On Friday, December 3rd, our the entire Incept family gathered to spend time with one another and celebrate another year gone by at our annual Holiday Party.
Photos were taken, toasts were made, speeches were given, and music was played. Then during dinner everyone’s attention was directed to the front of the hall where our Vice President of New Client Results and trustee on the board for of our Incept Gives Charitable Foundation Employee Fund, Billie Johnson, began to speak.
As Billie recapped just how grateful we were to be given the chance to make an impact in the lives of others -thanks to the hard work of our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) – the rest of the board passed out an envelope personally addressed to each of the members of our staff. Inside was a personally signed card from all of the members of the board, as well as a gift certificate that would allow all of our employees to pick up some groceries without having to worry about the cost.
A sense of excitement and thankfulness filled the hall. Then came the second announcement: everyone was invited to help spread the love even further by making Christmas a reality for children less fortunate than ourselves. That Sunday a group of Incept staff and family members descended on a nearby Wal-Mart to play Santa’s little helpers. They each took a piece of paper with a child’s name, age, clothing sizes and wish list on it.
I had the opportunity to shop for a little, 7-year-old boy named Austin. To say that I was excited when I saw he wanted Nerf guns, Tech Deck skateboards and art supplies would be an understatement! Over the next hour or so I scurried about Wal-Mart, capturing as much of the magic on film as I could. I was touched so deeply by the pure joy on the faces of our employees while they shopped for these kids that I couldn’t stop smiling for almost two days.
In all, we purchased gifts for 38 children who would have had nothing to open for Christmas without the kindness and compassion shown by our team members. I’m proud to say that we shocked the employees of the McDonald’s store (where we picked up all the names), when we showed up with a carload of presents for them to send back to the Salvation Army.
I’m more proud to say that I now have a bond with Austin, even though I never have and never will meet him. I became a part of that young man’s Christmas holiday. On Christmas morning, he will be opening wrapped presents containing a Nerf gun with extra darts, more Tech Decks than I would know what to do with and a nice 86-piece art kit. And it’s all because of the compassion that we believe in showing to others.
On a side note, just typing this blog post for you to read has brought a smile to my face again! Austin, I hope you enjoy your gifts little buddy!
Taking the advice of my superiors has always been something etched into the very fabric of my being.
When I was able to shift up from a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) to a Conversational Quality Coach, the need to pay careful attention to said advice grew exponentially. Creating an entire Online Conversational Results division has been a very rewarding challenge, as we continue to meet and chisel out different approaches and methods of our continued success. Now, as Dave said in his ‘How You Can Get Better‘ series, it’s time for our team to set the bar once again through improvements to our current processes.
Nate Riggs was the one who originally told me that “you don’t need to work harder, just work smarter.” There might not be an easy way to do something, but there is more often than not an easier way of doing something. For example, when producing the videos for Incept – be it a Highest Performer video, CME Spotlight, spontaneous video or highly produced project – the backbone of any video is the footage itself. Music beds and title slides are great for extra production enhancement, but, for content engineering, more video is better. People will not remember the music you had in the background as much as they will the message that was being delivered. Remember that. It will save you time without having to cut corners on what matters the most within video production.
This also holds true when it comes to our case study listening reports. As we avidly work toward documenting different analytics from tweetstats, Klout and Tap11 – to display how an organization uses their social networks and ways they could use them more effectively – we continue to sharpen our skills on applying the same concepts. Knowing what days have the most engagement, what content drives the most engagement and when to balance the delivery of that content will be able to save us the time of doing “everything,” instead allowing us to focus on delivering the best material at the best time. Essentially, we are going to be able to maintain the same steady increase in our active fan base, engagement, likes and content sharing while doing less work by weeding out the content that truly doesn’t drive a response and enhancing the content that does.
Many of our CMEs on the contact center floor are very eager to see what it is like on the inside of the “new marketing division” of Incept, where the reins of the company’s social media presence are held. So, by allowing them to become a part of our company and the presence our organization maintains in the online world, they not only help us continue to deliver new content but also embody “who we are.”
We always had our logo as the profile picture on our page, until two CMEs suggested we let other CMEs pose in front of the logo and have a new one each week. Now, we have the same logo, but it’s also tagged on that CME’s page so that their family and friends can now engage with them (and us). This is just another way we highlight the individuals that create content for Incept.
Also, many of our CMEs enjoy writing. So much so, that they have been volunteering to share stories and write their perspective of what it’s like being a blood donor recruiter. Jeff Wein has written a blog post for us on his experience as a CME in blood donor recruiting – even during 
code calling – that has given him the opportunity to become a contributor on our blog, have his picture taken and share his contribution with his family and friends. We can now use the time it would have taken to establish a guest post on any given day and utilize it in another area of content creation and management.
The thing about “working smarter, not harder” is that you will initially want to work harder at working smarter. This can become a rather confusing situation! However, continuously looking for ways to improve, listening carefully to the advice given, taking constructive criticism sincerely and engaging others in the work your doing has the ability to create a system of fluid content management.
So how do you plan on working smarter, not harder?
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
In “The Growth of a CME,” Brian Dodson’s post on Incept’s blog, he reviewed what he has learned since becoming a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) at Incept. Along the same vein, I’m going to summarize my own experience since coming to Incept, specifically my growth as an iCME (Internet Conversational Marketing Expert).
Here’s what I’ve learned in the past three months as an iCME:
- Incept values what we bring to the table. Whatever skill or ambition an iCME has, the staff at Incept wants to put it to use. The iCMEs are encouraged to come up with their own ideas instead of just waiting for orders. All of us are new to this type of work, but our ideas are taken seriously!
- The Internet is the ultimate tool for communication. Online, you can communicate in any way, shape or form. You can post status updates, blog posts, pictures and videos. You can chat with your roommate or someone on the opposite end of the Earth. Your voice is heard.
- People get paid to play with social media! Before I joined the department I didn’t realize what a big business social media is. I knew that the creator of Facebook was waist-deep in profit (as illustrated in the movie “The Social Network“) but had no clue there was such a thing as a social media consultant, like our own Nate Riggs. I also hadn’t put a lot of thought into how businesses can use social media to promote themselves. Many businesses communicate with their customers via Twitter, Facebook and blogs, and Incept is now in the game.
- Your reputation is just as important online as it is offline. Nowadays, there is no difference between yourself and your online identity. When I’m representing Incept as an iCME, I have to not only promote the company but also protect its reputation. Whatever I do on the internet, I do with my company’s well-being in mind.
- Goals need to be quantified. I’ve noticed this about my personal goals, as well as my goals at work. When my goal as an iCME is to post a minimum of five tweets per day on Twitter, I’m far more likely to do that amount than if I tell myself to tweet when I can. Having a specific goal helps me do my best work as an Internet Conversational Marketing Expert.
- Editing film is fun! Although I don’t necessarily enjoy the actual filming, I do love piecing together the final product (and adding nifty text effects and soundtracks). The social media department at Incept films video interviews of our highest performing CMEs every week!
- Identify what’s expected, then do 10% more. Tim Johnson touched on this in his post on Incept’s blog, Are You Waiting or Creating Your Opportunities. When I was in school, I always did extra credit when my teacher offered it. It’s important to do the same thing at work, to the best of your ability.
- Take risks. Calculated risks, of course, but risks nonetheless. It may seem like common sense but every life coach and mentor will say the same thing: you won’t accomplish anything unless you risk failing. It’s cliche but true that if you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t trying hard enough. Be willing to make mistakes and have the guts to bounce back!
I look forward to the days when I get to do social media work at Incept. What do you enjoy about your job?
Ain't nothing like a Fall ride.
It was a beautiful fall day. I couldn’t have asked for more.
My motorcycle was fresh out of the shop and the sun’s rays melted upon the Earth. Even the faint scent of freshly applied road tar beckoned for me to do nothing but ride. Indulging in this moment of bonding between a man and his machine, I threw on my helmet and navigated towards my favorite rustic, rural county driving roads.
A mid-October temperature of about seventy degrees, combined with the picturesque reds, yellows and oranges of leaves abandoning their trees can make for a beautiful, mind-clearing motorcycle ride. Like a noble, steel steed, my old 1981 Suzuki café racer roared down the twisting back roads and howled down country straightaways. Gliding swiftly over the pavement below, I found myself in a place of zen and retreated into the recesses of my thoughts, contemplating my journey thus far as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) with Incept.
Being a CME doesn’t just mean recruiting blood donors or helping clients find solutions. It’s literally a title reserved for those who just “get” people and embrace all sides of being conversational.
As I continued to thunder along on my day trip, three things about my job at Incept stuck out in my mind:
- My conversation skills have increased. Naturally, talking to hundreds of people a week can have that effect, but conversation goes way beyond talking. My listening skills have improved tenfold, something for which I am deeply grateful. For me, it is easy to talk about myself, but it has always been a struggle listening to others. That is something I am challenged to work on each day, putting my own advice into practice when listening to the needs of a blood donor. This is also something I’ve learned to embrace in my personal life among my family and friends. Sharpening my conversation skills is an indefinite, ongoing process.
- I am proud of the results of my work. When it is time to leave Incept for the day, I am generally proud of what I have accomplished. I feel my superiors strive to give me the tools to succeed, and I feel like there is a purpose in what I do. Finding real purpose in an occupation is something that many people have a hard time doing. I am lucky because at Incept I feel my purpose fulfilled every day after I schedule a blood donor to donate. It is not a feeling of exasperation or relief when the day is over, but rather a sense of pride in that I actually affect the world positively.
- Incept is a Family. Growing as a human being is a lifelong process. Of course, when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly it does not happen in a day. The same can be said about growing as a CME. I can’t help that I am infatuated with people and glad to have found an company that supports that aspect of my personality. I no longer see myself as just another pawn of a corporation, but legitimately bettering who I am as a human with responsibility, camaraderie and purpose. I have grown very close with many of my coworkers and can honestly say I have legitimate respect for my bosses on both a professional and personal level. Coming to work is definitely awesome when I have a room full of friends greeting me at the start of every shift.
PUTT-PUTT-PUTT!
As my motorcycle proceeded to let me know it needed gas, I pulled into the near by service station. As I took off my helmet, I couldn’t help but smile. I felt inside that I finally had found a place where I can picture myself sticking around for a long time. It goes along with the old saying, “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” What can I say? It’s growing on me!
Do you have an employer you’re proud to work for? Looking for employment opportunities in the area of Canton, Ohio? Drop us a line in the comments!
When I speak with blood donors, as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) at Incept, I tell them that their blood donation can potentially save not just one life, but three!
What a motivating statistic! When you give blood, you can help save the life of a teenager injured in a car accident, a mom battling breast cancer and a firefighter suffering from severe burns. But how is that possible? How is one pint of blood capable of saving three different people?
Human blood can be separated into three main components for transfusion: red cells, platelets and plasma. When you give a whole blood donation, you’re giving all three components. After the blood is tested, the blood components are separated, and when patients receive a blood transfusion, they receive a certain number of units (depending on their condition). According to www.bloodbook.com, the average liver transplant requires 40 units of red blood cells and 30 units of platelets.
When you donate whole blood, about 45% of that donation is red blood cells, roughly 55% is plasma and less than 1% is platelets. Because some donors aren’t able to give the same amount of blood as others – and because there are other fluids in the blood that also make up the volume – it is difficult to standardize how many donations equal one unit of transfusional blood.
Generally speaking, though, to obtain one unit of transfusional red cells, you need that component from two whole blood donations. So those 40 units of red cells used in a liver transplant could have come from 80 different people, all pitching in to save one life (and all the same blood type, of course). Several whole blood components of platelets are needed to equal one dose, but a single aphresis (platelets only) donation yields the same amount. One unit of platelets for the liver transplant could have come from one person electing for an aphresis donation or as many as five or six whole blood donors. So as many as 180 donors (30 units multiplied by 6 donors) may have contributed to the platelets needed for the liver transplant.
When you donate whole blood, your red cells go to a trauma victim, your platelets to a cancer patient and your plasma to a burn victim. Three lives from one pint of blood, and one of those lives could be someone you love!
What type of blood donation do you give? Whole blood? Red cells? Platelets? Plasma?
I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary with Incept.
I began as a CME, but now I’m an iCME. However, I’ve been a single mom for the majority of my adult life. In this role as a single mom, I have not only had to be the nurturer but also the disciplinarian and the bread winner. I’ve done it all – from working at fast food restaurants and call centers to eight years of working as a temp at various locations throughout Canton, OH.
Being the sole provider can sometimes get in the way of all the other parental responsibilities I need to focus on – like spending time with my kids and helping them develop into productive citizens. But here at Incept, things are different!
I am very fortunate (as we all are) to work for a company that not only values me as an employee but also as a member of their “family.” Our company culture focus is on being present – both in our work and home lives. We have found a place to thrive and grow, as individuals and as a corporate entity. My Incept family has been there for me – and my kids – through the good times and the bad. They’ve encouraged me, supported me, been my transportation to and from work, and valued my opinions and my skills/abilities. I can’t help but be thankful for such a phenomenal family/workplace combination!
I also know I’m not the only single mom/CME here at Incept. So, firstly, I wanted to “raise a glass” to all my sisters! Great job, ladies! Keep up the good work, both here and at home!
Being a member of the Social Media Department, I plan to follow up this blog post with a video presentation, spotlighting as many single moms as possible. I think, as part of the Incept company culture focus, we should be recognized! We carry on two full-time jobs: parent and Incept employee. Some of us are even attending college! Balance is essential!
That being said, are you one of the single moms who’d like to be in my “Single Mom/CME” spotlight video?
I’ve often said, “Welcome to the family of blood donors!” when I schedule a new donor.
Those are my favorite conversations to have, because they’re the ones that bring us one step closer to ending the shortage of blood on the shelves! I always get so excited when I ask a non blood donor if they would be interested in donating blood and they say, “Sure, why not?” or “I’ve been thinking about it. Where do I sign up?”
As CMEs (Conversational Marketing Experts) at Incept, the conversations we have with everyone we speak to are the key to continued success. As we grow, we will be taking on more clients (yay, us!) and, therefore, conducting more and more productive conversations that drive meaningful results. Sounds like the mission statement of our company, doesn’t it?
As we spend the day conducting these productive conversations and getting the meaningful results we’re after, we build relationships with the outside world – the people we talk to on the phones and the companies we represent as we speak to these people. I like the fact that I impact the lives of so many people, just by saying “Hi, my name is Melissa Lee…” I begin each conversation with a firm stance that I will make a difference in the life of this person!
For instance, blood banks like Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Central Blood Bank, and Lifeblood (just to name a few) rely on us to keep their donors scheduled and on track with their blood donations. This way they can keep a steady supply of blood for use in those regions. Furthermore, businesses such as Goodyear and PivotHealth count on us for input, regarding the level of service they provide for their own customers. They want to know if their customers satisfied with the service they received or if there is room for improvement? We find out and share that information with them!
Also, as I mentioned above, we are about to take on a few new clients, so we will be able to provide world-class service for them as well! I’m so excited about being involved with a company that is experiencing such phenomenal growth!
How do you feel about the impact you make as a CME at Incept?
...and we appreciate you!
Listening is just as important as speaking.
I really love rock and roll music.
Really, I just love music. To me, personally, music is how the soul speaks. An instrument is nothing more than an emotional extension of one’s self. When I’m not at Incept, I tend to be found playing my bass guitar and making music with my good friends.
The only negative thing about being a musician and musical advocate is, I can openly say, I think my hearing is deteriorating. I find myself speaking LOUDER and often listening more intently when I am engaged in a conversation with someone, so I don’t miss what they are saying.
We, at Incept, have been talking all about Conversational Marketing. We have plundered the techniques behind incorporating conversational marketing into our daily routines, as well as discussed the importance of maintaining and creating healthy relationships through communication.
Naturally, as a young American male, I generally find myself speaking way more often than listening. Speaking and listening act as complimentary skills to one another. Listening is not just hearing a bunch of words and noises, but taking in the information of a situation to respond in a logical and appropriate way. Bettering your listening skills is as easy as learning to tie your shoes - one must look at it as a simple, systematic process.
Below are a few ways to improve your listening skills with relative ease:
- Give your full attention to whomever is speaking
- Always let someone finish speaking before speaking yourself
- Don’t let your mind aimlessly wander; make an effort to mentally engage in what is being said
- Be aware of main ideas and points being presented
- Listen fully before speaking; you cannot devote your attention to listening if you need to think about your own speech
- Ask questions if you do not understand something
- Empathize with what is being said
While being a better listener may not stop me from talking loudly after a good, musical jam session, it can help me be a better CME and a better listener in my personal life. One can look at it as a three step process: hearing, understanding and then judging what has been said to be true.
The above are just a few ways to get better at listening, but there are many more.
What are some other ways or tips to become a better listener? Comment on our blog with your suggestions.
Smile! They can hear your attitude!
Am I the next Miss Manners? Hardly!
However, since we are Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs), we should all be familiar with conversational etiquette, especially when we’re talking to the donors. So, I thought I’d throw out a few pointers just to keep us refreshed. These will come in handy, as we strive to become a world-class Conversational Marketing firm!
During my childhood, my mother always taught by one simple rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What that means is treat everyone you meet in the same manner you would want to be treated (even if they don’t reciprocate). Turns out, my mom had something going there!
In the world of business, it’s always the best practice to treat customers like you would want to be treated; it keeps them coming back when they know they’re valued! Our goal, here at Incept, is to become world-class. To accomplish this goal, we need to stay at the top of our game when it comes to how we treat our donors, the blood centers and everyone else we speak with on the phones.
In my research, I came across a website that listed the four key points to conducting productive conversations with customers. Although we are not telemarketers, we still face the same issues that other call center reps face every day. I’ve listed these key points below:
- Greeting – Greet the person who answers the phone cordially, then ask for the appropriate person. Be careful with name pronunciation because saying a name wrong will quickly alienate a call recipient. This is especially true if they have a fairly common name. If your company uses an autodialer and there was a pause before you came on the line, apologize for it immediately. Many people dislike the dead air between the time they say hello and recieve a return greeting. Acknowledging the pause and apologizing for it can offset this.
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Voice – Your tone of voice gives the call recipient their first impression of you. They will notice it even before they realizes what you are saying. Use an upbeat tone for every call, even if you’re just been rejected by the last 10 potential customers. Take a few deep breaths to release any tension, then smile widely before you start to speak. This will carry over into your tone. Pay attention to your volume too. Your voice may be fading if it has been a long day. If you notice this happening, make an effort to speak up so the call recipient will not have to struggle to hear you. Never eat, drink or chew gum when you are making calls. This projects a very unprofessional image.
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Delivery – Maintain a comfortable pace for the recipient to follow. They may not be able to understand you if you speak too quickly. Plus, fast talking may give the impression that you are trying to pull something over on them. However, you may frustrate them and lose their interest if you speak too slowly or stoically. Use a normal conversational pace. Enunciate each word clearly as you speak. Your words can start to run together when you’ve been making calls each day, and call recipients won’t be able to understand you. Pay attention and articulate your words carefully.
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Respect – Treat people with respect even if they are disrespectful to you. Many call recipients get rude or even abusive as soon as they realize you are trying to sell them something. Answer politely and in a normal tone of voice, even if the person on the other end of the line begins to yell. If he is abusive, let him know that you are going to end the call before you hang up. It may be tempting to simply hang up on him without a word, but the mark of a true professional is being able to react with good manners when someone else is acting with bad ones.
In training, we are taught these very principles, to use when conducting conversations with our donors. Keeping our relationship with the donors on good terms is imperative to the success of our company. If they’re pleased with the way we treated them, they will be more inclined to engage in future conversations with us, when we call them to schedule their next appointment.
About.com states that “…good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves, and, in their turn, become repeat customers.” That’s what’s up!
As Conversational Marketing Experts, it’s our job to get the donors in the door! We want the donors to enjoy attending their appointments and continue their commitment to the blood center! The better our conversations are with them, the more publicity the blood centers will get and the more donors they’ll attract – providing us with more opportunities to conduct productive conversations that drive meaningful results!
What other tips do you have that can help your fellow CMEs become world-class Conversational Marketing Experts?
Initially, the goal of the CME Spotlight series was to shed some light on our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs), who do more than just engage in productive conversations, schedule blood donations and strengthen relationships with our customers.
Some of our CMEs can sing, rap, play the flute, produce an Internet television series or even crochet for another CME in the contact center. That being said, the task that presented itself was to determine the best way to productively illustrate our company culture, boost engagement and generate a more active community around something that initially did not bring dollars in the door (at the time). So, to state it literally, we were uncertain how to plan ROI in the future for an expense in the present.
I’ve been with Incept for 4 years (this January), and have been fortunate enough to witness Incept’s amazing growth each year since, but this last year has undoubtedly been the greatest; It’s been a dream come true getting hired by an organization that pays you to share your talent, pays to interview you on how you do your job so well, pays you with vacation just for coming to work on time (and when your scheduled), and pays you a bonus for properly executing the duties of your job under the standards that are expected. There’s also a flatscreen HDTV, to boot, making Saturday, Sunday and Monday the most actively engaging days in the contact center during football season.
It’s no secret that Incept has (and shows) pride in their blood donor recruiters and conversational marketing experts. Case studies, brand innovations and our CME meetings (where the CMEs get to share their issues directly with our VP of Contact Center Results) are all examples of how Incept strives to go above and beyond for each of our employees every day. One our Program Results Coaches, Chris Sage, just initiated and held his own shoe raffle to give away a $100 gift card to any CMEs who were in need of a new pair (or pairs) of shoes, as opposed to buying a new pair for himself. The winner, Nancy Gillingham, was also the CME who organized, shopped for and distributed items for the School Supplies drive for our school-bound CME’s, young and old.
Listening intently to our clients would fall short if we didn’t listen to our employees. How could we be expected to include a positive note on each of our Conversational Quality forms if we don’t understand the importance of strengthening relationships? As I tell each of our new training classes, we don’t post weekly polls on Facebook to simply stay consistent. We post the polls so that each individual employee has a say and vote regarding the changes that take place within the contact center. This was no more evident than when we had our CMEs in the poll that determined the type of summer company picnic we would hold. Each of our Conversational Marketing Experts isn’t just a part that makes up this company, they are also the co-owners of Incept’s vision and future.
This was our first training class (that had the largest number of CME's), with the most passing to graduation!
What are some of the impacts you could see this having on inbound and outbound marketing?
On Friday, December 3rd, our the entire Incept family gathered to spend time with one another and celebrate another year gone by at our annual Holiday Party.
