The basics still do work

I thought I would take a minute to add a little hope to the masses out there who are frustrated with challenges in job hunting into today's economy.

I can honestly say that my last two employment opportunities have both been as a result of applying online through CareerBuilder.

Most recently I was notified that my job was relocating and I had no interest in going with it. So in September I put my job hunting focus into full gear (keep in mind that I always focus on maintaining an active network and will always help out a contact in need....good Karma).

In addition to a heavy focus on networking through LinkedIn & Twitter (which I would say is very valuable if you know how to use properly) I also scanned the daily email robots that I built at Monster and CareerBuilder. I tended to over apply to opportunities but made a point to research and follow up on the positions that truly fit my skills and passion.

During my 2-month search I had over 15 active opportunities at one time. The position I finally accepted was a direct result of my application online off a CareerBuilder posting. Even though this position was being recruited nationally through head hunters they still paid attention to their 'inbox'….and fortunately for me my resume struck a cord.

Granted this is not the norm for most but it does happen. Stay focused. Stay confident (I know it is easier to say when you are employed) and network Online and in person.

Good Luck.

New Job. New Opportunity

I am very excited to finally have started at Christopher & Banks. I am three days into my role and am realizing there is a tremendous amount of 'opportunity'. During my interview process I referenced "low hanging fruit" and was quickly corrected....C&B does not have low hanging fruit...."we have loads of rotting fruit all over the floor". Meaning: There is a ton of opportunity just waiting for the picking.

So, now that I am three days into the position I have spent the majority of time focusing on research (internally) into systems, resources, data, use of data and processes. Like I said...a lot of opportunity.

We are currently engaged with a Vendor that is providing support including list hygiene and maintenance, reporting and email management. So far they look very good but I want to explore a few other options for long(er) term CRM providers.
In a nutshell, I am looking for a vendor to partner with that can help with the following:

• Short Term Planning execution combined with Longer Term Strategy
  Ability to help drive measureable short term campaigns while building the longer term solution.


• A vendor that understands over time we may bring some or all services in house but will still help build the best system that is not 'vendor exclusive'.


• Help define customer models, cubes, segments and the reporting platform to make the data actionable.


• Potential to develop a loyalty program within CRM strategy


• Help integrate CRM across the organization, planning and management.

For now if anyone has any CRM companies that have experience in the retail space please shoot me a message. I am early in my time and the process but I know this will be coming fast down the pipeline.

Job Hunting-Week 6

First day of Snow! This is another post that will be posted after the fact. I am very conscious of being 'unemployed' but the fact is there are a lot of people out in the market in the same situation. A lot of talented executives looking for work. As scary as the economy is right now I am pleasantly surprised with the level of activity I am seeing in my search. I looked back at the first post and all of those opportunities are still alive with the exception of the one I was expecting an offer on. It goes to show you that no matter how confident you are the key is to not let up on the networking until you have an offer in hand. One person said to keep going strong until the first pay check is in your bank.....I am realist but I will be satisfied once an offer is made and accepted (in writing).

Here is my current list of active companies:
1: Sr. Dir of CRM/Loyalty. This is now my number one opportunity. I have met with HR, Recruiter and Hiring Mgr. All solid. References have been sent and I am waiting to meet with the CEO.
2: Category directory. Still active. Met with hiring mngr and waiting for feedback. Could be a good opportunity but the culture is a bit off
3: Dir of Mtk. Another educational company. This would be a great opportunity but very unstable. I would definitely need an exit package before going
4. Dir of Loyalty Banking company. Meeting with the bosses boss next week. Not interested as the commute would be hell (40+miles each way)
5. Dir of digital Mtk This is a new one that just surfaced today. I am being introduced to the hiring mgr by the recruiter. This is a solid opportunity and #2 on my list
6. I continue to log some time consulting for a loyalty company in St. Paul. This could be a great fit but there is not a full time offer
7. Just spoke with a former colleague who is now the CEO of a SaaS company that is back in the hospitality space. These guys are doing it right but I have little interest in going back to the hotel software space......but it is an option.

Then I have three agencies I am talking to. All three are in a wait and see mode.
8. Agency 1 (Plymouth)
9. Agency 2 (downtown)
10. Agency 3 (downtown)

Bottom line in week 6. I am still in a great mood. The fact that I do not have any more income coming is a concern but I am confident that something will surface. It has to. To have 10 legitimate opportunities going is good. I would just to hate to see "Job Hunting- Week 10 because that means that nothing has come to fruition.

Plus I am getting sick to death of the coffee office. Although I prefer Dunn's coffee I have to say that Caribou's free wireless beats the hell out of having to log into the Starbucks ATT system. Need to prepare for my next call....#11. I won't add this to the list yet as it is for a job "near St. Cloud". Talk about a lengthy commute. Hopefully that will not be necessary but as I wrote early....never give up until an offer is in hand.

Blog Management

I decided to modify my blogging efforts and try to keep some 'theme' consistent for each blog. So I have now migrated my fire related training to a new blog called www.2in2out.blogspot.com

This blog will continue to focus more on my professional business life and my adventure racing will still be on www.tmmar.blogspot.com

Holiday Inn

I started the following blog a few days ago after seeing this new commercial by Holiday Inn. I was interrupted by false alarm fire call (a story for another day) and I am finally getting back to finishing it.

Awareness. Retention. Acquisition. Trial. Loyalty. Repeat. Engagement.
These are key terms I think about when I am 'thinking' about how drive more revenue. Any good marketer is looking for a strategy that can be measured. It might be as simple as reservations or units sold or more complex like a percentage increase in click through’s on a specific site over a defined period of time. This commercial is funny. It is very creative. And yes it is even getting me to write about. But is going to drive more revenue? Will it encourage a frequent traveler to ask....maybe I should stay at a Holiday Inn? Will remind a family that Holiday Inn provides accommodations? Will it encourage someone to take a trip that would never be taken before? Upgrade to a more expensive room? Order a movie? Anything incremental?



I am all for entertainment. Even at the expense of marketing and advertising dollars....but what value is being driven?

One Cool Video

The CMO at BestBuy posted a link to this video on Twitter. I am glad he did as it really made me smile today.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Great Post on Blogging

I picked up this post on Twitter from Desarev . Great overview on blogging.

Response to the question about customer loyalty vs loyal customers

David Gandrud: Good question. Customer Loyalty is not a result of a good marketing strategy or even a well planned rewards program. Customer loyalty is the byproduct of providing an exceptional service or product that, at a minimum, meets the needs of the customer and at a price point and convenience factor that places your product/service in the mindset that drives repeat business above and beyond other solutions or competition. Loyalty Marketing is the strategy that is used in a heavily commoditized space or one with significant competition and minimal differentiation. This strategy is used create a point of difference that says, all things being equal, I might as well get rewarded for my behavior.

See posting on Linkedin.

Job Hunting - - Week Two

I am writing this blog with the intention of posting after I have firmly landed on the ground with a new job. I am officially one week into my official transition from SoftBrands and I have three more weeks of being on the payroll.

Over the last two weeks I have spent nearly every business day meeting with at least one or two individuals...building the network. This week the 'opportunities' have seem to come fast. As it stands now I am interviewing for the following:

Company "A"--Publisher, Director of Marketing. This is a solid opportunity and one that I think I will get an offer on. I am currently one of two remaining candidates.

Company "B" -- Category Director. This opportunity came about from an inside contact who was able to get me in front of the recruiter after they had conducted the first rounds of interviews. Feels good but there are a lot of candidates.

Company "C" -- Consultant and Full time. This came about from a placement agency. This is one of those large, institutional companies that is low on my list of "ideal" situations. But an opportunity (two) none the less

Agency "D" -- just met up with this one today. Had not expectation that they were even looking but it appears they might be and it could be a great opportunity. Excellent culture. Great people.

Company "E" -- This one just surfaced as well today. Another institutional company that is low on my radar screen.

Agency "F" -- This one actually started in mid-September. This one is a Q1 opportunity that still needs a requisite.

As 'good' as this seems I am still a pessimistic realist when it comes to my own doings. I plan for the worst......even though I know I am doing everything I can.

Coffee Pods Research

Doing some quick research.
How many of you currently use have used the coffee pod machines? What are your thoughts as it relates to:

• Convenience?


• Quality?


• Variety?


• Cost?
  
  I am looking to do some work for a boutique premium coffee manufacturer that is entering this space and I would love all the feedback and comments I can get. There will likely be more specific questions later.

Thanks,

EPTFA

Just finished the first meeting for the EPTFA board of directors for the upcoming 2009 season. This is the fourth season of the EPTFA and its growth is getting stronger and stronger. The number of athletes continue to increase as do the required number of volunteers to run the program. This upcoming season we are expecting over 400 athletes and will be looking to host our first open/competitive meet following next year’s season.

I got involved in this organization after listening to running into one of the founders at registration. It turned out that we ran track in college together back in 1987 & 88. Twenty years later we end up living in the same community and are now working together on the same track & field program for K-6 graders.

Thought for the Moment

Social Media is fast becoming an integrated communication channel within business. I look at Social Media as more than a craze or a strategy but more of a way of thinking. Managing a website and keeping it fresh with updated and timely content takes a lot of thinking, project based work and processes (schedules, roles and responsibilities, due dates, etc…) where Social Media, if done right, is literally an extension of the person, team, business. It can’t be held to a schedule nor can it be looked upon as a task or responsibility. It is a hybrid of thinking out loud and creative expression. There is not going to be a right way to Blog or an incorrect Tweet.

The greatest part of Social Media is the fact that it is being done without an audience in mind. The fact is ninety percent (I totally made up that number) of blogs and Tweets and other Web 2.0 communications likely go unnoticed. But yet people still have this urge to share their story and to think out loud. Those that do build relationships and have followers still do it to share their story and think out loud. The agenda should never shift.

More SCBA work

Last night’s class was all hands on or should I say all hands and knees on. We don'd our full PPE & SCBA gear and had four stations.
Station 1: practice Donning the full PPE & SCBA in under two minutes. More importantly doing it with 100% accuracy. I think most of were able to get it done in around 2:20. A little more practice (It is harder than you think)>
Station 2: The Trailer Maze. Think a fully enclosed, large utility trailer. Fill it with steel grated dog kennels stacked two high and the entire length side by side. No cut holes, doors in the sides, tops and bottoms, throw in a 2ft diameter tube and you have a fun but difficult maze. We went in 2x2 and navigated the maze in complete darkness, wearing the full gear. Fun and tough.
Station 3: Get the heart rate up. Run and down seven flights of stairs, full gear and then hammer the Kaiser Sled.
Station 4: More maze work, low light, wooden boxes and crawl spaces, wires hanging and stuff on the floor.

All in all it was a fun night. Next time we add more search and rescue.

Purist vs. Corporate

I just attended a great meeting on social media this morning. One of the many topics discussed included a major focus on where does social media sit (or not sit) inside a company. This has been a struggle for me personally at my former company as there was too much concern on the impact of the message.... would it offend a customer, would it offend a partner, don't express personal views or share personal information.

To me those are the ingredients for a healthy, productive and social environment.....dialogue and engagement....pure.

There were a number of comments/suggestions that really hit home for me that I want to capture here:

Purist vs. Corporate. Ask your company the question...do they want a transaction relationship where you show up, do your job, get paid and go home? Or do they want a engaged relationship where you build friends, share ideas, and share experiences. Both are okay but both cannot mutually exist within one another (it more difficult for a purist to thrive in a corporate environment).

Work does not end I walk out the door. Nor should my personal life when i walk in the door.

An engaged community that is pure and believes will moderate itself. There is no need for corporate governance in the Social Media plan(s).

You can't have a Social Media department.....you are either social (purist) or not.

A guiding council lets you off the hook.

I am claiming any of these statements as they were shared by individuals at the MSP SMB (Social Media Breakfast).

Can a company blog be personal?

I started this social media endeavor as a business strategy to help my company become recognized as market leaders in their respective space. At the same time I became focused on blogging for a pure social perspective about my adventure racing team.

Now my lines have begun to blur and I am allowing a little of my personal content influence my professional content. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. I mean why do people follow blogs and Tweets? It is not get a corporate overview on a company or product but to follow an individual (a unique, warm blooded person that has original thoughts, ideas, and expressions) that talks about the business right? So the fact that personality, individual comments begin to influence the content is what makes it all interesting?

Should a company/corporate blog be kept "corporate"? Is there room for the author to bring their personal life, stories and thoughts into a corporate blog or does it need to be kept separate?

Bio--Overview

David Gandrud is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for adventure and fun. His alter-ego spends the day helping businesses better understand, attract, motivate and retain customers.......aka, a Marketing Professional since 1991.


Gandrud started in Adventure Racing in 2007 but is no stranger to the outdoor multi-discipline events. Gandrud, a decathlete in college has moved his passions to just about anything that has to deal with grass, dirt, snow, rock and/or water. A gear-junkie at heart, Dave realized he had problem when is wife pointed out he had 'way more shoes' than she had.....(last count was fourteen not including casual or dress shoes).

In 2008 Gandrud joined the Eden Prairie Fire Department as a volunteer. He is stationed out of Station 4 and is the only Probie (yellow helmet, probationary, first year, rookie) in his fire station.

Location: Eden Prairie, MN
Year Born: 1968
Height/Weight: 6’ 2” /190-5 lbs
AR Strength: Mountain Biking/Kayaking
Pay the Bills: Marketing Professional
Hobbies: Family, Hunting, BWCA, Skiing, Kiting, Camping
Motto: Work Hard. Play Hard. Live Harder