Profitable Collaboration:
Smart Communication
with Great Results
Sean Graham
Sales Director
Katie Laird
PR Manager
Unexpected collaborators
Welcome to the Blinds.complex!
o The power of Culture
o Tips, tricks + tools
o Success stories
We play well together here.
Power of
Company
Culture
Frank Blake says:
AWESOME
Core Values
Experiment without
fear of failure.
o Failure is NOT a bad word
o Empower people to
innovate
o “Test” tubes
o ‘Open Idea’ policy
The importance of place
o Chance encounters
o Group work space
o Meeting room variety
o Beautiful, fun, smart
Intrapreneurship
o Group support
o Public accountability
o Hire from within
o Share results publicly
Invest in your ideas
Collaboration
Tips, Tricks
+ Tools
How easy are you making it?
o Make it habit, make it a no brainer
o Dedicated ‘Idea Email’ account
o VIDEO!!
o Senior leadership driven
Ease of use changes behavior.
WOWeachother!
It’s all in the
communication mix…
o Passive communication
o Collaboration tools
o ‘Special guests’ in team meetings
o Walkabouts
o Remote working stations
Transparency matters
o Where is your Roadmap?
o Start a SayJay (or ‘HeyKay’)
o Align company +
employee goals compensation
o Culture of celebration
Collaborative
Team Success
Stories
The art of listening
• CEO letters
• Ratings + reviews
• Website surveys
• Social Media buzz
• Online brand monitoring
• “How did you hear about us?”
Success
tip:
Social Media + Sales
o Smart content marketing + sales = BFFs!
o Track EVERYTHING:
o Video interactions
o Social conversions
o Last referred domain
o Love thy Social Media Marketer
2013 Social Sales YOY
Up 40% +
A typical Social Sale story
Meet Joshua!
Social Media + Service
o Pro-active searching for challenges
o Product training for PR team
o Online PR training for Contact Center
o Set ‘rules of engagement’ for networks
2013 Twitter @ replies
2500 +
Social Service stories
Meet Steven!
TIMING!
- Same biz day from PR
- 2 hour response from CC
Ask for public update when
things are made right.
The ultimate collaboration
The CUSTOMER!
Speed + power matters
VS.
Empower your people to
make decisions and ACT!
How fast can you turn
on a dime?
5 questions to ask your team
1. WIIFTC?
What’s in it for the customer?
2. Does this align with our Roadmap?
Just a cool idea or totally on point strategically?
3. What is the impact?
Will it move the needle in your business?
4. Who has the skills?
Be open minded + look across teams and departments.
5. How does success look?
What metrics will you use to measure ROI?
Final Thoughts
o Improve continuously
o Communication mix +
tool experimentation
o How fast is your boat?
o HAVE FUN!!!
Thanks!
Katie Laird – PR + Marketing
katiel@Blinds.com
@happykatie
Sean Graham – Sales + WOW
seang@Blinds.com

Collaborate baby! Smart Collaboration and Communication Matters (from Frost and Sullivan CCC 2014)

  • 1.
    Profitable Collaboration: Smart Communication withGreat Results Sean Graham Sales Director Katie Laird PR Manager
  • 2.
  • 3.
    Welcome to theBlinds.complex! o The power of Culture o Tips, tricks + tools o Success stories We play well together here.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
    Experiment without fear offailure. o Failure is NOT a bad word o Empower people to innovate o “Test” tubes o ‘Open Idea’ policy
  • 7.
    The importance ofplace o Chance encounters o Group work space o Meeting room variety o Beautiful, fun, smart
  • 8.
    Intrapreneurship o Group support oPublic accountability o Hire from within o Share results publicly
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
    How easy areyou making it? o Make it habit, make it a no brainer o Dedicated ‘Idea Email’ account o VIDEO!! o Senior leadership driven Ease of use changes behavior.
  • 12.
  • 13.
    It’s all inthe communication mix… o Passive communication o Collaboration tools o ‘Special guests’ in team meetings o Walkabouts o Remote working stations
  • 14.
    Transparency matters o Whereis your Roadmap? o Start a SayJay (or ‘HeyKay’) o Align company + employee goals compensation o Culture of celebration
  • 15.
  • 16.
    The art oflistening • CEO letters • Ratings + reviews • Website surveys • Social Media buzz • Online brand monitoring • “How did you hear about us?” Success tip:
  • 17.
    Social Media +Sales o Smart content marketing + sales = BFFs! o Track EVERYTHING: o Video interactions o Social conversions o Last referred domain o Love thy Social Media Marketer 2013 Social Sales YOY Up 40% +
  • 18.
    A typical SocialSale story Meet Joshua!
  • 19.
    Social Media +Service o Pro-active searching for challenges o Product training for PR team o Online PR training for Contact Center o Set ‘rules of engagement’ for networks 2013 Twitter @ replies 2500 +
  • 20.
    Social Service stories MeetSteven! TIMING! - Same biz day from PR - 2 hour response from CC Ask for public update when things are made right.
  • 21.
  • 22.
    Speed + powermatters VS. Empower your people to make decisions and ACT! How fast can you turn on a dime?
  • 23.
    5 questions toask your team 1. WIIFTC? What’s in it for the customer? 2. Does this align with our Roadmap? Just a cool idea or totally on point strategically? 3. What is the impact? Will it move the needle in your business? 4. Who has the skills? Be open minded + look across teams and departments. 5. How does success look? What metrics will you use to measure ROI?
  • 24.
    Final Thoughts o Improvecontinuously o Communication mix + tool experimentation o How fast is your boat? o HAVE FUN!!!
  • 25.
    Thanks! Katie Laird –PR + Marketing katiel@Blinds.com @happykatie Sean Graham – Sales + WOW seang@Blinds.com