July 3, 2009

You feel a little jittery. Is it the presentation? Or the pot of coffee you drank this morning while rehearsing? You gather your laptop and index cards and head to the conference room.

This is the big day. You've been working on the plan for weeks now. You're ready. It's time to present your big ideas for the Summer 2010 plan.

June 26, 2009

This week we lost three icons: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and yesterday, shocking news of the passing of Michael Jackson. Without straying from the topic of this site, a tribute... Key lessons of branding, featuring Michael Jackson song titles.

June 19, 2009

If you were to put a few talented musicians or skilled screenwriters into a room and mandated them to write a Grammy-winning song or Oscar-winning blockbuster, could they do it?

June 12, 2009

The meal was delicious, but the service was slow. The hotel was comfortable, but the air conditioner was loud when it kicked on during the night. The iPhone is handy but why can't you cut-and-paste text? I prefer that Starbucks because the staff is friendlier.

June 5, 2009

Remember how green you felt interviewing for your current job? All the grand ideas you had for the company and your role? Remember how you were excited, yet intimidated by what was to come?

You were a newbie.

May 29, 2009

It is nice to hear rumblings of the recession coming to an end, but we're not yet in a "Take This Job And Shove It" economy.

May 22, 2009

"The only way to please people who expect it all is to give them what they don't expect. When they least expect it." That is...Surprise them.

May 8, 2009

"Shouting is not necessarily about making you heard. It's about making you interesting. And getting you noticed." This quote is by Andy Nulman, and found in his book "Pow! Right Between The Eyes" - the book about surprise marketing.

May 1, 2009

Wednesday marked the 100th day President Obama has been in the White House.

It has become media tradition to report on the president's progress to date, first impressions, and how well he has kept to his campaign promises.

Obama shared he is "proud of what we've achieved, but not content."

April 24, 2009

In the early days of navigation, when crafting maps, mapmakers would draw dragons in the areas of uncharted waters. The dragons represented the gaps of knowledge. No one knew what was there.

April 17, 2009

To what extent should a company react to the poor economic condition in order to stay relevant to their customers? Alter messaging? Create new products? Adapt the brand?

April 10, 2009

The statement "Sell the benefit, not the feature" may be found within the first five pages of most Marketing 101 books.

However this advice is misleading, customers don't purchase because of the benefits. They buy because the benefit of the benefit.

April 3, 2009

I have a story for you...

An architect built a cluster of office buildings around a central green. When construction was completed, the landscape crew asked him where he wanted the sidewalks.

"Just plant the grass solidly between the buildings," was his reply.

March 27, 2009

It's Spring Break season. Road trip season! Did you ever take road trips while in school or with your family when growing up? Planning and figuring out how to get there was part of the fun of the experience.

March 13, 2009

Cold gray morning. Business man exits his condo finding his car buried in last night's ice and snow. He uses his briefcase and keycard to extract his car from its frosty shell. He clears off only the critical parts - windows, lights, and windshield wipers. He struggles to stay warm and keep his footing on the slippery ground.

March 6, 2009

Power. [check]
Altitude. [check]
Attitude. [a-okay]

As part of the flight routine, aircraft pilots constantly scan and adjust. They scan across their cockpit gauges, assess their attitude, and make any necessary adjustments.

February 27, 2009

As marketers and business owners - during this time when it feels things are looking down, rather than up - it's time for a boost. When Walt Disney was dreaming-up and planning Disneyland, (a pretty impossible feat at the time) those working with him knew "no" and "it can't be done" were never words what Walt wanted to hear.

February 20, 2009

If the secret of becoming big and successful meant staying small, would you stay small? Making a company bigger has a way of changing a company for the worse. There are few experienced-based retail brands that have successfully gone from small to big without losing their brand identity and specialness.

February 13, 2009

In my last Daily Fix post I asked for your advice to help my struggling Lemonade Stand. The recession is affecting business the way it has many... less customer traffic, less sales, and higher costs. Keeping complexity low, I based the problem on a kid-run business. However, the quality of the advice is high. Your response has been a slew of great advice, suggestions ranging from conservative to far out.

January 30, 2009

The economy is affecting my business.

Kids say I make the best lemonade in the neighborhood. My ingredients are: fresh hand-squeezed lemons, real sugar, filtered water, and ice cubes. I charge a premium, 25-cents. My lemonade stand is known for the best-tasting lemonade - fresh squeezed when you order it.

January 23, 2009

It is vexing, despite the fact that change constantly takes place it can still throw us off-kilter. It seems particularly evident now with constant changes in the economy, with prices, at our jobs... Not to mention a major shift in our government. Most business books that refer to change management teach you how to bring about change, not how to cope with change put upon you. So what can we do to not let change get the best of us?

January 16, 2009

Back in the day, while working in marketing at Starbucks Coffee Company, I remember a phase where nearly every product manager wanted a brochure printed and put in the brochure rack to promote their product. There were (and still are) only a few places where signage and communications can live within a Starbucks. You've got a few poster frames, the large banner, a sign or two at the registers and a perhaps a sign at the condiment bar (where you add milk and sugar to your coffee). For whatever reason, an additional space that became the "hotspot" for communication was the brochure rack...

January 9, 2009

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning to sail my own ship."

I found that quote last week, and it reinforced thinking I've had about operating a business during a poor economy.

January 2, 2009

Happy New Year! It's resolution season. How do you avoid the let-down of resolutions earnestly created in January that may not last until February? Instead of setting resolutions, I recommend a simple life philosophy that will stick. Comp Yourself.

December 19, 2008

Times can get very tense... All around you, greed is taking place... You're simply trying to pay the mortgage, make the tax payments, and hope to receive enough income from your investments and rental property. Life in America in the 21st century? I'm actually talking about the board game, Monopoly.

December 12, 2008

During a time when customers are asking themselves, "Do I need to spend this much on that?" Companies, across the board, are turning to discounting attract customer traffic. While it seems discounting has become a pre-requisite to drive sales this Christmas season, I can't help but wonder long term scars will be created on companies and brands?

December 5, 2008

How many brainstorming sessions, filled with potentially brilliant ideas, have ended up as rolled up flip charts under someone's desk?

The challenge is taking ideas to a next step post-brainstorming can be a challenge.

When I get near the end of the brainstorming process with my clients, I use a simple filtering process that ideas from mere concept to near ready to implement.

Here's how it works...

November 28, 2008

Today is "Black Friday," the beginning of the American Christmas shopping season, and one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year.

November 21, 2008

Ever heard of Orienteering? Orienteering is an outdoor sport where you have to figure out where to go based on figuring out where you are. Running a business in today is a lot like Orienteering. I figure there are Orienteering lessons we can apply to Marketeering. Here's what I found...

November 14, 2008

How would you like to drive sales 45% and achieve an all-time company high in product sales? And at the same time, create word of mouth about your product and make customers feel a connection with your brand? Sound too good to be true?

November 7, 2008

Solving problems is what we marketers do. Whether it's figuring out how to request an increase to your marketing budget in FY'09, or coming up with the best way for a client to connect with customers... It's all about figuring out how to get from "here" to "there."

November 3, 2008

I often write in this space about problem-solving techniques. I plan to do so today as well, but with a different spin. When organizing a brainstorm or problem solving session, I always recommend taking great care when selecting the team of participants. Here are some tips...

October 31, 2008

Many activities in life require proper authorization and documentation. Driving a car requires a license. Visiting foreign countries requires a passport. But what about using your imagination or fostering innovation? For that you need a Creative License.

October 17, 2008

While not a car expert, I do understand that the engine's air filter serves a critical function. It prevents debris, dirt, and dust from getting inside your engine. Without a filter, your engine gets clogged, engine performance is diminished, and it takes more fuel to power it.

October 10, 2008

When times are bad the future is uncertain. But, quite honestly, when times are good the future is *just* as uncertain. The only way to predict the future is to create the future.

Here's how...

October 3, 2008

Often we treat our brands like the way Ron Popeil designed his Ronco Showtime Rotisserie & Barbecue, you can "Set It and Forget It." However, managing your brand is more like space travel. How so?

September 19, 2008

Have you ever had "thinker's block"?

It's a problem similar to writer's block, but instead of words, you're stumped for ideas.

In this scoop of Sand for Your Inbox, I offer you a technique to get your ideas flowing.

September 12, 2008

Does growth doom a company?

What takes place with size that shifts perception of a company from delightful to dull? While scarce meant special, does big have to be banal?

August 22, 2008

Last month I was hungry when the plane landed in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. I decided to get a bite to eat at the fast food restaurant Burger King. Removing my Whopper, fries, and Coke from the tray revealed very non-traditional tray liner artwork... a scene from the Veg City Airport. Veg City is where the Burger King vegetables live... Live it up, actually.

August 15, 2008

If your business has experienced a drop in traffic or sales, you may be considering offering discounts to your customers. Sales. Discounts. Markdowns. Perhaps even "Markdown Madness"...?

August 8, 2008

I'm sitting at the swimming pool, jotting notes from the day's events. It is near closing time. The lifeguard skimmed out stray leaves, checked and emptied the filters, and is now examining water samples to measure the pool chemicals.

August 1, 2008

Starbucks Coffee Company has experienced a business earthquake. What we are reading in the headlines now - store closures and layoffs - represent the aftermath and clean-up efforts.

July 25, 2008

Marketing can seem overwhelming with an inventory of innumerable components. Changes constantly take place with consumers and in the marketplace. And, most of us work in at companies where changes regularly take place within the organization.

July 18, 2008

Last month there was a live music performance - the Spiegel Concert - on the canals in Amsterdam. Events like this happen quite often. The city blocks off streets and people head to the area by bike, foot, and boat. They bring chairs, wine and beer and enjoy the show.

July 3, 2008

Not just different, but dramatically different is what Doug Hall prescribes...

June 20, 2008

The crux of Guy Kawasaki's book "The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything" is about turning ideas into action! In chapter 9, "The Art of Branding," Guy offers advice on how to create a remarkable product or brand.

June 12, 2008

In the previous post in this DailyFix series I share Seth Godin's idea of creating a Purple Cow, he provides more detail about how to create a purple cow in his book "Free Prize Inside" and an expanded explanation of remarkability...

June 6, 2008

How do you break your company or product away from the pack of sameness? You're probably in a business where it can be difficult for customers to distinguish the difference between your products/services and those of your competition. So, how do you stand apart from the crowd? Tom Peters in his book The Pursuit of Wow! suggests... well... creating Wow!

May 30, 2008

In their book "Why Johnny Can't Brand: Rediscovering the Lost Art of the Big Idea" Bill Schley and Carl Nichols Jr. share their idea of the dominant selling idea (DSI) and how to create a #1 brand. While you may be familiar with product differentiation these fellas talk about both product and brand differentiation.

May 23, 2008

You probably know Marty from his book "The Brand Gap." His most recent book "Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands" talks about and teaches us how to create and harness the power of differentiation in a cluttered marketplace.

May 16, 2008

Seth Godin points out in his book "Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable" that... "In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible." What stands out more in a field of average cows than a purple cow?

May 9, 2008

Problems. Challenges. Opportunities. Whatever you call them at your company, we want them fixed.

Our gut reaction is - come hell or high water - to find a solution. However, there are times when there is no fix. You're stuck with it.

May 2, 2008

There's a great quote in Roger von Oech's book, "A Whack on the Side of the Head" that reads as follows...

April 25, 2008

As marketers, in addition to developing strategy, we also spend quite a bit of time managing strategy - activities and tasks that form our marketing programs. While it's relatively easy to make lists for tracking tasks and projects, I have never found a quick and easy way to sort out the scores of items into a prioritized and ordered list. Until now.

April 18, 2008

What's a brand? It's not very tangible. It's more like a feeling than a thing. While it may be managed by you or someone at your organization, it is really outward perception that defines your brand. Furthermore, even if you truly have the best brand in the world, if people don't feel that way, you don't.

April 11, 2008

When looking for good ideas about customer service, ask around. Exceptional services experiences are rarely forgotten and something we all experience. I'm spending time this week with my parents, and in asking them about any remarkable ideas they could think of... offered these two great examples...

April 4, 2008

When is the last time you attended the grand opening of something? Or waited in line to be the first to buy something? (Save for the occasional opening-weekend movie or hot concert tickets) So, why do we think potential customers are going to flock to our new product launch, service launch, or retail store grand opening?

March 28, 2008

It's a phenomenon and seems inevitable. A story played time and time again. A small business is built, grows with wild success, and then loses its tarnish. Every big business we consider bad was once a Mom and Pop.

March 14, 2008

As my high school history teacher Tom "Moto" Pile used to challenge we students: He used to goad...

Do you have what it takes? Do you have mox....ie?!
Are you gonna suck it up, or are you too laz...y!?
You gotta have gump...tion! You gotta want it!

March 7, 2008

Have you seen the mini-booklet print ad introducing the new Mini Cooper Clubman? The booklet add entitled the "Book of ZUG" they neatly summarizes remarkability, while introducing Mini Cooper's new vehicle.

February 29, 2008

How often do we say "Geez, if I only had an extra day?" or "I wish I had just a little more time." Well, today February 29, 2008 is that day. Today is going to afford each of us a bonus 24 extra hours. That'll give us just over 27 more minutes each week than we had this year.

February 22, 2008

You're nearly ready for next week's problem solving session... Problem clearly defined and the objectives of the day outlined? Check. Silly-Puddy, Play-Doh, and Slinkys? Check. Flip charts, colored markers, Post-It notes? Check.

February 15, 2008

Many of us have been waiting for the right moment. The right moment to... ask the boss for a raise; find a job that's more satisfying; pitch your new product idea; propose; start writing your book; launch your own blog; suggest that better way of doing things.

So we wait. We wait until the time is right.

February 8, 2008

"If you can successfully promote sloppy joe sandwiches you can do marketing for anything!" That was my motto, early in my career, as marketing director for a food service company. We were hired to manage the school district's food program. The school district could then focus on teaching children.

February 1, 2008

The foundation of managing an innovative (company, brand, product, service, or individual) involves constantly monitoring and maintaining awareness of your broader environment - the big picture. On a regular basis, look away from the minutia found in the microscope of your day-to-day operations and use a telescope to see the horizons of what's taking place around you. Here is an incomplete* list of (mostly free) companies, articles, books and websites that provide trend-related resources from consumer spending reports to reviews of prototype gadgets...

January 25, 2008

The dusty adage "Jack of all trades, master of none" is defined as... "A person who can do many different types of work but who is not necessarily very competent at any of them." So we work to be a master. That sums up our basic evaluation system. Our job performance is based on meeting or exceeding the expertise outlined for our role. Human resource teams look for the perfect fit. So, we become experts.

January 18, 2008

Are you trying to figure out what to do with your brand? What your company should be when it grows up? How about a step-by-step plan that will let you get in the driver's seat of your company and do the things you're most passionate about?

January 11, 2008

Time management optimization... I'm always looking for different and effective ways to enhance time management. I've learned better managing what you have to do frees you up for what you want to do. I've bumped into a novel approach to day management that you may want to try out.

January 4, 2008

You know that swift glide-y feeling you get when you walk on an escalator. You're moving faster than you normally would with the same effort. That's the feeling we all want when we work. Instead, it often feels more like running in an exercise wheel. We spend lots of energy and break a sweat; we are working hard. However, when we exit the wheel at the end of the day, we find ourselves in the same place we started.

December 21, 2007

Christmas is a brand hand-crafted by and for the people. It is a diverse stew of traditions... many of which are thousands of years old... while others surprisingly quite contemporary. Did you know there are a slew of Christmas traditions invented and/or made popular by marketers?

December 14, 2007

"What a scam!" I thought while drying myself off with the hotel towel. I reached over and read the card the hotel left in the basket among the soaps and slew of mini-shampoo bottles.

December 7, 2007

Successfully doing something that has never been done before (innovating) is sort of like shooting an arrow at a target while blindfolded. You know where you want to go but until you draw back on the bow string and launch, you can't be certain where the arrow will land.

November 30, 2007

There is a lot of hubbub right now surrounding Starbucks. Specifically their breakout decision to pursue TV advertising this holiday season. As a brand known for approaching marketing in non-traditional ways, this drastic traditional move has armchair marketers swarming. Cause and Effect is when one thing (A), gives rise to an action (B).

November 19, 2007

China wants to ensure rain storms take place where and when they want them to... That does NOT include the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. So, the Weather Modification Department in China is seeding approaching clouds with activators to induce rain storms outside the National Stadium. Over the past 12 years of testing they've increased rain storms by 24%. Not bad.

November 9, 2007

When I was a kid, I had a book filled with facts and trivia about science, nature, humans, inventions and more. It was printed on rough newsprint paper and was as thick as a phonebook. One of the entries that I often recall asked (and answered) the question:

What is a Ghoti?

November 2, 2007

There is an agricultural practice farmers use called "fallow field farming." It is the method of planting nothing at all to allow fields time to replenish, rejuvenate, and regain fertility. I got to thinking... this practice of waiting a season to allow for replenishment is exactly what some businesses could use...

October 29, 2007

You should be in business for yourself. We all should. I don't mean quit your job and form a new company. I mean right now - at the job you are in - you should be in business for yourself.

October 19, 2007

I was enjoying a tasty sandwich in a Quizno's this week and spotted among the required permits, license, and a thank you letter from a local charity, an award stating...

October 12, 2007

When you first discover you have a problem or challenge, before searching solutions... be sure you're about to fix the right thing. Who has the time, energy, or money to fix something that isn't broken? But, how do you determine what the true problem is?

October 5, 2007

"How do we define service at this company?" If you were to send that question in an e-mail to the person responsible for operations, the person responsible for hiring, the person responsible for marketing, the person responsible for sales, the head of your company, and a front-line employee (assuming these aren't all the same person)... would they all respond with the same answer? Same words?

September 28, 2007

When it comes to curiosity and creative problem solving, kids have the process down pat. They are expert problem solvers. (Only a kid can transform an over-sized box into a lunar lander!) Having this imagination around the office can be pretty handy. But how can you make this happen without breaking child labor laws or getting into trouble with school truancy officers? Bring your Inner Child to work...

September 21, 2007

Wouldn't it be great if there were a build-a-brand kit that provided all the pieces necessary to construct the perfect business?

September 7, 2007

So you are...

• ...A marketer.
  
• ...A sales person.
  
• ...A blogger.
  
• ...A [_ _ _ _ _ _ _].

But is that settling?

August 31, 2007

The month of September (especially Labor Day weekend in the US) signals the transition from summer, to hunkering down at school and work. Our goal? Return with renewed energy and to be more productive than ever. THE key to productivity is an organized approach* to getting things done. I have recently discovered one of the simplest systems: The Action Method developed by Behance.

August 24, 2007

Huh? Am I asking you are from Belgium? Or have a cold... phlegmish? No. No. Do you flemish? To "flemish" is to coil the loose end of the lines* (ropes) used when boating.

August 17, 2007

Last week I shared a decision making method that utilized a two-by-two diagram to rank/filter ideas using two key parameters. While the method received positive feedback (thank you for the discussion), you asked what to use when you need to rank/filter ideas that involve more than just two parameters.

August 10, 2007

Some call it a matrix, others a two-by-two diagram. I call 'em awesome.

Two-by-twos allow you to plot complex information in a matter that allows you not only to see the relationship between two things, but also to make better judgments and decisions. I often use these during brainstorming sessions with clients as a way to filter our stacks of great ideas to the fewer, bigger, and better solutions.

July 19, 2007

You want to read marketing information that helps you. I want to provide you with that very stuff. Let's make a deal... if you let me know what you're looking for... I will do my best to provide it for you!

July 13, 2007

I love tools that are simple to use, easy to learn, but offer profound impact. The performance chart is one of those tools. They consists of a group of continua (left-to-right axis) where you plot "where you are" versus "where you want to be."

July 6, 2007

When faced with a challenge you need help to resolve, consult your board of directors. No, not your corporate governance... your Imaginary Board of Directors - your iBoard of Directors.

June 29, 2007

As marketers and business people, our time is spent coming up with creative ideas, problem solving, and decision making. With focus, concentration and inspiration, we are better and faster at these applied thinking skills.

June 22, 2007

Innovative ideas - the kind that can transform your company - are inadvertently being demolished. When first presented, many ideas meet wrecking-ball comments such as...

• "How's that going to work?"
  
• "Good luck getting that done!"
  
• "We don't have time for something like that." And the classic,
  
• "Doesn't work... Trust me... We tried that years ago."

June 14, 2007

The first and best tip I can offer to anyone wanting to be more creative and innovative is to start carrying and Idea Journal... Something to write your ideas on 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

June 6, 2007

We marketers are problem solvers. Our role is to support companies, clients, and customers by solving their business problems. We're asked to help drive sales, increase traffic and build awareness.