New Google AdWords tool......

Earlier this week, I read this article regarding a new Google AdWords tool being introduced.

This tool is said provide a more in-depth analysis than what was previously provided in the impression share report.

Can't wait to see the results on this one. Two people who have commented on this article from its original source hit my sentiments:

- Another way for Google to make more money.

- It will be great to see the competitors bidding, but they'll also get to see the information on your business as well.

At this time, it doesn't reveal any of the bidding strategies of other competitors, but you can't help but wonder at what point you start layering the insights that Google makes available on top of each other and that could potentially start exposing those little 'secrets'......

The underutilization of key insights into businesses.....

I've been having a lot of conversations with a lot of different people in a lot of different fields and categories over the past several months.

But there has been a common thread between a lot of these conversations. And that is the lack of understanding or usage of analytics. Simple, free Google Analytics.

It's amazing what you can learn with Google Analytics, and how quickly you can use these insights to inform decisions and help focus and prioritize resources in the right places. At a basic level, here are some starting points in analytics insights 101:

- Set benchmarks. So what if you haven't been using it. There's no time to start like the present, and it's easy to implement (provided your website developer is willing and able). At a minimum, implementing it now will provide insight and benchmarks for future activity.

- Watch what people are doing. How are they navigating through your site? As important, how are they NOT navigating through your site? Are they missing a key piece of information you want them to find?

- Track the impact of anything and everything you do. It's amazing. And wonderfully addicting. Send out an e-blast? Watch what happens - was there a lift in site traffic? More importantly, did these people do what you wanted them to do (and guess what - opening the email and clicking on it are only a small piece of the email ROI)?

- Set goals to track specific actions - find a location, contact us, sign up for newsletters, buy a product, anything you deem as important to your business should be tracked as a conversion.

Here are just a couple of the basic, resources that will be good for beginners, if you're interested in tackling this yourself. Of course you could hire the services of a consultant that would help you get started as well if you're struggling to find the time to commit to it.

Google Analytics Help

Official Google Analytics Blog

If those are too basic for you and and you want more, below is the link to Avinash Kaushik's blog. He is one of the smartest analytics minds I've come across. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at a conference several years ago, and I had a total geeked out smile on my face the whole time.

Occam's Razor

There is an abundance of information out there. About anything and everything, quite frankly, but about this, too. It can be overwhelming and hard to know where to start.

And yes. I have Google Analytics on my modest website. And on this blog. So I'm watching you watching me. Just putting it out there.......

The "B" Team eventually becomes the "A" Team

Last weekend, Vince had the opportunity to play golf with some very influential people within his company, and related to his company.

It is one of those opportunities you don't pass up.

We were talking about how it was cool he got invited, and he commented, "Well, I only got invited because (names have been omitted) are in Japan." And my response to him:

"Well, that's just fine because the B-team eventually becomes the A-team"

Now, first of all, I'm not sure if I made that up (although I can't imagine it's never been said before) or if I'd heard it subconsciously somewhere, but it's true.

But especially if you have a desire to be on the A-Team, being on the B-Team is a step in the right direction. Because opportunities like that come up. And those give you the opportunity and experience needed to excel once you make it to the top. For some people, that opportunity may expose some things about the top that make you quite happy staying where you are. Or make you realize some things you need to work on before you can get there.

Regardless, the point is this: work hard wherever you are. Look for opportunities to elevate yourself and get some experience in roles you aspire to. And know that hard work coupled with drive and ambition can help you get to where you want to be.

No one cares about your business the way you do.

It's true. They may have an interest in what you do. Maybe they use and love your product. And sure - they want to help you. Because they want to help their bottom line, too. I mean, heck, I'm in that business, too.

One of the biggest challenges that I've had during this whole process is the basic one - getting myself set up. Nothing is going fast enough for me.

I met with a lawyer at the end of March - oh, it will only take a couple of weeks, he said. Well, on May 16th, I finally signed my paperwork. Which means that from the end of March until the middle of May, I had a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of stress bumps (huge, massive stress bumps) on my face. 

So what should one do about it? Well, here is what I did, what I'd wish I'd done, and how I can now evaluate whether or not someone is going to act in my best interest.

What I Did
Harassed - but I did it over email, because given my crazy schedule over the last several weeks, it's what I was able to do.



Nailed him down for a time.

If you ask me for a recommendation on a lawyer - you won't get his name from me. And no, I'm not going to put it out there on my blog or anywhere else to smear publicly. But the fact is, he won't be getting any business as a result from his work (or lack there of) with me. 

What I Wish I'd Done
I wish I'd called every single day.

I wish I'd been a complete ass the other day when I met with him and told him how I really felt. But contrary to popular belief, I'm a bit of a softie inside.

Merging Them Together
So how do you make sure someone is working in your best interest? Below are a few signals I suggest to analyze what kind of relationship you're in:


Signal #1. What kind of an interest do they take in your business? I mean, real interest? Is it something they can relate to? Now, not every business has consumer-facing components (thus, B2B, right?). So someone not being able to relate is not always relevant to you. So keep moving down the checklist.

Signal #2.  Are they being proactive or reactive? If someone is truly engaged in your business, likely they are going to be more proactive on driving your success. Because they want you to succeed and do well.

Signal #3. Do they help sell your products? How many referrals are you getting as a result of your relationship? Because it's a two-way street, right?

Signal #4. Do they share competitive insights/activities they see with you? Because if they are engaged in your business, they are keenly aware of your competitive set and notice when they see a competitor doing something interesting or notable. And want to make sure you're aware, too.

Signal #5. Response time. This theoretically could be #1. And, I almost moved it up there. But I realized, that if they take an interest in your product, are proactive, help sell your products and share competitive information, likely the response time is going to be reflective of that.

My frustration with the lawyer was his response time. Fine. Things didn't happen in the timeline I wanted them to. But his inability (or unwillingness) to communicate with me was the frustrating part. So he is clearly unengaged in my needs, and his response time was reflective of that.

I mean. Let's be real. You put what you don't necessarily want or care about to the back burner. It's human nature. The fun stuff comes first. So where do you fall with the businesses you do business with? Back burner? Maybe it's time to re-evaluate things.

Apologies to Media Reps & Sales People Everywhere

To Whom It May Concern:

I apologize for all those times you put so much effort to put together a proposal for me to review - even if I asked for it and I never looked at it or responded to it. I also apologize for asking you to call me back at a more convenient time, and now that I know your number on caller-ID I have no intention of picking up the phone. I am very sorry for all the times I blamed it on budget for the year, but please contact me next year and we'll see if we can work it in. Because I knew then you weren't going to make the plan next year, either. I apologize for all those times that when you did manage to grab me on the phone, I'd roll my eyes and make fun of you after we hung up. I am sorry that I had blank stares during our meetings - even though you brought lunch or cookies or free coffee mugs and mailed me candies and wines for Christmas. I am sorry that I would pass you off to 'someone else on our team' just so I wouldn't have to deal with you. Even though I knew you weren't a good fit for that client either. I apologize I told you that your email got caught up in my 'junk folder'. Even though you & I both know it didn't. I apologize that I'll ask you to forward me what you sent previously, because I'm either too lazy to look for it or I deleted it without opening it previously. I'm sorry that when I get your read receipt request, I say no, but what I really mean is "are you kidding? of course not." I apologize that I have no respect for your time, because you see, my time is just so valuable. I'm also sorry for all those times (when you accidentally get me on the phone) and I say "what about x? I'm sure that's in what you sent" - but you see, I didn't read what you sent me. I just needed you to put it in my  mouth with a spoon. Was that too much to ask?

I really am sorry. And I would have called you to tell you. But I blocked your number from my phone.

Sincerest Apologies,
Anne Decabooter

If you have to ask....the answer is Yes.

Do these jeans make my butt look big? Yes. It looks huge. Stay home tonight.

Is this dress too tight? Yes. By a lot. Don't bend over (please).


Should I break up with Slime-ball #9? Yes. Unless you want to have multiple weddings.

Doesn't brown look good on me? Yes. Especially with your brown hair and brown eyes, beautiful.

Now. There are exceptions to every rule. But, in general, my rule of thumb is - if you have to ask the question, the answer is usually yes. Why is that? In my humble (or not always so humble) opinion, you ask because you want someone out there to validate what you already know.

There are multiple reasons for having a 3rd party validate  your decisions:

- If it doesn't work out, you can tell yourself (or others), that Joe-schmoe agreed with you, so it must not have been the wrong decision.

- The insecurity that comes along with making any decision - and there is comfort in numbers.

- This 3rd party data can provide evidence or outside 'data points' (that's for you, Vince), that you made the right choice.

And throughout the course of my last several weeks. I've been asking myself a lot of questions. Did I make the right choice? Did I screw up? Am I going to be laughed at if I fail?

So far, the best advice I've gotten (from 2 different sources) is to remain grounded in why I made the decision I did: my family. And I think that if I remain grounded in that, I will stop questioning everything, and start growing and cultivating what I've started.

Practice what you preach....

Do you load your dishwasher from the front or the back? Do you even think about it? Do you have a preference?

I grew up loading from the back. That way, when it was full, it was easier to find room for things, you didn't have to pull out the heavy rack all the way to make space for a plate or dish. Most importantly, it secured even distribution across the rack for the silverware. Ever noticed how if you load from front, or just crack it open to toss a knife or fork in they all wind up in the same bucket? And then they don't really get clean.

It drives me crazy to open the dishwasher and see all the forks and knives in the first bucket (I know what you're thinking - she should be happy that her husband even knows where the dishwasher is - well, that's not the point of my story) - and even more crazy to be emptying it when it's clean just to put some pieces back in to be re-run. Such a waste.

Guess what I did the other day?

I put a knife in the front. Just cracked the door open and dropped it in. Damnit. I hate when I do it, too. Makes it real hard to complain about it if I'm a culprit, too. And fortunately Vince was out of town, so he didn't hear me go "Dangit, Anne. Practice what you preach."

How true this is for all things. Especially in business. I'm real good at talking the talk. I mean REAL good at talking the talk. But I don't always walk the walk. It's hard to. It takes time to. And in a world where we're constantly pulled in different directions and we have more on our plates than ever, that's even harder to do.

For me, the realization that I don't always do what I preach is step 1. Don't misinterpret what I'm saying.....I'm not acknowledging it's a problem (yet), just acknowledging that I don't always do it. So, I'm not about to start practicing what I preach on everything. But, I am going to start thinking about catching myself when I realize I do it. And calling myself out on it.

Because why don't you practice what you preach? A couple of reasons I can think of:

- Rules don't apply to you
- You're lazy
- What you preach doesn't work
- It sounds good in theory, but hard to execute

None of those reasons are good ones. If you're not practicing what you preach, why not? And how can you fix it?

So, after cursing myself, I reopened the dishwasher, took out the knife, and put it in an empty holder in the back. Ah. Satisfaction.

Where does your sense of fulfillment come from?

Why do I do this to myself?

I left EP to have a more flexible schedule. And I do. But Vince would tell you I'm not working any less than I was. Sure. I'm working differently. And he gently reminds me - I need to get out of the habit of working 40 hours (ha ha) a week.

Why is this such a hard habit for me to break? I have two delicious babies at home. Who need their Mommy and want to be around her, (and under her, on her, near her, attached to her - you get the point). Not to mention the whole loving husband and just household in general piece of it (oh, and then the forgotten dog, God bless her).

But I realized several months ago that most of my sense of fulfillment comes from my work. And the job I do. I put a lot of effort into the work I do, and therefore, I'm very proud of it. This makes breaking the habit of working 40+10+10+5 hours per week even more difficult.

So, I'm finding other things to get my sense of fulfillment from (OK, starting today I will) - gardening, exercising, delicious babies, and husband (and dog - not considered the same person - at least not today). This should help me on the road to not working a gazillion hours a week. Right? Maybe?

Balance, Anne. Balance. It has to be out there somewhere.

Where does your sense of fulfillment come from? Do you need to find other things to help you balance that? Or is it just me?

What makes someone smart?

Recently I was in a meeting with two people who I valued as very smart people. After all, both of these individuals had been CEOs for a variety of companies, and were certainly more seasoned at business than I am.

So, during the course of the meeting, I hung on to every word these men said. Because - after all, they are smart, right?

Unfortunately, one of them lost me pretty early on. The subject of work ethic came up, and his words of wisdom go against everything I believe (that will require a blog post all on its own). I completely disagreed with what he said. Completely and utterly. And from that point forward, even his strongest nuggets of advice or learnings meant very little to me. Sure, I still listened and took note, because I respect the position he was in. But I found myself no longer hanging on to every word he spoke. And his 'smart level' dropped. Pretty significantly.

The other man continued to have me enthralled. Everything he said was right. Man, this was a smart man. My pen was flying, and I was writing, smiling, nodding all at the same time. Because I agreed with everything he said. It all made sense to me. In fact, I have several of his nuggets jotted down for blog posts. What? You thought I could make this up all by myself? Anyway, as Vince would put it, every time he talked, I was 'focus-facing'. This was one smart man.

Now. Let's go back to one little sentence in this last paragraph "because I agreed with everything he said."  And let's go back to the other guy. His smart level dropped, because he said something I disagreed with. So is that what makes someone smart? Is it the number of people who agree with them? Is it the quality of people that agree with them? This is starting to borderline on politics, so I'll tread lightly, but I get it.

But it begs the question: what makes someone smart?

Be in charge of your destiny......for real.

Forbes published a great article at the end of February. I just found it today through LinkedIn, but I found it interesting nonetheless. The content is very relevant to me right now and everything that is rolling around in my brain related to my transition and new opportunities.  

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicahagy/2012/02/28/the-six-enemies-of-greatness-and-happiness/




This particular graph I found most compelling. Quite frankly, because it is something that has always resonated with me. I have always been of the mindset that if you don't like something - fix it. It doesn't mean if you're having a bad day at work you quit your job. But it does mean to take the time to figure out what is bothering you. Is it just a bad day? Is it a pattern you keep falling into? I have very little patience for people who are unhappy but yet choose to do nothing about it. Because there's always something that can be done. Always. Even if it's figuring out just how to adjust your mindset to help you cope with the situation.

Think about what's going on with you. What is preventing you from getting yourself where you want to be? What are the steps you can take to fix it? Do you know someone who has been in the same shoes you are in? Be willing to open up about it. You may find yourself surprised that you're not the only one. Make a list of the obstacles (perceived and real) and the steps you need to take to fix it. Even just starting to take time to analyze the situation will help you feel better, because it's the first step in doing something about it. And that may be enough to get you through the situational piece of it and on to the larger shift that may need to occur.

And here's the best part of going through this exercise.....after taking the time to outline your obstacles and your steps....you may realize you have it pretty good. And maybe it takes going through this exercise to appreciate what you have.

One thing is for sure - you'll be ready to make some moves one way or another if you give yourself the time it takes to figure it out.

Procrastinating is not an option.....

I have only had one mental breakdown during this process now going on two months....which given the roller coaster of emotions that has come with this transition, I'd say is pretty good. And the breakdown came as a direct result of positive opportunities. It's a whole new world of time management I'm learning.

I do not procrastinate the way I used to. I can't. I have very little idea what the rest of the day will bring, let alone the rest of the week. So if the time is there to do it, well I have to. Right then and there.

The other week, I had several proposals due (more on that at a later date).....they were due on a Friday, and I was to be out of town Thursday and Friday, and knew my time was limited. The old Anne still would have worked toward cranking them out every free second on Thursday & Friday. The new Anne started cranking them out immediately. First of all, the information was still fresh in my head, so it wasn't near as hard as if I'd waited a couple of days. Secondly, the time I thought I would have - I didn't.

The proposals all got out on time. And I learned a lesson (and not in the hard way, like I'm sure others will come) - procrastinating is not an option for me right now. Get it done.

The best part about this process, was I got all the initial information down and how I wanted to approach it. Which gave me more time for massaging and tweaking, and I put together what I felt were strong, smart proposals. And I was proud of the work.

If You Can't Go With the Flow, Get Out of the Flow

Because - here's the thing. It's going to keep flowing. Have you ever been watering plants or washing your car and you see the water dripping down the driveway into the street? And then maybe put a piece of mulch or pine bark in the middle just trying to see what happens? You know what happens? The water goes around it, and it still goes down the slope.

And that's what I realized today. Things will go the way they're going to go no matter what you do to change it. Now, you may alter the course - or change the way things will go - but it's still going to go that way.  I was so mad at a friend that I couldn't see straight. Because I disagreed with how he approaches business. I disagreed because it's not the way I approach business. And me, being who I am, like the way I approach things and how I handle things. I think it's a great way.

Here's the kicker. More than likely, at the end of the day, the result will be the same. The way we got there will be different, and intensely frustrating for me. But in the middle of venting my frustration (when I really probably shouldn't have), I realized - it's ok. Just go with the flow, Anne. Voice what is out there in a polite manner, put that piece of mulch down if you think it's necessary - but let things flow. And if you don't like it - find something else to do with your time.

Why On Earth Am I Doing This?

I always wondered what on Earth people possibly have to say that requires a blog, and why on Earth people out there cared enough to read them. Don't you people have work to do???

But then something happened.....during the course of this transition I noticed myself hanging on to every word that anyone said that I thought was smart (translation: if I agreed with what they said, obviously it was smart). And then I thought - wouldn't it be cool if I kept a diary of the bits and pieces that I heard, and the things that went through my head, and how that applied to me.

The more I thought about that, and the more I think of analogies to what I'm doing or working on to other things in life, the more I realized I wanted to capture it. And then I realized it. I was going to blog.

So, I think what you'll find during the course of this blog will be nuggets of wisdom I hear and want to capture. Articles I find interesting. Books I read (or at least want to read). Random analogies to business or my business to other facets of my life. And I know you'll find some sarcasm interspersed throughout.

The Incredible Journey

OK - so, it's not incredible yet. But it will be. Right? It has to be. I'm too stubborn for it not to be. It's going to be amazing.

For those of you who don't know me, or are interested in my interpretation of events, let me get you up to speed.

I graduated out of Clemson University with a degree in Marketing. But with no job nor efforts to find one. I'd been too busy playing through college to realize that was a necessary step somewhere along the way. However, through my Marketing & Promotions class, I was able to know one thing:

I wanted to stand in a board room and tell people how to spend their money.

But I didn't know what that meant exactly, or how to get there. It wasn't until I stumbled upon a small (at that time) agency here in Greenville called Erwin Penland, and made my way from receptionist to Media Coordinator that I realized I'd found exactly what I set out to do. And Erwin Penland (EP)was and continues to be a place I hold near and dear to my heart. I spent 8 out of the last 12 years there.

Throughout the course of this blog, I suspect you'll read a lot about EP, as well as the various places I was the other 4 years (12 - 8 = 4 for your account executive types).  I took a hiatus from EP for a while, but eventually made my way back. A lot of people do. It's a wonderful, welcoming place that way.

So, the last 5 years I was at EP, I got married to Vince Decabooter (thus the "Booter", and essentially took that nickname right out from under him, but I swear it wasn't intentional), and have two delicious babies. I have no doubt you'll read about them throughout the course of this blog. Elise turns 4 this June, and Claire turned 1 at the end of April. And guess what? The girls are only going to be young once. And advertising agency business being what it is - it makes it very hard to balance that family life and work life. But I don't want to look back when they are headed off to college and wonder where that time went.

After much deliberation and many conversations with Vince (who has been wonderfully supportive through this whole thing), we decided I'd start looking at alternative solutions. And from there it was a whirlwind. My first opportunity arose with M33 Integrated Solutions to serve as a contract marketing director for them. Since then, I've had several other opportunities that are what I call "percolating" right now, and things seem to be headed in the right direction.

And that's where we get to the meat of this blog. This will hopefully capture my journey as I go through this transition. Follow along. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two. I know I will.