Bio: Paul Williams
Hi there!
I'm Paul Williams... guest writer on Daily Fix and founder of Idea Sandbox.
I'm a professional problem solver. Through brainstorm facilitation I help people create remarkable ideas to grow their business. As one client put it, “Idea Sandbox turns brains into idea machines.”
Prior to launching Idea Sandbox in 2005, I spent 15 years building marketing, branding, and customer-experience strategy for The Disney Company, the Aramark Corporation, and Starbucks Coffee Company.
I founded Idea Sandbox driven by my passion to help others create remarkable ideas. I blend the skills and lessons I have learned to build a sandbox---an idea sandbox.
You can reach me on Twitter via @IdeaSandbox.
Through Idea Sandbox, I have helped solve challenges, grow brands, think-up remarkable ideas, and create innovation for companies including: Starbucks Coffee Company, Starbucks Coffee International, Panera Bread Company, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Woodhouse Day Spas, The Microsoft Corporation, and Wells Fargo Mortgage.
I am a writer, speaker, columnist, and brainstormer living just outside Washington DC, in Alexandria, Virginia.
If you like what you've read here, you can find more of my thoughts at my Idea Sandbox blog.
I always welcome comments and reactions to what I've written. I'm on Twitter: @IdeaSandbox
Nice to meet you,
Paul
Posts by Paul Williams:
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How To Build a Brand Internationally,
05 Feb 2010 in Branding& Featured Posts& Headline& Marketing Strategy
Congratulations! Your company is successful locally, and now you want to share what you do with the world. In many ways, the process will be like re-starting your business. Many of the activities you performed to launch your initial business are the…
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The Store Tour Con,
29 Jan 2010 in Customer Relationships& Featured Posts& Headline& Marketing Leadership
URGENT MESSAGE: Boss is in market visiting stores. At ours now. Could be headed anywhere within the district. Be prepared!
It is one of the oldest tricks in the book. And, from what I can tell, happens in nearly every business.
Word gets ou…
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Tactic Lust,
22 Jan 2010 in Featured Posts& Headline& Marketing& Marketing Strategy& Planning and Measurement
We’ve all experienced it. Perhaps you’ve even felt it yourself.
You learn of a new marketing tactic – and you just gotta have it… you gotta do it. Your factory needs to be on Facebook. Your team needs to tweet.
Alas, sometimes love can be bli…
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Exclusive Story: Behind The Mini Cooper Christmas Box Ads,
18 Jan 2010 in Advertising& Branding& Featured Posts& Headline& Marketing
Last week I shared with you the brilliant, out-of-the-box, advertising tactic by Amsterdam-based UbachsWisbrun/JWT agency. The work was to promote the Mini Cooper car for their client BMW/Mini Amsterdam. You and I had questions about the tactic….
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Mini Cooper Ad Fires On All Cylinders,
08 Jan 2010 in Headline
Great advertising is extremely challenging to create. An ad or promotion needs to do many things for it to stand out among the clutter of messages. They need to…
Be Attention Getting
Have a Clear, Memorable Message
Be Brand Appropriate
Be… -
Delight Your Customers: Be a Sock-Knocker-Offer,
18 Dec 2009 in Featured Posts
Have you ever wished someone… Or perhaps someone has offered you the words of encouragement… “Knock their socks off!”
It means to wow or amaze someone. To go beyond what is expected.
The saying originates from boxing – when you bop your opponent … -
The Coffeehouse That Fired Customers,
11 Dec 2009 in Featured Posts
You can fire underperforming employees. As a customer, you can quit giving business to a vendor. But, is there a time when a business should fire customers?…
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Free Tool For Making Better Decisions,
04 Dec 2009 in Featured Posts
It is great to have so many choices in life… from what to be when you grow up to what cereal to buy for breakfast… lots of choices.
The drawback is that so many options can make decision making confusing, sometimes leading to ‘bad decisions.’…
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Three Ps For Better Leading: Pace, Process, Pulse,
20 Nov 2009 in Featured Posts
One of the characteristics of a great leader–no matter whether that leader is a person, a brand, or a company – is the ability to stay “tuned-in” to the needs of their audience. Are they still “with” you? Do they get where you’re going? Do they…
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Off-Site Meetings: Last Century Technology,
13 Nov 2009 in Featured Posts
Did use an abacus or slide rule to build your FY’10 budgets?
To prepare and distribute information about next year’s Marketing Plan did you use a typewriter and make a duplicate with a layer of ink paper?
Or did you hand crank copies on a Ditto (or V…
