Selling information management

SELLING INFORMATION
MANAGEMENTARMA, December 14, 2011
@thomkearney
24/07/2013 Rowanwood - ARMA: Bridging the Gap 1

Outline
 Introductions
 Opportunity definition
 Communication concepts
 Some strategy
 How do you sell IM?
 Summary & Wrap up
Rowanwood - ARMA: Bridging the Gap24/07/2013 2

INTRODUCTIONS

Short History
1980’s Advertising, Teaching & Learning
1990’s Clue train manifesto, Web 1.0
2000’s Change consulting, PS EX2
2010’s Gov 2.0, Everything is miscellaneous
DAL MIM

Social network

What shape are you?

What seems to be the problem?

OPPORTUNITY BRAINSTORM
What value do you offer?
What behavior do you want?

Communication is the bridge

COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS

What I learned from advertising
1. Know your product
 Features and benefits
 Competitive landscape
2. Know your audience
 Understand their needs and wants
 Why should they care? (WIFM)
3. Shape your message
 Something they care about
 At the right moment
 Appropriate level of detail

Communication Types
Interpersonal
 Small groups, non
verbal important
 Telephone, video
Non Personal
 Written: doc, deck,
email, posters
 Rich media
 Video, web, etc

Communicatio
n
is difficult.

Communication Model
Rowanwood - ARMA: Bridging the Gap
feedback
receiversender
encode
Decide what
to say and
how to say it.
transmit
Select and use
a particular
vehicle or
vehicles for
the message.
Perceptual
barrier
24/07/2013 14

Model - Sending
 The effectiveness of the message (encode),
depends on how well it relates to receiver's interests.
 The effectiveness of the vehicle used, (transmit)
depends upon its ability to reach the receiver.
sender
encode transmit
Some people say that
communication is 10% words,
30% sound and 60% body.

Model - Receiving
We must first be physically
exposed to the message
If it relates to what we care
about, we may perceive it
If its important to us we may
remember it and act on it
receiver
Message
Ethos - Credibility
Pathos - Emotion
Logos - Logic
Hear
Interpret
Evaluate
Perceptual
barrier

Model - Receiving
Hear:
 Perception, must physically sense the message - language,
environment, personal state, and competitive messages all
play a role.
Interpret:
 We apply meaning to the words and images based on our
beliefs, experience, knowledge of sender, etc.
Evaluate:
 Based on interpretation we determine veracity and
response – (think-feel-do).

Listening Is more
important than
speaking
• We have two ears and only
one mouth for a reason.
• To listen effectively we must
seek first to understand -
then be understood.

Listening Pointers
 Care enough to work at it
Fight distractions
Ask questions and paraphrase
Don't interrupt - let the other person talk
 Use your extra brain
Reflect on what they “might” mean. Find the interest to you.
 Withhold judgment
Diagnose before you prescribe. Stifle anger and emotional responses.
 React to the message - not the messenger
Deal with issues not personalities.
Listen for the main ideas - substance not style
 Empathize
"listen to what I mean, not what I say"

Listening - Killer Phrases
Sometimes you need to think twice before saying nothing.
Killer phrases create potential conflict where one was not necessary.
Yes but......However......On the other hand.......
All these negate whatever you said previously........replace with a pause.
Replace “You" with "I"
"you do this, and its a problem" versus “I feel this way when you do that”.
— it is not the person, but the behaviour that bugs you.
Accept ownership for problems - its not theirs its yours.
(reduces conflict by 80%)
People will like talking to you and they won't even know why!

SOME STRATEGY

Change within a group
Diffusion of Innovation Model:
The reference pattern of how a group adopts change. Innovation includes any thought,
behaviour, or thing that is new because it is qualitatively different from existing forms.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Innovators
3%
Early Adopters
14%
Early Majority
34%
Late Majority
34%
Laggards
15%
Time
Most people will resist change
Communication

Change within individuals
Unaware
Awareness
Interest
Desire
Action
Adoption
There’s nothing
wrong with the
way I do it now.
Others say this
is a good thing.
I’m interested
in learning
more about it.
Something is
going on.
Should I
bother?
I should
probably do
this thing.
Ok let’s try it
out.
How do I do
this?
This is a good
thing, the
benefits are
real and I am
rewarded for
my new
behaviour.
Communication Goal:
To help your audience move along the adoption process
Most individuals will go through these
steps on the way to adopting a change.

Communications Strategy
Different approaches for different steps
Unaware
Awareness
Interest
Desire
Action
Adoption
Guidance
Actual instructions
or guidelines on how
to make the change.
Access to detailed
information and
policies.
Education
More detailed
information
and
examples, (proof).
Personal contact
may be required.
Awareness
Broad based,
lots of benefits and
directional pointers.
Listen and Learn

Put the user at the centre

Engage in
vigorous
discussion

Have fun

HOW DO YOU SELL IM?

REVIEW & WRAP UP

Communication Model
Summary
Think about the message from the receiver's point of view.
Deliver it in a way that will get through the barriers.
Listen to feedback and respond.

Principles of communication
 The messages that have impact appeal to
things that are important to people.
 Beliefs and opinions can be strong and
WILL affect interpretation.
 Communication is cumulative and comes
in many forms.
 Communication is two way.

Stay curious

THANK YOU
@thomkearney thom.kearney@rowanwood.ca 613.292.8183

The Capo D’astro Bar
Looking For The Capo D'Astro Bar, Author Unknown
Back in the sixties, I was hired by an ad agency to write copy on the Aeolian Piano Company account. My first assignment was for an ad to be placed in The New York Times
for one of their grand pianos. The only background information I received was some previous ads and a few faded close-up shots...and of course the due date. The account
executive was slightly put out by my request for additional information and his response to my suggestions that I sit down with the client was “Are you one of those? Can’t
you just create something. We’re up against a closing date!”.
I acknowledged his perception that I was one of those, which got us an immediate audience with the head of the agency. I volunteered I couldn’t even play a piano let alone
write about why anyone would spend $5,000 for this piano when they could purchase a Baldwin or Steinway for the same amount. Both allowed the fact that they would
resign the Aeolian business for either of the others, however, while waiting for that call, suppose we make our deadline. I persisted and reluctantly, a tour of the Aeolian
factory was arranged. I was assured that “we don’t do this with all our clients” and my knowledge as to the value of company time was greatly reinforced.
The tour of the plant lasted two days and although the care and construction appeared meticulous, $5,000 still seemed to be a lot of money. Just before leaving, I was escorted
into the showroom by the National Sales Manager. In an elegant setting sat their piano alongside the comparably priced Steinway and Baldwin.
“They sure do look alike.” I commented
“They sure do.
About the only real difference is the shipping weight - ours is heavier.”
“Heavier?” I asked. “What makes our heavier?”
“The Capo D’Astro bar.”
“What’s a Capo D’Astro bar?”
“Here, I’ll show you. Get down on your knees.”
Once under the piano he pointed to a metallic bar fixed across the harp and bearing down on the highest octaves. “It takes fifty years before the harp in the piano warps.
That’s when the Capo D’Astro bar goes to work. It prevents the warping.”
I left the National Sales Manager under his piano and dove under the Baldwin to find a tinkertoy Capo D’Astro bar at best. Same with the Steinway. “you mean the Capo
D’Astro bar really doesn’t go to work for 50 years?” I asked.
“Well, there’s got to be some reason why the Met uses it.” he casually added.
I froze. “Are you telling me that the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City uses this piano?”
“Sure. And their Capo D’Astro bar should be working by now.”
At the Metropolitan Opera House I met the person in charge of moving them to the Lincoln Center and was told “About the only thing the Met is taking with them is their
piano.”
That quote was the headline for our first ad.
The result created a six year wait between order and delivery.
No matter what the account, I promise you, the Capo D’Astro bar is there.

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