Internal cuisine: a recipe for effective work with a remote employee. Part 1
It seems strange when an employee himself writes about effective work with remote employees, and not a wise manager? Anyway, what to write down the recipe for roasting potatoes from the words of the potato itself? May be. But on the other hand, who, if not the potato, knows all the subtleties and secrets of his cooking? So there is nothing strange that I tried to summarize my long-term observations and notes to create some kind of approximate algorithm that allows me to build work with colleagues most effectively.
It would seem - this is a truism, but for some reason it is often ignored. Especially often this is what the “new” promotion specialists recently joined the company: “name of the client’s site, keywords, frequency… everything”. And what do you want with this data, then do it. It is good when such a “new” gets an old and familiar project to a copywriter. And if not? In my memory over a convenient brief, we fought a couple of years. Through trial and error, we came up with about this form of problem statement for a copywriter:
• the correct name of the client (LLC Superlushchyvmire plumbing shop, combined holding “Cow”),
• the target audience,
• type of text (selling / PR / description of nosology / informational, etc.),
• appointment (for placement on a website or a third-party resource),
• USP,
• sources (if any)
• links to pages for which text is written or an indication that the text is being written on a new page,
• keywords (if any) with frequency,
• volume and timing.
This form only at first glance seems cumbersome. For a client with whom a long systematic work is being carried out, the first two points and the USP are filled only once - when setting the task. The rest changes as the promotion strategy is adjusted.
About the USP and the target audience I would like to talk separately. Anyway, these data seriously make life easier. After all, it is one thing to write under the audience of twenty-five kart lovers and quite another to work with texts for large-scale thermal insulation buyers. And the client, like no one else, knows his audience. So, at least an approximate social-deme, you need to specify it from him.
UTP in general is an extremely necessary thing when using tactics of adjustment from competitors. So if the project owner did not even hint at the presence of USP, when writing texts, the use of the tune-up technique becomes a dreadful problem.
This 5 years ago, free delivery or the ability to pay for an order in an online store in three different ways were competitive advantages. Now we need something more to build up from thousands of similar sites and stores. Of course, you can come up with a USP independently. It happened, and more than once. But for this, the copywriter will have to “crawl” for a long time on the site (if it is, of course) in search of bits of information, of which then you have to try to “make a candy”. But it’s far from being a fact that the USP will be consistent with the customer’s idea, “dazzled” by the UTP copywriter. And it begins ... coordination, reworking, renegotiation, adjustment ... Why waste so much time if you can ask the USP at the very beginning of working with a client? Or develop it together. In the end, the UTP will be useful for the client himself, even if he will part with the web studio after some time.
')
I have my own gradation of tasks: typical (conveyor) and atypical. It was about atypical projects that at one time in my Skype there was a status: “A clear statement of the task - prompt implementation, a minimum of questions, a maximum of quality”.
The typical tasks include those for which once set requirements are relevant for a long time. For example, the textual requirements for Miralinks are extremely rare. The same applies to news and information texts for client sites with many years of cooperation. Both the manager and I know that the client wants to see on the site, so over time, the need to check with the brief once compiled disappears altogether. Such tasks are performed “on stream”, quickly, without consulting the manager, requests for additional information and approvals. Everything is clear, clear and understandable.
Non-standard tasks are those whose requirements are not clearly defined or often change. For example: "put in order the library on the site." Based on his own understanding, the employee can check spelling, punctuation and style, align the illustrations. But it turns out that it meant only to sort publications chronologically. Is it supposed to be a copywriter or a content manager telepath? I do not know how anyone, but I'm never a telepath. And as a remote worker, it is also not a telepath "deaf on both ears". Because employees working in the office, one way or another, in the course of work with the client. Let superficially, in fragments, but they have at least some information on the project. While the remote employee is in a complete information vacuum. So, for tasks that go beyond the standard “pipeline” tasks, you need the most precise TK and an elaborated coordination scheme: who rules what and who agrees with whom. The 10 minute tasks spent on detailed drawing will not be superfluous, since the answers to questions and clarifications, the remote person who does not have telepathic inclinations, will take much more time.
It takes some time to be included in the topic. Personally, depending on the project, I need from 10 to 45 minutes to catch the desired style and syllable, select information, analyze it and start working. And if today there are two information texts on one project, two press releases on another, one PR on the third and intensive correspondence with partners on the fourth, then the efficiency is noticeably reduced. Switching from project to project, from tasks of one type to tasks of another, takes certain time. Therefore, it is more convenient to group projects by type. For example, two days for “streaming” informational texts, a day for news for all client sites, a day for articles for the main ones, press releases and selling texts. We devote a couple of days to the little things that actually take a lot of time: writing letters, monitoring, reports, edits, non-standard tasks, training.
Groups of standard standard tasks, if there is a possibility and the deadlines do not burn, it is better not to dilute them with complex projects that require numerous approvals and requests for additional information. And in a situation when the eye “becomes dirty” from conveyor tasks and begins to feel nauseous, the work is worth diversifying with a task that does not require deep immersion in the topic or is just enjoyable: placing ready-made texts on the site, searching for information for publishing on social networks, filling in a photo gallery, etc.
Each of you has a favorite project, tasks that are fun, or at least like. Your remote container or copywriter also has such tasks. If not, then you either did not try to find out about it, or you asked wrong. If the employee does not have such tasks, and he didn’t have - the person, most likely, is simply out of place.
Favorite tasks become a kind of discharge in a series of projects that do not have to be creative. Such projects allow you to realize your creative potential, let off steam and feel needed. Among the projects I personally sincerely enjoy, for example, is the Bulgakov Readers Club, a non-commercial project in social networks. I usually start them a working day, for tonus. 20 minutes to "work in a rush" with Bulgakov, and already with a calm soul and a pure heart, I proceed to a series of texts about concrete and furniture.
Still, D. Carnegie was a very smart man! Literally in a few words, he formulated the basic principles of building relationships with people. Including those who work as a remote employee.
The programmer has built an elegant script that simplifies the routine work? Remote designer showed uncommon fantasy? Do not flattery and praise for each stage of the project. Three or four words of recognition of really decent quality of work, and you get an employee who is positively charged for at least a week. I do not consider myself sentimental, but I still keep the leadership letter in the archives, in which there are only 4 words: “A good text turned out, well done!” In moments of moral fatigue or when two weeks before the holidays last for a very long time, I sometimes look at it. Is invigorating.
“Show your sincere interest in others” is also Carnegie. And this principle also has a direct relationship to working with remote employees. Even ardent office opponents and notorious sociopaths, from time to time, need a sense of unity with the team. And honestly, it makes me happy when colleagues share a funny video or a link on a project topic, posting photos of their Sabantuys, holidays and picnics in the Vkontakte corporate group. Even not very, but very, very, very nice, when I receive a bouquet with a note "from colleagues from Internet Client" for my birthday from far Zelenograd. A little informal relationship rallies, solders, forms corporate loyalty.
Nothing new? For internet marketing bison and experienced web studio managers, it’s possible. After all, all these points apply to the work with office staff. However, with regard to creating a system of clear and effective work with remote employees, these principles are vital. And, perhaps, will be useful to someone from beginners.
1. Clear statement of the problem
It would seem - this is a truism, but for some reason it is often ignored. Especially often this is what the “new” promotion specialists recently joined the company: “name of the client’s site, keywords, frequency… everything”. And what do you want with this data, then do it. It is good when such a “new” gets an old and familiar project to a copywriter. And if not? In my memory over a convenient brief, we fought a couple of years. Through trial and error, we came up with about this form of problem statement for a copywriter:
• the correct name of the client (LLC Superlushchyvmire plumbing shop, combined holding “Cow”),
• the target audience,
• type of text (selling / PR / description of nosology / informational, etc.),
• appointment (for placement on a website or a third-party resource),
• USP,
• sources (if any)
• links to pages for which text is written or an indication that the text is being written on a new page,
• keywords (if any) with frequency,
• volume and timing.
This form only at first glance seems cumbersome. For a client with whom a long systematic work is being carried out, the first two points and the USP are filled only once - when setting the task. The rest changes as the promotion strategy is adjusted.
About the USP and the target audience I would like to talk separately. Anyway, these data seriously make life easier. After all, it is one thing to write under the audience of twenty-five kart lovers and quite another to work with texts for large-scale thermal insulation buyers. And the client, like no one else, knows his audience. So, at least an approximate social-deme, you need to specify it from him.
UTP in general is an extremely necessary thing when using tactics of adjustment from competitors. So if the project owner did not even hint at the presence of USP, when writing texts, the use of the tune-up technique becomes a dreadful problem.
This 5 years ago, free delivery or the ability to pay for an order in an online store in three different ways were competitive advantages. Now we need something more to build up from thousands of similar sites and stores. Of course, you can come up with a USP independently. It happened, and more than once. But for this, the copywriter will have to “crawl” for a long time on the site (if it is, of course) in search of bits of information, of which then you have to try to “make a candy”. But it’s far from being a fact that the USP will be consistent with the customer’s idea, “dazzled” by the UTP copywriter. And it begins ... coordination, reworking, renegotiation, adjustment ... Why waste so much time if you can ask the USP at the very beginning of working with a client? Or develop it together. In the end, the UTP will be useful for the client himself, even if he will part with the web studio after some time.
')
2. Clearer, clearer
I have my own gradation of tasks: typical (conveyor) and atypical. It was about atypical projects that at one time in my Skype there was a status: “A clear statement of the task - prompt implementation, a minimum of questions, a maximum of quality”.
The typical tasks include those for which once set requirements are relevant for a long time. For example, the textual requirements for Miralinks are extremely rare. The same applies to news and information texts for client sites with many years of cooperation. Both the manager and I know that the client wants to see on the site, so over time, the need to check with the brief once compiled disappears altogether. Such tasks are performed “on stream”, quickly, without consulting the manager, requests for additional information and approvals. Everything is clear, clear and understandable.
Non-standard tasks are those whose requirements are not clearly defined or often change. For example: "put in order the library on the site." Based on his own understanding, the employee can check spelling, punctuation and style, align the illustrations. But it turns out that it meant only to sort publications chronologically. Is it supposed to be a copywriter or a content manager telepath? I do not know how anyone, but I'm never a telepath. And as a remote worker, it is also not a telepath "deaf on both ears". Because employees working in the office, one way or another, in the course of work with the client. Let superficially, in fragments, but they have at least some information on the project. While the remote employee is in a complete information vacuum. So, for tasks that go beyond the standard “pipeline” tasks, you need the most precise TK and an elaborated coordination scheme: who rules what and who agrees with whom. The 10 minute tasks spent on detailed drawing will not be superfluous, since the answers to questions and clarifications, the remote person who does not have telepathic inclinations, will take much more time.
3. Group and link
It takes some time to be included in the topic. Personally, depending on the project, I need from 10 to 45 minutes to catch the desired style and syllable, select information, analyze it and start working. And if today there are two information texts on one project, two press releases on another, one PR on the third and intensive correspondence with partners on the fourth, then the efficiency is noticeably reduced. Switching from project to project, from tasks of one type to tasks of another, takes certain time. Therefore, it is more convenient to group projects by type. For example, two days for “streaming” informational texts, a day for news for all client sites, a day for articles for the main ones, press releases and selling texts. We devote a couple of days to the little things that actually take a lot of time: writing letters, monitoring, reports, edits, non-standard tasks, training.
Groups of standard standard tasks, if there is a possibility and the deadlines do not burn, it is better not to dilute them with complex projects that require numerous approvals and requests for additional information. And in a situation when the eye “becomes dirty” from conveyor tasks and begins to feel nauseous, the work is worth diversifying with a task that does not require deep immersion in the topic or is just enjoyable: placing ready-made texts on the site, searching for information for publishing on social networks, filling in a photo gallery, etc.
4. Give a person an outlet
Each of you has a favorite project, tasks that are fun, or at least like. Your remote container or copywriter also has such tasks. If not, then you either did not try to find out about it, or you asked wrong. If the employee does not have such tasks, and he didn’t have - the person, most likely, is simply out of place.
Favorite tasks become a kind of discharge in a series of projects that do not have to be creative. Such projects allow you to realize your creative potential, let off steam and feel needed. Among the projects I personally sincerely enjoy, for example, is the Bulgakov Readers Club, a non-commercial project in social networks. I usually start them a working day, for tonus. 20 minutes to "work in a rush" with Bulgakov, and already with a calm soul and a pure heart, I proceed to a series of texts about concrete and furniture.
5. Add on a pinch of interest and appreciation
Still, D. Carnegie was a very smart man! Literally in a few words, he formulated the basic principles of building relationships with people. Including those who work as a remote employee.
The programmer has built an elegant script that simplifies the routine work? Remote designer showed uncommon fantasy? Do not flattery and praise for each stage of the project. Three or four words of recognition of really decent quality of work, and you get an employee who is positively charged for at least a week. I do not consider myself sentimental, but I still keep the leadership letter in the archives, in which there are only 4 words: “A good text turned out, well done!” In moments of moral fatigue or when two weeks before the holidays last for a very long time, I sometimes look at it. Is invigorating.
“Show your sincere interest in others” is also Carnegie. And this principle also has a direct relationship to working with remote employees. Even ardent office opponents and notorious sociopaths, from time to time, need a sense of unity with the team. And honestly, it makes me happy when colleagues share a funny video or a link on a project topic, posting photos of their Sabantuys, holidays and picnics in the Vkontakte corporate group. Even not very, but very, very, very nice, when I receive a bouquet with a note "from colleagues from Internet Client" for my birthday from far Zelenograd. A little informal relationship rallies, solders, forms corporate loyalty.
Nothing new? For internet marketing bison and experienced web studio managers, it’s possible. After all, all these points apply to the work with office staff. However, with regard to creating a system of clear and effective work with remote employees, these principles are vital. And, perhaps, will be useful to someone from beginners.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/179589/
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