What is a Second Brain?

Have you ever read a book and forgot what it was about 3 months down the road? Perhaps you found a web-design but later on couldn’t find the link. How about the mounds of projects that you tell yourself you’ll get to yet never seem to find time to accomplish.

In a world where there is an endless supply of information, it can be difficult to retain this knowledge.

These are the problems that a Second Brain is created to solve. Having a Second brain allows you to live freely, gathering as much information as your heart desires, storing, and turning it into results that show the world just how awesome you are.

 

How to Work Evernote

Evernote is an app that allows you to store vast amounts of information in an organized and concise manner. This information is stored in Notes, Notebooks, and Stacks. Watch the following video to learn how to create these categories.

 

 

Organizing Evernote

Once you have these notes, notebooks, and stacks you will need a system for how these forms of storage will be organized.

This is where the P.A.R.A. method comes in to play. Watch the following video to learn how to create this system.

 

Creating To-Do-Lists

Once you have a project determined and you’ve selected the resources you wish to use, it’s time to create a to-do-list so as make your notes easy to access quickly. Watch the fallowing video to learn how to create a to-do-list with Evernote.

 

Prioritize and Organize

Once you have this to-do-list you will need to determine which tasks need to be accomplished first and add each necessary step to ensure that nothing is overlooked or left out. Watch the following video to learn how to prioritize and organize your to-do-lists.

 

Creating the Perfect Note

With an idea of how your Second Brain will be functioning, it’s time to look deeper into how you create the notes that will be the base of your information storage system. Watch the falling video to learn how to create the perfect note.

Find What Works for You

The main reason for a Second Brain is to allow you to work as efficiently as possible. To make this program fit your lifestyle and your form of learning you will need to experiment with different methods. Watch the following video to learn how I use this program to fit my visual means of learning.

 

Master Flow

To gather large amounts of knowledge and use that knowledge to create projects, you will need to enter into that state of mind where you perform at your best. Watch the following video to learn how to enter into and control your set of flow.

 

Retrieving Notes

The three main categories of a Second Brain are Retaining, Storing, and Retrieving. If you can retain and store the information you gather, yet are unable to find it when you need it, then the entire system crashed down. Watch the following video to learn some tips and tricks on creating notes that you can find.

 

Taking Your Second Brain With You

We have covered a vast amount of ground in this course. With each of these steps and keys to remember it can seem overwhelming.

You Second Brain is meant to free you to learn, not bog you down with restrictions. Watch the falling video to learn how to create your own travel-size Second Brain booklet.

 

Learning, Storing, and Retrieving

Life is all-out learning. No matter what situation you may be in the ability to gain information and improve yourself within that state is what life is all about. So get out there, gathering as much information as your heart desires, storing that knowledge, then turn it into results to show the world just how awesome you are.

 

 

 

We’ve all heard the stories of a fair maiden held captive by some form of evil and the prince who comes to her rescue. These are sweet and endearing, but have you ever taken the time to look at everything these Prince Charming have to go through. It is no easy undertaking that’s for sure.

Another heroic role that has many similarities is that of marketing. True there’s no white stallion or sleeping princesses, but there are plenty of acts of chivalry.

Allow us to step into this world of make believe in in order to get a better idea of what it takes to become a Prince Charming of Marketing.

Computer Savvy

In place of a sword and armor, our heroes of the business world rely on their technical tools and advertisement platforms. Much like magic, these marketers can conger up an email, video ad, or campaign slogan that’s sure to pierce through any dragon that dares to stand between then and their beloved customer.

Multitasking

There are many obstacles that a prince faces along his journey. Beast, witches, and controlling stepmothers. In the world of marketing there are just as many and more challenges that face marketers on any given day. Multiple clients running different campaigns, each using varying  programs and platforms, makes a creepy old lady with an apple looks easy. This is a juggling game that requires multitasking and a great deal of organization skills.

Targeting

Rescuing the right princes is vitally important, otherwise you might end up with an ogre. In the same way, reaching out to the right customer is of utmost importance. The process of finding these customers requires a large amount of research. Who are they, where are they, and how is the best plan of action for reaching them? Without knowing the answers to these questions your advertisements will be a game of hit and miss, sending your companies money down the drain.

Ever-Changing field

It seems that the more time goes by, the more fairy tale stories get harder. It use to be that true love’s kiss could solve every problem. Now you have to consider glass slippers, floating lanterns, and let’s not even talk about the guy who had to turn into a frog. Ever-changing situations is just a fact of life, especially in marketing. With commuters and technology constantly advancing, the ability to learn and a love for learning is a must for this role. There will always be a new, more efficient means of accomplishing a task that will save you time and your company money.

Providing the Need

In the end, rescuing the princess is all that matters. No matter what obstacles or dangers may stand in the way, our prince will find a way to storm the castle walls, sweep her off her feet and carry her off in style. Happy ever afters are what stories and markets are all about. At the end of the day, if a customer’s needs have been provided for and their life is improved because of the product you were able to provide, then you can ride off into the sunset knowing your fairy tell has a happy ending.

 

The road to rescuing a princes is a difficult and territories journey, but a prince with the right characteristics just might be able to make the sale and get the girl.

Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Kraken. What do all of these creatures have in common? No one believes in them because no one has ever seen them.

If Bigfoot was your mailman, the Loch Ness monster swam around the California beaches, and the Kraken was a usual cruise line sighting, then there would be no doubt of their existence. After all, seeing is believing.

The same is true in the business world.

It matters not how impressive, reliable or revolutionary your product may be, if no one sees it then no one will know it exists. Without the right means of putting your business out in front of the right people, your ambitions will join the list of mythical creatures.

Fortunately, there is an elite force of myth-busters who can help you prove the existence of your product to the world. These man and women are the marketers (dramatic music added).

What is Marketing?

Marketing is the process of getting a product in front of a potential customer.

Many aspects go into this role. To name a few-

Targeting:

This is the process of determining exactly what kind of person would be interested in the given product and how to reach them. If you are selling Moo moos, you could target married women, over the age of 35, with the yearly income of $24,000, by focusing your ads to Facebook. This is an extremely important aspect of marketing since it cost a company money every time one of their adds pops up.

 

Advertising:

This is where seeing becomes believing. By use of advertising a marketer can put your product in front of the chosen customer. If the advertisements are convincing and persuading, then there is an opportunity for a sale to be made.

 

Communication:

The ability to portray your product will be determined by the marketer’s ability to communicate with both you as the company and the customers. If the marketer does not fully understand what the product is that you are selling, then they will be unable to create persuading advertisements. If they are unable to communicate clearly to the customers via those advertisements, then the entire process will be a waste.

 

What Makes Marketing Important?

Without marketing, a company would have their products and the customers would have their needs, but the two would never meet.

Mythical beast doesn’t enjoy their lives of solitude, which may be why some work for insurance complies. In the same way, companies don’t like their products to collect dust on a shelf. Which is why they use marketers.

Consider any product that you use. From your laundry soap to your cell phone. Every item that you invest in is the result of marketing. Without that 50% off sign on your laundry soap you most likely would have gone with Arm and Hammer. If it weren’t for those YouTube adds of iPhones, you would have remained in the dark ages with your flip phone. Regardless of the form in which marketing takes, visually or verbally, the end goal is to convince you the customer that your life will be significantly improved if only you purchase this product.

 

 

Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Kraken. All of these creatures have one thing in common? They have not marketers proving their existence to the world. The question is, will your product be on the next addition to the mythical creature list?

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it, did it really happen?”

This last week I was assigned with the task of diving deep into the area of Marketing so as to learn exactly how it functions. I had the opportunity to Interview Yitzchak Young  , a experienced and successful Marketer and Copywriter in Growth Marketing. During this interview I came to understand the importance of marketing and its ability to make a companies fallen tree heard.

Here is the summery of our interview.

#1. What made you choose to pursue this role?

“I enjoyed the psychology of it and realized how helpful marketing can be for an individual and organization.”

Starting a business with his brother, Yitzchak discovered the importance of marketing as a role. Learning from ground one, these two brothers used trail and error to determine how to reach their desired audience.

#2 What skills and training are required to fill this role?

“So many. Oh so very many.”

Five of the hard skills that Yitzchak shared are as follows:

1.Study Copywriter and Persuasive Copies.

2. Study Markets. Knowing what the customer actually wants as apposed to what they say they want.

“The least sufficient thing you can do is try to market a product to someone who doesn’t want it, even if they say they do.”

3. Learn how to jungles multiple tasks at once

4. Learn how to work and use different platforms

5. Become good at Excel and Tracking data. Figure out the information you need to target potential customers.

#3 What is the greatest challenge?

“Learning the numbers and how to use Microsoft Excel”

Stating out, Yitzchak didn’t see the necessity of numbers, were as today he does. Numbers and the ability to use them to target customers is what makes the difference between marketing to the right person and making money or marketing to the wrong person and losing mosey.

This is only 20% of marketing though. According to Yitzchak, the other 80% is in gathering the right information. In order to target the right customer you have to know who that customer is, where they are and the best way of going about reaching them.

#4 What is the greatest gain?

“Because I made an as, a person now has a product or service that is impacting their life in a meaningful way.”

Marketing is the act of changing the world one satisfied customer at a time. It is the journey of bringing a person with a need together with the solution they are seeking.

#5 What does your day to day tasks look like?

“Almost everyday is different.”

Depending on what kind of marketing role you have, the company you work for, and the client you are helping, your day to day tasks will vary. However, there are two main tasks that most be accomplished every day.

First, Checking to make sure that the right people or being targeted. Second, that reports are being made concerning what you have accomplished and how effective your outcome was.

#5 What is the significants of Marketing as a whole?

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it, did it really happen?”

If you create the perfect product and construct a stunning website, yet no ones knows about it, does it actually exist?

Without the crucial role of marketing, a company would have no promotion. The permeation of adds and creative draw that brings a customer to a product, resulting in a sale, all comes form marketing.

#6 What does your day to day tasks look like?

“Almost everyday is different.”

Depending on what kind of marketing role you have, the company you work for, and the client you are helping, your day to day tasks will vary. However, there are two main tasks that most be accomplished every day.

First, Checking to make sure that the right people or being targeted. Second, that reports are being made concerning what you have accomplished and how effective your outcome was.

#7 What hard skills are necessary for this role?

“There are so many hard skills in marketing.”

In short, you need to know how to work programs, platforms and targeting. Here are a few areas that will help you improve these skills.

1. Micro Soft
2. Excel
3. Copy Writing
4. SEO
5. Google Adds (or any platform your company is using)
6. Hub spot ( or the CRM you choose to become an expert in)
7. Email sequence
8. Sales letters
9. Writing in general

 

#8 What does it take to succeed in this role?

“As a company, you have to learn how to test your campaigns”

Success as a company means customers. In oder to ensure that this goal is acquired you must be able to test your strategies to prove that they will reach the right audience.

“As a marketer, take mistakes in strides. If you mess up, fix it. If you fail, tray agin.”

Mistakes are opportunities to learn. Use these opportunities to improve yourself and your efficiency. The ability to create value is a marketers means success.

 

#9 If you could give one piece of advice to a young person considering this role, what would it be?

“Understand that what you are getting into is not just promoting ideas and products. You are studying reality, people, and humanity as a whole. Understand that first”

If you go into marketing with the wrong mindset then you will become lost and confused. If you know that this is a role based on human actions and how humanity functions, then you be able to go in knowing exactly what you need to look for to succeed.

 

Just as a fallen tree goes unnoticed if no one is around to hear, so your product could go unnoticed without the right lumberjack marker calling out “Timber!”

I just finished up my 19th move this last week, so I think I can claim the title of professional in this area.

One of my favorite parts about moving into a new place is the empty walls with all their potential. Instantly I start planning where I’ll put this or hang that.

Walls are are a lot like life skills. When you have these skills it’s easy to add experience to them like pictures and wall decor.

In the role of operations, there are four main walls that one can hang their experiences in order to showcase their qualifications and accomplishments.

Creativity

On this wall will be plaques of accomplishment. Obstacles that at first seemed daunting and impossible, yet turned into awards of customer satisfaction and company improvement. On a daily basis, operations personal are faced with situations and dilemmas that require them to look at their tasks form a new angle. Being able to dissect a problem to its core, then put it back together in a manner that will increase its efficiency requires creativity.

Communications

On this wall, you have windows that allow you to see the outside world. An ability to see the needs of others and then effecting show them how to reach the solution to those needs is key in ensuring that your customers achieve satisfaction and the appearance of your band remains untarnished. Communication is the skill that allows this clear view on both sides of the business wall.

Technology

On this wall hangs pictures, capturing a single moment that holds a thousand words. Knowledge of how to run and use technology will allow you to create those outcomes that took a thousand 1s and 0s. Just as a picture, no one sees the background story of your project, but the outcome points to the importance of the journey and the tools used to accomplish it.

Learning

On this wall is mounted a mirror, showing who you are as a person. Every day as you pass by this object it will ask you the question, “who are you”? Are you a person who rises to the challenge of a new situation, embracing the chance to improve yourself? Are you a person who pushes through mental blocks or lack of understanding? Are you a person who loves to learn?

In a world that is constantly changing, this is the key skill that will ensure your ability to succeed. Every task can be learned and every obstacle can be overcome, but only if you are the kind of person who believes that it can.

 

An empty room holds so much potential, but a full room shows that potential. The question is, what will you hang on your walls?

Magic is a tricky thing, there’s no doubt about it. Creating magic, working magic, and keeping certain habits from tampering with dark magic, which we all know they will anyways. The Operations of magic require an individual with extreme organizations and planning skills with a cool, calm head on one’s shoulders, and perhaps a pointy gray hat. In short, we need wizards.

The role of Operations in a business is very much so one that is behind the seance. You have the hobbit Salesmen who deliver the precious product to its destination, along with with the traveling companions in Customer Success who insure the safety of the product, and of course the Marketing team of elves that ride with their supper awesome advertising skills drawing all the attention to how cool this product must be.

In the background though, the true hero of our story works his magic. From the very begging of this tale is was the wizard who forms the mission, then lead the journey, and costly arrived just in time to save the rest of the Fellowship from the disasters they always seemed to find themselves in. This is exactly what Operations does on a daily basis.

What is operations

Operations is the internal management that allows a company to function as smoothly and effectively as possible.

There are countless tasks that must be performed for a business to function as a whole. To name just a few

• Planning – making sure that things are planned effecting so that productivity can reach its highest.
• Organizing – so that things and people are in their right place at the appropriate time.
• Scheduling – if people don’t know when to do certain tasks then chaos is created.
• Logistics – how will everyone work with each other.
• Management – making sure that everyone has a job and knows what to do.
• Quality Assurance – Check the product, double-check, and check it again.
• Technology – because there is no other way to defeat the forces of evil than by the power of 1s and 0s.

 

Why is it important

As you can tell by the above list of responsibilities, Operations is a vital role for any company to function. Unfortunately, though, this is an area that is often overlooked.

If we look at the storyline of Gandalf, more often than not, he’s the one serving others.

In this role of serving, these wizards are expected to create magic that doesn’t exist. Hobbits and Dwarfs who know little of magic can often demand results that simply cannot be performed. And there is nothing more complicated than trying to explain magic, or a computer program function, to an impatient dwarf.

It is for this reason that these gifted and talented people who fill these roles are so vitally important. Potions to solve these imposable obstacles require ingredients that every good Operations wizard keeps on them at all times. Creativity, communication, and tech skills, along with a love for learning.

 

It’s a hard role to fill and one that may just turn you gray (pun intended). The rewards of helping others achieve their goals and having your company reach its highest potential is worth fighting a few orcs, dragons, and perhaps a balrog.

This week I had the assignment of learning all about the role of Operations. Fortunately for me, good looks are not the only thing that runs in my family. Passion, determination and a whole lot of sass is also a strong trait among the women in my family tree. It is for this reason that I chose to interview my amazing aunt on her experience in the role in Operations. Vanessa Hutton is a Digital Campain Manager at Townsquare Media, the 3rd largest owner of radio stations in the US with 321 stations plus 330+ local websites.

What made you choose to pursue this role?

“I was kind of forced into it… but happily forced into it.”

A funny thing about responsibilities such as paying bills and buying food is that it forces you to be open to new ideas.

Vanessa wasn’t hired based on her expertise in the role of Operations, but instead because she understood how to use creative programs which made her valuable as a backup for the companies design team.

This is a great example of how companies are willing to teach you certain skills if you can show them your ability to create value.

What skills and training are required to fill this role?

“This isn’t a job that people know of. No one says ‘I want to do that when I grow up’.”

This is a role that incorporates people from all backgrounds. Vanessa has coworkers with degrees in music, communications, criminal justices, and she has no degree (go, auntie!).

With this said, the skills of creativity and communication are key for this role. When faced with a problem, operations have to dissect the situation, find the dilemma, and then create a solution; and that is only step one. Once the problem is solved that skill of communication comes into play to explain to the Sales rep or customer how they should go about using the new adjustments.

What is the greatest challenge?

“People who don’t understand or simply won’t take the time to try.”

That’s not how that works, that’s not how any of this works.

Computers can be complicated and explaining how to use one to someone who has no idea can be a real nightmare.

Instead of trying to explain this struggle my aunt sent me a link that sums it up nicely.

What is the greatest gain?

“All my markets love me and I can tell cause they brag on me.”

The appreciation received after a job well done is what makes this job worthwhile. These words of praise are often earned through sweat and tears which makes them all the more valuable. This is what makes this job so great. The outcome of helping people achieve their goals.

What does your day to day tasks look like?

“Let me show you something.”

As my aunt shared her computer screen with me, I watched as she scrolled down nearly 75!! Emails that had come in during our 25 min conversation.

A day in operations consists of explaining how things work, answering questions and checking, then double checking (and often triple checking) to ensure that things are running properly.

What is the significants of Operations as a whole?

“Campaniles would lose so much money without us.”

Operations is the work done behind the sense that makes everything else possible. From “fences” that send adds to your phone if you step into a complies location zone, to creating Moo Moo adds that target women over the age of 65 who’s yearly income are over $25,000. If none of that makes sense to you, imagine trying to explain it to someone else daily.

What hard skills are necessary for this role?

“The internet is always changing, so this is a career that you’ll always be learning in.”

The ability to work digital programs is the make or break skill in operations. If you can’t run a program you can’t explain it to a sales rep, you can’t dissect it to solve a problem, and you can’t ensure that a customer’s add is up and firing.

What does it take to succeed in this role?

“Being good at learning. Or better yet, being excited about learning.”

As dressed in the above question, technology is always changing. This is a fast-moving environment that requires one to juggle multiple projects at once. If a person can go into this role with a love for learning then each obstacle they face will become an adventure instead of a drudgery.

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person considering this role, what would it be?

“Get your feet wet.”

The only way you’ll know if you like this kind of work is to try it out. Find an internship opportunity, interview some people who work in the role you want, and do your research. Experience is the best teacher, so just go for it.

Also, keep in mind that a lot of what goes into a job is the people you work with. Having a great team and work atmosphere can make all the difference in the world. So look around, learn what fits who you are and how you work, then take the dive.
My aunt is a pretty awesome person. From her accomplishment in the business world to her cat-loving Instagram post, this woman pours her passion and creativity into everything she does. And that is what it takes to make it in Operations.

Over the last week, I have been studying the role of Customer Success. During this journey I have created a map, outlining the mane stops one must make to reach their destination. So grab your gunny sack and a PB and J sandwich cause we’ve got a road trip to go on.

Planning Ahead

The first stop on our journey is marked by a large question mark sign. In the work of customer success, half of the battle is in seeing a problem before it arrises. In customer success, half the battle is seeing a problem before it arises. The goal of any company is to ensure that their customers are completely satisfied with their product. By discovering possible obstacles before they become a reality, a customer can enjoy their product without the need of deal with bugs and hiccups.

Empathy

With that said, bugs and hiccups will arise which is why we must stop off at the Empathy Exist to ensure that we are going in the right direction.

The tendency at this point is to rush on by, attempting to save time. More often than not though this will lead to a wrong turn and the need to circle back.

When a customer comes to a company with a problem it is the job of customer success to determine exactly what that problem is and find a solution to it. The problem is that human nature wants to jump to the solution part and bypass the determining the problem part. Often when working in this role one will assume that they know exactly what the problem is and thus justify their actions in rushing forward. It may be true that you do know what the problem is, regardless though, the act of taking the time to fully listen to the customer will ensure that they feel understood, cared for and that every detail is covered to keep from missing something along the way.

It is key to see each customer as an individual and not simply a lump of people in a system. Each situation is different and each person has unique needs. Your goal as a customer success agent is to bring success to that specific customer.

 

Communication

Once the problem has been identified, the next stop on our journey is the crossroads. When explaining to a customer exactly what has gone wrong with the product or how they can go about using the product to achieve their agenda, terminology and communication can become very difficult.

There are so many ways one can go about explaining a solution, however, the level of understanding on the customer’s side can become quite a speed-bump.

Let’s say that you are explaining a computer product to a customer who has little to no experience using such a tool. How one goes about this will cause two things results. One, it will determine whether the customer understands exactly what must be done. And two, it will influence how the customer feels about the process at the end.

No one wants to feel dumb or incapable. This is why how one goes about expelling a situation to a customer is of the utmost importance. Success is not simply a functioning product, it is also a sense of feeling.

 

Creative problem solving

Our last stop is more of a pass-by. The traffic’s speed slows a bit, but all for the productive cause of construction which improves the drive of everyone taking this journey.

Creating a solution and implementing that solution for a customer is what brings about the result of success. Without the final solution, each of the stops along our way would have been a waste.

More often then not the solution to a problem requires a great amount of creative thinking. Looking at the obstacle from different angles and perspectives will allow one to discover new solutions. After all, if it were a quick and easy fix it most likely would have been caught back at the question mark sign at our first stop.

Conclusion

At the end of our journey, the gained ability to be empathetic, communication clearly, listen, and think creatively are all souvenir to take home. However, the true reward of the hours put in behind the wheel is the feeling of accomplishment in knowing that another customer has reached their destination of customer success.

Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, the story of Rocky Balboa is one that everyone can enjoy. A no-one who defeated the odds and found a way to reach victory.

In many ways, one might say that the role of Customer Success is greatly overlooked. I mean really, who likes having to call customer service? However, just as Rocky, this is a role that rises above the odds and finds a way to reach victory for their customers daily. These are the men and women who step into the ring of unknown adversity and refuse to back down, regardless of the punches thrown there way.

What is Customer Success?

Customer success is the process of improving the experience of a customer by constantly seeking new ways to solve present and future problems.

Rocky Balboa found success at that moment when Apollo Creed lay beaten on the floor as “8, 9, 10” rang out for all to hear. The moment when his opponent had swung his last punch and the crowds cheered.

In the same way, a customer success agent finds success when the problem that their customer is facing is defeated. That moment when the reliability of their product is restored and the customer cheers.

What are the Responsibilities in Customer Success?

Regardless of whether you are answering a call or responding to an email, the main agenda in customer success is to help your customer and be open to understanding their situation.

Rocky, being a Southpaw fighter had to put himself into Apollo Creed’s shoes and learn how to fight in a way that was new and unfamiliar to him. At the opportune moment, his strong left arm would be released but not until he had first met the standers of his opponent. If Rocky would have started out using his dominate side, he would not have been unable to stand against the attacks that came. Yet by putting himself into Apollo’s shoes, the Italian Stallion was able to face the attacks and then deliver his victorious left blow.

We all have our Southpaw way of going about solving problems. Like Rocky though, in customer success, one must put themselves into the shoes of their customer. Understanding exactly what the problem is and the desired outcome for the customer will allow one to face that attacking situation. Once the opponent is identified and a solution is found, one’s Southpaw way of going about solving a problem can be brought in to finish the job.

Rushing in and just trying to solve the problem without actually taking the time and effort to understand the customer’s side, will lead to an unsatisfactory solution and a frustrated customer. Always lead with empathy and openness in every interaction.

What is the importance of this role?

Almost every time a customer contacts a company they will be working with a customer success agent. This interaction will determine how that customer views the company as a whole. This role holds the responsibility of preserving the image of a company. A customer that feels successful in their experience is what makes a successful company.

The Italian Stalin’s victory was not merely a world title but was a statement and promise of what this man could deliver. That Rocky Balboa truly was a champion and a person worthy of such a title.

As a company, victory is that same stamens and promise of what that brand can deliver. To hold the title of reliable and rise above the competition, a company must be able to deliver a product worthy of such tiles. This can only come about when customers feel successful with their experience. Which is why customer success is the key to company success.

Conclusion

The story of an unknown, a nobody, the underdog, rising victorious is the kind of inspiring story that we all esteem. For customer success though, this story is simply everyday life.

 

In a perfect world, everything would work exactly like it’s supposed to. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world and therefore we face problems daily. Thankfully there are certain groups of elite tasks force that work behind the season to ensure that these problems are turned into solutions, keeping the brand of their company respected and trusted by their customers.

What is this elite force you may ask? The answer is Customer Success.

This past week I had the privilege of interviewing a member of this task force to learn exactly what goes on in this role. Zach Martin is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Click Up Project Management, with experience and success in the role of Customer Success.

 

What made you choose to pursue this role?

“It’s a really great way to get your foot in the door, especially if you are looking into moving to a different role.”

This is an ideal potion for one to show their ability to accomplish that which they have committed to.

Zach started his career working in customer success and is now in a digital and content marketing role. Starting in Customer Success allowed Zach to get a foot up in his business career.

 

What skills and training are required to fill this role?

“The most important skills are being empathetic and having great communication.”

This is a role that requires one to effectively communicate and present their points to the customer in a concise manner, to help them with the problem they face. Being able to understand the customer’s position will help you help them.

One’s ability to communicate via email is a must-have skill since the majority of your customer interaction will be in this form. With that said, face-to-face communication is equally significant since this is how you will be working with you team members daily.

What is the greatest challenge?

“Being able to put yourself in the customer’s shoes.”

Looking at each customer interaction with the mindset of seeking out and solving any problem that they face is how one should face every situation in this role. Just as a detective both discovers and delivers the solution to their client, so a customer success agent has to determine exactly what is the problem and how it can be fixed.

What is the greatest gain?

“The ability to effectively communicate.”

Though this is a skill one must have at least a bit of experience in, as we described in question 2, it is also the skill which one profits the most form improving. Learning how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures in a way that allows you to help them reach their desired goal is the daily reward of customer success.

What does your day to day tasks look like?

“Be very open to the customer and willing to help.”

Since this is a role that requires one to do different tasks and wear multiple hats, such as answering emailing, calls, or chats, one’s day to day routine will depend on their company and their specific responsibilities. With that said, regardless of whether you are answering a call or responding to an email, your main agenda is to help your customer and be open to understanding their situation.

“As soon as you stop caring about the customer, you won’t be successful.”

What is the significants of Customer Success as a whole?

“Customer success is probably one of the most important, and most overlooked roles in a company.”

Almost every time a customer contacts a company they will be working with a customer success agent. This interaction will determine how that customer views the company as a whole. This role holds the responsibility of preserving the image of a company. A customer that feels successful in their experience with a product is what makes a successful company.

 

What does it take to succeed in this role?

“A combination of communication skills and a desire to improve how the customer sees the product.”

If you do not believe in the ability or the mission of your product then you will be unable to show your customer the significants of those abilities and that mission. You must first be a believer before you can convince someone else to believe, especially if that person is facing difficulties. Therefore, a customer success agent must have a strong belief in the product while also having the ability to communicate that belief effectively to the customer to help them reach a solution.

If you could give one piece of advice to a young person considering this role, what would it be?

“Go in there and kick A**”

This role can open doors for many different roles and opportunities. Often this will be one of the only roles available at a company, making it ideal for getting one’s foot in the door. Once inside the company, one can then give their all and become noticed by their advisors.

 

 

Call them ninjas, spies, or secret forces. These are the people whose main mission is to keep chaos in check and ensure that their customers reach complete satisfaction with their product. These are Customer Success Agents.