BEST
A good piece of advice can help put you at the
top of your game. The best ones though, especially when it comes to business, often come
from experts themselves who live and breathe
the very same strategy, techniques, tips
and tricks they share.
With a strong lineup of Professional
Development Session (PDS) speakers
this year, the 2011 ISPA Conference & Expo will surely be packed with insights and advice.
Pulse rounds up some of these experts to share a few words of wisdom, asking in the
process: “What’s Your Best Advice?”
ADVICE
BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON
On Leading Service Superstars
“T
DR. BRYAN K. WILLIAMS • CHIEF SERVICE
OFFICER • B. WILLIAMS ENTERPRISE, LLC
here are many employees who want to work for a leader who has high
expectations and believes in them. My best advice on leading a 5-star
service team is to continuously give performance feedback and never
tolerate mediocrity. A 5-star leader always maintains high expectations of the service
he/she expects to see (no exceptions!). A leader knows that one under-performing
team member can jeopardize the entire team’s momentum. An exceptional leader,
who is able to build and maintain a world-class service culture, do so by, first,
keeping their team engaged; then, focusing on the actual service delivery processes.
Know that your team can be great, and never stop believing in everyone’s potential.
That is the true mindset of a 5-star leader.”
On Tapping into Creativity to Create Marketing
Strategies
y best advice for creating a marketing strategy is to develop a ferocious appetite for reading. Understanding what is going on, not
only in your industry, but also in pop culture, lifestyle publications,
etc., are key to understanding consumer needs. We tend to jump into a marketing
plan without understanding the landscape around us. Better yet, what does the
consumer want? Knowledge is not only power, it’s the essential source for inspiration
and creativity for new initiatives. Become a ‘maniac’ for absorbing information!
During our [PDS] session, we’re going to look at non-traditional sources of collecting
information that go beyond your typical research. You’ll also discover how this
mining of information can segue into building your own personal brand.”
“M
PEGGY NOE STEVENS • PRESIDENT •
PEGGY NOE STEVENS & ASSOCIATES
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 54)
52 PULSE
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November 2011