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Monthly Archives: September 2011
Build Your Team Like an Executive – Harvard Business Review
When it comes to building management strength, these executives are similar to professional sports coaches. They want their teams to win this year, that is, to achieve their annual goals and objectives. But they also want the talent on the team to be better the next year — and the year after — to compete and win at the highest level. Such executives base their efforts to build team strength on the answers to two fundamental questions:
- Where do I need to spend my time and focus my energies? On which issues and priorities can I add the greatest value to the business?
- What skills and expertise do I need on the team to accomplish the unit’s goals and allow me to play that value-added role?
In a pragmatic way such executives see their teams as extensions of themselves, and use them to free up bandwidth for critical executive-level activities — for example, setting strategy, managing relationships with customers and other external stakeholders, influencing peers to endorse new initiatives, and identifying and driving the next major innovation to improve performance dramatically.
Build Your Team Like an Executivehttp://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/build_your_team_like_an_execut.html
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Five Steps to Long Term Growth
Step 1. Decide what you are playing for.
Step 2. Get everyone speaking the same language.
Step 3. Imagine your future.
Step 4. Align your actions with your intentions.
Step 5. Do it!
Five Steps to Long-Term Growthhttp://blogs.hbr.org/govindarajan/2011/09/five-steps-long-term-growth.html
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NORFOLK VA: Emergency Broadcast Message
Emergency Broadcast Message
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR NORFOLK UNTIL
4:00 P.M.
This is a Norfolk Alert Message. Again.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR THE CITY OF
NORFOLK UNTIL 4:00 P.M.
For additional weather information, tune to your local weather television
station.
Thank you for using Norfolk Alert, a public notification service of the City
of Norfolk. www.norfolk.gov/norfolkalert
Governor McDonnell Announces 75 New Jobs in City of Suffolk
Governor McDonnell Announces 75 New Jobs in City of Suffolk
~ Ace Hardware Corp. to invest $14 million to establish new East Coast import center ~
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2011
Office of the Governor
Contact: Jeff Caldwell
Phone: (804) 225-4260
Email: Jeff.Caldwell@Governor.Virginia.Gov
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Contact: Suzanne West
Phone: (804) 545-5806
Email: Swest@yesvirginia.org
Ace Hardware
Contact: Kate Kirkpatrick
Phone: (630) 990-1478
Email: kkirk@acehardware.com
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Ace Hardware Corp., the largest hardware franchise company in the world, will invest $14 million to establish an East Coast import re-distribution center in the City of Suffolk. The company selected a 336,000-square-foot build-to-suit location at the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Suffolk. This project will create 75 new jobs over the next 36 months and service the company’s existing East Coast regional distribution centers, including its operation in Prince George County.
Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “This is tremendous validation for the City of Suffolk and the entire Hampton Roads region as a center of international trade. I am extremely pleased that Ace Hardware Corp. has recognized the world-class capabilities of Virginia’s premier transportation system that includes the Port of Virginia, one of the largest intermodal networks on the East Coast. As the second Virginia location selected by Ace Hardware, this project demonstrates the positive economic climate that companies experience when they choose to do business in Virginia.”
“Fifty-four small business owners across Virginia own stores that belong to the Ace Hardware cooperative, and these independent owners employ hundreds of Virginians,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “The cooperative also employs 275 people at its regional distribution center in Prince George County. We welcome the expansion of such a valued Virginia employer into the City of Suffolk.”
Ace Hardware, headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, was founded in 1924 by a small group of hardware store owners. As a retailer-owned cooperative, the company has more than 4,500 independently owned stores across the U.S. The company offers a wide variety of hardware and fix-and-replace products, in addition to expert advice and service.
“We’re confident that the Ace Hardware Import Re-Distribution Center in Suffolk will allow us to more efficiently ship goods to our East Coast retailers—and ensure that they will be able to continue providing superior service to their customers,” said Tim Duvall, supply chain director for Ace. “We’re grateful for the exceptional cooperation of state and local officials and the strong Virginia business climate that have made this new facility possible.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with City of Suffolk and Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $100,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist City of Suffolk with the project. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment, training and retraining activities.
“Ace Hardware’s decision to locate their newest import center in Suffolk is a testament to the welcoming business climate we have cultivated in our city,” stated Suffolk Mayor Linda T. Johnson. “We are proud to welcome Ace Hardware to our business community, and we look forward to supporting them as they grow in Suffolk.”
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Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.VIII – Q&A [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
Question & Answer session on all things Inbound Marketing from the “LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy” seminar at Alpha College of Real Estate on August 4, 2011.
Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.VII [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“There always should be lead collection webforms on your landing pages.”
“Call-to-actions are the most important action point on your landing page for visitors.”
“The object of a landing page is to get a potential customer to fill out a webform.”
“You want to be able to measure almost anything you do in the inbound marketing world.”
“If you’re not measuring what you’re doing on the Internet, you cannot monitor [properly] and ensure your campaign is malleable.”
I Love When an Ad Campaign Comes Out Beautiful In The End!
Beautiful, as in powerful. And beautiful, as in productive and efficient. I love our creative team!
JASE just completed, and received approval on, the new concept for Dragas Companies’ October advertising campaign. I won’t spoil the surprise and show you here early (you’ll have to wait until next week) but below are a couple of our past successful concepts for Dragas. Did you notice the inbound marketing techniques used in the traditional advertising mediums?
DRAGAS Home Search Magazine ad
Dragas outdoor board ad
Learn How to Think Different(ly)
As a leader, how often do you think different? How often do you brainstorm? How often do you hunt for solutions in new environments? Thinking different is easier said than done. We don’t claim that folks can jump from the low end of the bell curve of creativity performance to the high end just with practice. But when it’s done frequently enough by just about anyone, it can transform good ideas (and not so good ones) into great ones that might even disrupt the world. We have found that most people can actually do this reasonably well if they choose to put in the time and effort that’s required to think different. That’s what disruptive innovators do, day after day. Do you? Can you? Will you?
Learn How to Think Different(ly)
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/begin_to_think_differently.html
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Increase Your Companys Productivity With Social Media
Done right, social tools can resolve longstanding issues of knowledge loss and inefficiency. To harness the productive power of social tools in your company, make sure you have the following eight elements in place as you roll out social network for your company:
- Strategy: Be sure there is buy-in and engagement from senior executives who are willing to lead by example.
- Alignment: Get involvement from stakeholder groups across the company.
- Technology: Determine the right mix of tools and technologies.
- Pilot: Identify pilot groups like Unisys did with the sales team.
- Governance: Establish guidelines for governance.
- Communications: Develop a communications plan.
- Metrics: Identify hard business metrics like increasing speed to innovation or speed for winning new business.
- Implementation: Create process for enterprise wide implementation new skills needed for success like social media literacy.
(For more, see this infographic on implementing social learning.)
Once your program is up and running, be sure to profile early successes in using social media to increase productivity. Employees need to be able to answer the “so what” of social media.
Increase Your Company’s Productivity With Social Media
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/increase_your_companys_productiv.html
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/increase_your_companys_productiv.html
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Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.VI [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“As part of inbound marketing, you want to have a strategy [for LinkedIn] and start building connections. You’ll want to carry the connection off of LinkedIn and to your website, blog and potential customer database.”
LinkedIn Groups, LinkedIn Connections, a LinkedIn Premium account are all part of a successful inbound marketing strategy for your small business.
Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.V [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“Social media is the perfect platform to establish brand identity.”
“Because you can 100% control the message, social media is perfect [for brand management].”
“Define your strategies early – what do you really want to do out there? Do you want to generate business? Do you want to generate partnerships?”
Very Cool that The Tide Will Be Expanding to the Norfolk Naval Base
Take that, Virginia Beach! I’m glad to see our Norfolk City Council moving forward with transportation progress while the other cities sit on their hands.
Read the full article here on The Tide moving from Downtown Norfolk northward through the city and to the Norfolk Naval Base.
Disclosure: Keith Parnell is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance.
On Twitter? Let’s chat at @parnellk63
On Facebook? Let’s connect at @parnellk63
On Google+? Let’s do whatever you do on Google+ at @parnellk63
I’m listening to Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day right now.
On Facebook? Let’s connect at @parnellk63
On Google+? Let’s do whatever you do on Google+ at @parnellk63
I’m listening to Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day right now.
Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.IV [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“Know your socialgraphics. Who likes to talk about what and on what platform. We [JASE] use a totally different tone on Twitter than we do on Google+ and on LinkedIn.”
“You have to figure out if this [social media] is right for you. Is social media right for you, and it probably is … there’s a billion people in social media. Then what social communities are right for you.”
“Everyone should be blogging. Before you get on LinkedIn start to blog. Because that’s where you’re going to meet the masses, through SEO. You’re going to reach a much larger audience in every geographic area … by blogging than you are [on any other social platform].”
“Who do your customers trust online? You must know what they like and what they do not like. And you’re only going to know that by the conversations you have living online.”
“Don’t focus on the tools and technologies. Don’t focus on Twitter. Don’t focus on Facebook. Don’t focus on Google+. If we would have only focused on one platform, a lot of effort and dollars would have been wasted. Instead focus on the strategy, how you build your conversations and what kind of tone you use in the social communities.”
Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.III [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
Your 2nd generation LinkedIn friends trust you because you’re a friend of a friend. “[LinkedIn generation connections] build a trust bubble.”
“I don’t pretend to know all of my [LinkedIn Connections]. You never know when they may benefit you or you benefit them down the road.”
“Knowing your demographics and socialgraphics … socialgraphics is identifying your consumers, potential customers, and where they hang out online.”
“I don’t have a right or wrong answer for that [social media strategies]. If anyone ever told you there’s a right and wrong answer … for social media [use], they are wrong. There is not ever a right and wrong answer because social media is so new and so malleable and changes so much, it’s really a lot of trial and error to see what works for you in your business in your geographic area.”
Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.II [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“Inbound Marketing is … about building your presence on the Internet and bringing people to you.”
“[With Inbound Marketing] You’re building your presence and you’re becoming smart on the Internet … through search engine optimization, blogging, Facebook and LinkedIn.”
“[LinkedIn] Groups congregate folks together with like interests. [On LinkedIn Groups] You’re almost guaranteed that these folks are professionals.”
Microsoft is Bringing More Tech Jobs to Virginia – Nice!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2011
Office of the Governor
Contact: Jeff Caldwell
Phone: (804) 225-4260
Email: Jeff.Caldwell@Governor.Virginia.Gov
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Contact: Suzanne West
Phone: (804) 545-5806
Email: Swest@yesvirginia.org
Governor McDonnell Announces Microsoft Expansion in Mecklenburg County
~Original Project in 2010 was Largest Economic Investment in History of Southern Virginia; Up to $500 Million Investment Created 50 Jobs~
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Microsoft Corp. will invest an additional $150 million to expand their generation data center (Gen4) site in Mecklenburg County. The company will build an additional facility and add 21 MW of electric power capacity to the site. The project will create 10 new jobs. Microsoft’s original project in 2010 involved an investment of up to $499 million and 50 new jobs.
Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “In 2010 I announced Microsoft’s plans to establish its most advanced data center in Mecklenburg County, which represented the largest economic investment in Southern Virginia history. Just one year later, the company is making another significant investment to expand the operation site and add electric power capacity. Securing this state-of-the-art data center was an important win for the Commonwealth, and additional growth will further establish Virginia as an Information Technology leader.”
“As a crucial corporate partner to Southern Virginia, I congratulate Microsoft Corp. on this additional investment in its Mecklenburg County site,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “The company’s innovative data center design increases efficiency of operations, and this expansion will enhance the high-tech capabilities already in place as Microsoft continues to grow its operation.”
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
“Microsoft is excited to once again expand its cloud infrastructure and services capacities in Boydton,” said Dayne Sampson, corporate vice president, Microsoft’s Global Foundation Services group. “We greatly appreciate the work that Virginia’s Governor and local officials have done to make the Commonwealth a great place for Microsoft to continue to invest in to enable the best possible delivery of services to our current and future customers.”
“In 2010 when Microsoft announced its decision to locate in Mecklenburg County it did that for a good reason,” said Glenn Barbour, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors. “They saw in Mecklenburg County a progressive and business friendly environment. A County that was prepared to take its economic development into the future and provide a better economy for its citizens. Considering this economic climate the new announcement by Microsoft is astounding. We extend our well wishes for the future of Microsoft and appreciate its confidence in Mecklenburg County as a local government willing to provide for its needs now and in the future. Thanks to Wayne Carter, Angie Kellett and all the other staff of Mecklenburg County for their untiring efforts to expand our economy and grow our technology sector.
“Today’s announcement that Microsoft will make another investment to expand their operation in Boydton is great news for Mecklenburg County and Southern Virginia,” said Congressman Robert Hurt. “Not only will this expansion bring much needed jobs and economic growth to the area, but it will also help ensure that Virginia remains at the forefront of the high-tech industry.”
“I believe that Microsoft has made this additional investment to the Mecklenburg site because they have found the region a good place to do business and the County and community have been good partners with which to work,” said Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. “We all look forward to a long lasting relationship that will serve the company and community well.”
“I am pleased that Microsoft has seen fit to expand their current business operations in Mecklenburg County, including the new investment of $150 million in plant infrastructure and equipment and the 10 new jobs to this community,” said Delegate Tommy Wright.
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Coffee with the CEO: LinkedIn for Business, with a touch of Inbound Marketing Strategy p.I [video]
Keith Parnell, @parnellk63, CEO, JASE Digital Media
Coffee with the CEO – http://coffeewiththeceo.com/
“You have to live in social media to actually get the return on what you’re doing.”
“Social media marketing is not like old school advertising … it’s not for everyone. It’s not for every business and every vertical.”
“Social media is part of a big package. It’s just one piece of your toolset on becoming successful in doing business on the internet.”