sales

Storytelling

I'm Leaving Silicon Valley to Work for a Very Silicon Valley Firm

I’m elated to announce that mid-June I will join the Geneva Global team HQ on Philadelphia’s Main Line to help grow the customer-centered service approach as well as deepen existing and forge new relationships.

Here's an infographic on the trajectory of my career, how it hits Geneva Global, and a bit about this one-of-a-kind company:

I’ll continue to connect with the amazing network of leaders I’ve met in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in Seattle, Boston, New York, and Washington D.C.I’m very interested in connecting with individuals, families, foundations, and corporations who want to see their philanthropic investments applied and leveraged in the smartest way possible.

Want to know more about Geneva Global’s innovative approach? Contact me to arrange for a chat and a free copy of Doing Good Great, by CEO Doug Balfour.

Please note, given this new beginning and a focus on my growing family, I will be incredibly selective with personal consulting engagements.

Customer Experience, Storytelling, Events

Easy Recipe to Cook Up Millennial Brand Ambassadors


WARNING----this is low hanging fruit that I'm shocked every organization isn't doing already.


Here is a simple recipe for building a BASIC ambassador program for your brand (if you want one with bells and whistles contact me). 

(1) Set-up an organization page on LinkedIn. Why LinkedIn? More of your major donors are on LinkedIn than any other social network, and its an appropriate place to communicate with them (more than FaceBook IMHO).  Get a tone sensitive millennial in your company to do this for you, it will take them less than one day. LinkedIn has a guide here for you.

(2) Assign one person in the company to be an administrator. Find the person who has a pulse on "what's up" and has an eye for interesting content, probably in marketing or sales, someone who already LOVES LinkedIn. Good posts are business relevant (skip the fluff and inspirational quotes) such as:

  • Press releases about new launches and partnerships                
  • Job postings (just link to your website ad if you can't afford to post on LinkedIn)
  • Pictures and video that show your culture 
  • Event, info session, thought leadership invitations
  • Content generated by people outside your staff....more on that.....

(3) Next, recruit ten LinkedIn ambassadors by comparing your volunteer/donor/customer database with a social ranking service like Klout (or manually search LinkedIn to see who has an influential following and/or already references you in their profile). 

(4) Develop an easy guide for being an ambassador, one-page, no frills, to include stuff like:

  • volunteer once per quarter
  • come to an info event/gala/etc.
  • bring a friend or two 
  • and most importantly, send relevant content to your moderator to post 
  • host an “ambassadors dinner” where these folks get insider treatment to your plans, access to research, meet your president, and a branded hoodie (millennials love nice hoodies).
  • have them list your company on their page in their volunteer section, like this....

It's that easy folks! Why am I using so many caps and exclamation points?!? 

THE BENEFIT IS HUGE

By doing this, you get 3rd party endorsements by influential folks and extend your reach to their networks--building you credibility among tech savvy millennial professionals (and just about everyone else too)!

This is what smart brands (charity or for-profit) are doing. I suggest you get on the bandwagon to reach millennials.