see as being merely ancillary to the proper imposition of identity, discipline and some level of regulation.Pros and Cons of Prayer in SchoolThen there is the issue of the place of religion in schools, a current education controversy of some significance. Moves towards multiculturalism for many Western countries have proved to be an exercise in recognizing and accommodating the religious practices of immigrants, at the expense of denying their own. Religion is certainly a personal choice but there can be little education debate that religion is an integral part of any culture such that a general knowledge of the major religions is part of the work of providing a complete education.Evolution vs Creationism in SchoolsSimilarly, some people observe a conflict as between religious belief in creationism and the teaching of evolution according to Darwin such that they are of the view that the theory of evolution should not be taught in schools. This type of school education issue is the equivalent of burning books, and is anathema to the true purpose of education, which indisputably is to inform rather than to indoctrinate.The Homework DebateOther school debate topics include the subject of homework, its value and purpose. Certainly, no child should be given so much academic work to complete after school that they are unable to participate fully in sporting or social events, but some private research with information as to sources of reference or practice of what has been taught during the day encourages independent inquiry and reinforces the content of the lessons of the day.Sex Education IssuesCurrent education issues include the area of sexuality and what if any sex education should be given by schools, and to what extent gender bias exists in or is fostered by schools. Again, like religion, sex, gender and sexuality are part of social norms and culture. School debate and education needs to be able to address these issues for age ready children in the context of teaching them about a natural part of life, in much the same way as general life skills such as managing your money are now often included as part of a formal education.

Free Gambling Strategies – Professional Guide

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:06:09 +0000

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But This Site has helped change this, because they’ve gathered all of their knowledge from the “masters” and combined it all into one amazing free source. There have also added their personal experience, and have added their tips and comments – that they have successfully used on the casinos reviewed for years! They also state that:

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They also Review all the top Online Casino’s about today, by describing their software, games available (e.g. Poker, blackjack, slots etc), bonuses (When signup to casino – example being $400 signup bonus), and give ratings out of 10 for the whole overall performance and experience.

The Gambling strategies covered are: Poker Strategies, Blackjack Strategies, Slot Machine Strategies, Keno Strategies, Craps Strategies, Roulette Strategies, Baccarat Strategies, Caribbean Stud Poker Strategies & Video Poker Strategies. These each have individual pages, each Strategy page is easy to follow and contains examples of strategies and ways to keep track and maximise earnings plus rules, odds of the game, and links to the top Online Casinos and Free casinos.

Management By Objectives – A New Way Of Management

admin — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:01:02 +0000

In 1965, George S. Odiorne completed a textbook titled, Management by Objective. The fact that the term “Management by Objective” has now become common nomenclature to company executives around the country attests to the success of Odiorne’s literary efforts.Management by Objectives (MBO) is a practical application of the reasoning behind the notion of goal-setting theory. MBO is a process in which employees participate with management in the setting of goals or objectives. An essential feature of an MBO program is that it involves a one-on-one negotiation session between a supervisor and subordinate in order to set concrete, objective goals for the employee’s performance. During the session a deadline is set for the measurement of accomplishment, and the paths to the desired goals and the removal of possible obstacles are discussed. After an established period of time has elapsed (typically six months or year), the supervisor and subordinate meet again to review the subordinate’s performance using the agreed-upon goals as a measuring stick.Odiorne’s concept of management by objective is based on an underlying premise that any system of management is better than no system at all. A secondary premise states that to be workable, any management system must bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical.Research at such organizations as Black and Decker, Wells Fargo, and General Electric has shown that, on the whole, MBO programs can succeed. Because MBO relies on the established principles of goal setting, it has great potential for improving performance. Real-world constrain however, can sometimes reduce the positive impact of a goal-setting system.The notion that management activity should be directed towards the accomplishment of pre-established goals has considerable intuitive appeal. None of the conditions are at variance with acceptable manager conduct from either a social, legal, or common sense standpoint.Odiorne’s concept of management by objective is based on an underlying premise that any system of management is better than no system at all. A secondary premise states that to be workable, any management system must bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical. A third important premise establishes that the appraisal of managerial performance is not an activity autonomous from other activities of the firm. In other words, it regards the appraisal process as only one of several sub-systems operating within the confines of a goal-oriented management system.Before proceeding into a discussion of the basic elements of the management-by-objective system several “statements of condition” seem warranted. Each of the following statements relates to the environmental conditions with which managers are confronted and establishes the setting for later determining the practical relevance of the management-by-objective system:A. Because the economic environment within which business firms operate has changed so drastically in recent years, a whole new set of requirements has been placed on companies and their managers.B. The preliminary step in the management-by-objective system dictates that managers identify, in some manner, organizational goals designed to meet the new requirements noted in A, above.C. Immediately following the identification of company goals, management must have available to it an orderly procedure for distributing or allocating responsibilities which are directed toward achieving those goals.D. In the practical world of business management, managerial behavior must become predominant over managerial personality. Furthermore, in the final analysis, results of the behavior (measured against established goals) become the basic criteria for good performance evaluation.E. Total management staff participation in goal-setting and decision-making is recognized for its social and political value even though its impact on production levels may be negligible.F. There exist no one best system of management. Moreover, since managerial activity is dependent, to a large degree, on each manager’s view of specific goals and the total economic system, his actions must be discriminatory.In its briefest form, Odiorne’s decision making system of management by objective contains the following basic elements: (1) Establish an objective before you begin; (2) Collect and organize all of the pertinent facts; (3) Identify the problem and its causes; (4) Work out a solution and some options; (5) Screen options through some decision criteria; (6) Establish some security actions to enhance the probable success of the solution; (7) Gain acceptance of the decision; (8) Implement the decision; and (9) Measure the results. Each of the nine elements shall now be considered in more detail.A positive feature of an MBO system lies in its emphasis on establishing specific measurable goals. In fact, a goal is un-acceptable or inadmissible in an MBO system unless in is measurable You may think that this is impossible for all goals, especially those for those of top-level executives. Although it is difficult to set measurable goals at the higher levels of an organization, it is nonetheless possible. For example, one such quantifiable goal might be that an institutional will be ranked in the top ten by an annual polling of executives in the same industry. 0r the head coach of a college football team may set a goal of making the top 20 in the Associated Press’s coaches’ poll within the next five years. Some more typical goals would be to increase market share from 45 to 55 percent by the end of the next fiscal year, to increase annual production by 10 percent, or to increase profits after taxes by 3 percent. Some goals can be measured in simple yes or no fashion. For example, the goal of establishing a training program for sales personnel or completing a feasibility study by a certain date can he judged in a simple success or failure fashion when the deadline arises. Either such a project has been completed or it has not.Advocates of MBO believe that everyone in an organization could and should be involved in goal setting This includes all personnel, from the chief executive officer (who may set goals in consultation with the board of directors) to the newest member of the clean-up crew. In practice, however, middle level managers and first line supervisors are more commonly involved in such goal-setting systems.Proponents of MBO systems also believe that supervisors must play a special role in the goal-setting process. Supervisors should view themselves as coaches or counselors whose role is to aid their subordinates in goal attainment. This role of coach/counselor extends beyond merely helping to identify and remove obstacles to goal attainment (for example, using personal influence to expedite shipments from another department). It also implies that supervisor will serve as a mentor-someone to whom subordinates can go with their work-related problems and assume that they will be treated with respect and support.One major obstacle to the success of an MBO program can be lack of support from top-level executives. If key people in the organization, especially the president and vice presidents, do not fully endorse MBO, their lack of support will likely he felt and responded to at lower levels. The net effect will be a decided lack of enthusiasm for the program.Problems may also arise if managers are not interested in having subordinate to participate in the goal-setting process. Some managers prefer to retain an evaluative and superior posture and are uncomfortable with the notion of being a coach or counselor to their subordinates.Personality conflicts between superiors and subordinates are another potential problem for goal-setting systems, as is competitiveness. A superior who feels threatened by talented subordinates may do little to help them be more successful and, consequently, more visible, In addition, subordinates may hesitate to set challenging goals for fear of failure and its consequences.MBO systems also tend to emphasize the quantifiable aspects of performance while ignoring the more qualitative aspects. This is an understandable tendency, since participants in MBO systems are encouraged to focus on such dimensions of performance.Qualitative aspects of performance, which are often more difficult to identify and measure, are likely to be overlooked or de-emphasized. For example, how can the quality of service that an organization provides or an organization’s image in the local community be defined and measured? Because the success of an MBO system rests heavily on the quality of the relationship between supervisor and subordinates, the degree of trust and supportiveness that exists in a work unit is a central concern.For an MBO system to be highly successful, these elements are critical prerequisites, The absence of trust and supportiveness severely restricts the system’s effectiveness. Despite these many potential obstacles, the track record of MB0 has been fairly good, In a recent review of the research literature devoted to MBO, Robert Rodgers and John E. Hunter examined 70 reports that included quantitative evaluations of MBO programs. Their findings showed productive gains in 65 of 70 evaluation studies. The average productivity increase was 47 percent, while cost data showed an average savings of 26 percent. Employee attendance was also shown to improve by 24 percent. Follow-up surveys of the level of top-management support for the programs revealed that productivity increased by 57 percent when top-management commitment was high, 33 percent when commitment was average, and only 6 percent when commitment was low.MBO has passed through several phases since its introduction in the l95Os. Initially, MBO was greeted with much enthusiasm by managers and management scholars, During the late 1960s and early 1970s, MBO appeared, so be “sweeping the nation.” Presently, MBO is viewed more objectively by scholars and practitioners as a tool that can be most effective under specific favorable conditions. It is now becoming passé even to invoke the initials MBO. In fact, the principles and philosophies of MBO have become so emotion-laden in the minds of managers than an organization will often introduce an MBO system under a different label. For example, an organization may establish a program called START (an acronym for Set Targets and Review Them) or GAP (Goal Acceptance Program). The mechanics of such programs are likely to borrow heavily, if not totally, from the MBO approach. In short, the trend is toward putting old wine into new bottles, with recognition that mutual goal setting is not a panacea for all organizational problems under all possible circumstances.This theory is helping in several ways.

Its capability for multiple management levels to set, assign, approve, comment, modify, deny or just view MBO metrics and scores.
Its collaboration of performance metric settings between employees and managers.
Its visibility of MBO status progressing through workflow steps.
It configurable workflows to conform to internal business rules and processes.
It automatically estimates bonus payouts based on objective scores.
It is a simplified process to approve scores and manage updates.

B2B Content Marketing – It Takes A Village

admin — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:59:30 +0000

This year Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs published their 7th B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends – North America study. While there are many studies that are published every year, this is one that I truly analyze and review as it is full of insights and shows a very clear picture of where B2B marketers are on their path to maturity.The study was a bit different this year with some new questions and sections, but overall, comparing this year to previous studies provides insight into how B2B marketing organizations are succeeding and in many cases, continuing to be challenged with the discipline of content marketing.It Takes a Village-It was surprising to me to see that 55% of organizations have small teams (some only one person) that are responsible for serving the entire organization with content. Less than 40% of those surveyed said they have a dedicated organization and/or people throughout the organization.Good content that engages buyers and aligns to the buyers purchase process is not easy to create. It takes time to understand your buyer, their pain points and challenges and their buyers journey. According to CEB, in a typical B2B buying cycle there are on average 6.8 people involved in the buyers committee all of whom want specific content that is relevant to their role.With this being the case, how is it expected that only a handful or only one person will be able to create compelling content? In order for content to be done properly and produce value, there must be a team dedicated to it.Measurement Must Be a Priority-When asked, “Is it clear what an effective or successful content marketing program looks like?” only 41% responded yes. The other with 59% responded with an unsure or a no. While this may be while only 28% are mature or sophisticated, the need for measurement has never been more apparent.According to the study the following are true:

29% of a B2B marketing budget is spent on content marketing

39% of organizations will increase their content marketing spend

45% will spend the same amount next year as they did this year

That is quite an investment to make without an understanding of the results. While producing relevant and engaging content is crucial, it is just as, if not more important to know the impact these investments are making on an organization.The Metrics Do Not Align to Goals-Respondents to the study listed lead generation as the number one goal for their marketing efforts. Yet when asked “Which metrics does your organization use to determine how well its content marketing is producing results?” only 57% stated they were measuring sales lead quality.If the goal of content is to generate demand, simply measuring web traffic (78% do as the leading metric) will not give any indication on success or failure. If B2B marketers are going to improve on measuring value, they must measure that which aligns to their goals.

How would you characterize the success of your organizations current overall content marketing approach? 22% stating very or extremely successful and 53% stating moderately successful (I am not sure the goal of organizations is to be marginal)

How does the success of your organizations current overall content marketing approach compare with one year ago? 62% saying either somewhat more or much more successful

There is Improvement, But Still a Long Way To GoWhile 72% of organizations reported more effectiveness with their content (with web visits are the leading metric this is questionable), the telling statistics that tell the true story of how organizations are faring with content marketing were the following:

Only 37% of B2B organizations have a documented content strategy (sorry but if you say you have one but it is documented, YOU DO NOT HAVE A STRATEGY!!)

Only 22% say their organizations approach to content marketing is very or extremely successful

Only 28% of respondents stated their organizations are either sophisticated or mature with content marketing

Only 34% state their organizations are extremely or very effective at meeting their content marketing goals

With all of the attention given, money invested and time spent on content, one would think we would be much further along. What is more perplexing with these low numbers is that 63% of respondents stated that their organizations were either extremely or very committed to content marketing.I believe it is time (I have said this many times before) for marketing leaders to truly take a look at this commitment to content and rather than invest in more content production, invest in understanding buyers at a deeper level so that their content can be better informed. Simultaneously, invest in better enabling and equipping content marketers with the needed skills so they can perform their roles at the highest levels.Content marketing is not going anywhere anytime soon and is necessary to engage, nurture and convert buyers and build customer relationships, but year over year the numbers either stay flat or decline indicating we have a problem. Hopefully 2017 (I said this about 2016) is the year marketing leaders take the time to address it.