Published in the November/December issue of Candy and Snack Today magazine

The Internet connects suppliers and retailers with millions of consumers every day. Discover how networking sites can gauge shoppers’ attitudes, raise brand awareness and reinforce positive associations with the category.

As candy retailers and suppliers explore sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, they are realizing their impact on brand awareness and company credibility.

Social media is definitely sparking consumers, with more than 105 million in the U.S. using these sites. What’s more, two out of three participants in a recent social media marketing industry report noted an increase in web site traffic, subscribers or opt-in lists after investing just six hours per week.

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The visualization runs right in your browser and displays data from the Twitter API.

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We first contacted David via e-mail, and he made himself available the next day to speak to us on the phone. He listened to understand our needs and then described how he could help us with a value chain of activities (e.g. webinar, blogs) that would extend beyond the hour he spends delivering his keynote speech. He blew us away.

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Now, that’s a little different kind of social networking…

Clever though.

1. It makes them think for a second – not typically something they’re often asked, but certainly something every astute executive is thinking about right about now.  You see, as we emerge from the current economic climate, your post-recession execution strategy will make the fundamental difference between a market leader and a distant market follower.  And without a bench of nimble, execution-focused, employees all the greatest strategies in the world won’t help you gain mind-share, wallet-share, or in the process – market share.
2. It makes them think about their talent development and retention strategy. How good of a job… really, have they done in being a talent scout in their organization?  Have they kept dead weight, which should have been shed a long time ago?  Have they formally or much more importantly, informally mentored both high performers and high potentials?  Have they surrounded themselves with a group of “yes” men & women who tell them what they want to hear, versus what they need to hear?  How are global best practices captured and shared across the organization by those who are passionate about raising the bar, versus those who are simply gunning for the next promotion at any cost?

The way an executive answers this question also has an immediate impact on whether they choose to enhance their credibility or dilute it.  Answer it haphazardly and you clearly don’t have a game plan and more than likely will be looking for a new job in the next six to twelve months.  Answer it defensively and you signal that you’re not open to outside perspective or independent insights.  Answer it thoughtfully, decisively, vulnerably and truthfully and you’re not only human, but you also understand that a motivated and prepared bench is a moving target based on the real-time insights you gain from the markets in which you choose to compete.

Talent – it may overrated but a competent, capable bench is developed, nurtured, enhanced, elevated, and when the playmakers simply don’t show up for the big game, it’s shed.  If raising the bar on your immediate as well as 2nd tier bench isn’t a priority, how relevant will you remain in our current dynamic market?

Want to learn more?  Join the conversation in the “Talent” forum on RENetworks to elevate the mindset, toolset and roadmap in strategically developing your bench…

Conversely, what’s your impression of relationships? When talking about relationships, most use characteristics such as trust, depth, and vested interest. So, if relationships have been around since the Ice Ages and we all know what they are, why is it that we’re becoming increasingly disconnected? In many ways, we’re losing our ability to touch people!

Robert Putnam, in his book Bowling Alone, clearly describes how our health, our democracy, and yes, even our happiness, depend on a certain amount of social capital. Yet for many, when it’s easier to send someone a voicemail who works three offices down the hall instead of walking over for a conversation, or to send them a tweet DM (direct message) instead of picking up the phone and calling them, is there really any question about the dramatic erosion of our sense of community? Every day, we pass people in our company hallways wearing our company badges (so we know they work there), but we have no idea who they are!

You have an opportunity to build relationships every minute of every day. Yet, most people go through each day with their head buried in checklists. Building and nurturing relationships must become the dye in the fabric, not the patch. Networking functions are patches; drive-by-greetings are patches; insincere getting and giving business cards are patches. Let me save you the time – the Yellow Pages serve the same purpose. Relationships should be the dye in the fabric. They should permeate through who you are and what you do with those most important to you!

Social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can help enable or facilitate introductions, interactions and social exchange of ideas – but they should never replace the fundamental value of trusted, value-based inter-personal relationships. Users of these sites should also never forget that there are three fundamental types of networks: Givers (God bless Mother Theresa), who give altruistically; Takers (we’ve all known some), who only call or email when they want something; and Investors, who see their personal, functional and strategic relationships as their most valuable asset, and consistently aim at more effectively identify, build, nurture, and leverage in a win-win manner those investments for a quantifiable return on their relationships.

On- or off-line, which one are you? If I were to ask three of your colleagues, customers, executives, or even friends, would they describe you as a giver, taker, or a relationship investor?  How do you know?

Your personal and professional success depends on the diversity and quality of your relationships with others, yet most of us don’t spend enough time building, nurturing, and quantifying the key relationships we need to achieve success. That’s where Relationship Economics® comes into play. Relationship Economics isn’t about networking; it’s about learning how to invest in people for an extraordinary return. It’s about understanding Relationship Currency®, accumulating Reputation Capital® and building Professional Net Worth®. It’s about learning the art and science of relationships to get things done in a systematic, disciplined manner.

So, let me ask you again: what’s the strategic value of your business relationships and what will you do in 2010 to enhance your most valuable asset – your portfolio of value-based relationships?

© 2010 The Nour Group, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

David Nour is a social networking strategist and one of the foremost thought leaders on the quantifiable value of business relationships. A native of Iran, David came to the U.S. with a suitcase, $100 cash, limited family ties, and no fluency in English! Fast forward 25 years and he has built an impressive career of entrepreneurial success, both within large corporations and early stage ventures. David is the author of Relationship Economics (Wiley, 2008) and ConnectAbility (McGraw-Hill, 2010), a senior management advisor, and a featured speaker for corporate, association, and academic forums, where he shares his knowledge and experience as a leading change agent and visionary for Relationship Economics® — the art and science of relationships. To learn more, please visit: www.relationshipeconomics.NET or call toll free 1-888-339-1333.

This article is a series of excerpts from the newly released book: ConnectAbility (McGraw-Hill, 2010)

Key 1 – Share Your Power with Others.

There’s a human trait, which fears the yielding of power.  The delusion is that if an individual were to yield whatever power he or she now has, that person will lose it and all the benefits that accompany it.  The truth is, if the individual is secure enough in his or her power to share it with others who contribute meaningfully, that power is enhanced geometrically (many times over), through the respect others gain by witnessing such inner confidence.

Let’s begin by exploring the basis on which the structure of ConnectAbility stands.

1. Relationships Are Your Biggest Asset
2. It’s All About Who Cares
3. People Relationships Make Up the Business
4. The Desired Outcome Defines the Business

How to Use ConnectAbility

What does this new concept of ConnectAbility offer to make that experience in the workplace more powerful, exciting, successful?

Awareness Factor

• Awareness of Influence—Knowing our own emotional disposition and how we affect others
• Awareness of Others—Reading others well—knowing their needs, concerns and desires
• Awareness of Context—Understanding and appreciating the business and interpersonal context in which our communication is taking place—including the hidden expectations of those who report to us as well as those to whom we report

Performance Factor

• Presentation Skills—Expressing a positive energy that motivates others through good as well as bad times
• Listening Skills— Making the best effort to understand the effect of our influence on others so as to bring out the best of their potential
• Agility Skills—Nurturing our passion to get things done, to make the best decision for the moment, to make a decision even in the absence of all the necessary information.

Desired Outcome

• Expectations—Identifying those who are in a position  to contribute meaningfully in order to achieve our Desired Outcome
• Roles—Understanding who the players are in each scenario, and who make up the “core group” through which the Desired Outcome will be achieved
• Personal Differences—Creating a presence that communicates enough caring about each individual to “deliver the goods” with the most positive impact

When all the factors in the above formulation are “cooking with gas,” then here’s what is to be expected:

• more effective communication
• increased motivation
• greater job satisfaction
• higher employee and customer loyalty

To learn more about ConnectAbility book, visit us HERE…

…and back up your visibility with consistent performance! Remember, performance trumps all. Expert first – speaker second!