I fly the Stars and Stripes for you.
And I thank you.
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Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
There’s no such thing as free marketing
I attended a Meetup earlier this week entitled, Marketing Without Dollars. I went into the assemblage loaded for bear because I abhor the idea, belief or notion that marketing can be accomplished without money.
It quickly became apparent that the presenter wasn’t purporting to possess radical ideas for moving products through various channels and into the buyer’s open arms without spending a dime driving awareness and demand.
No. He stated emphatically (well, for a kind and soft-spoken man, it was meant to be emphatic) that marketing is more a mindset than a skillset…especially for small and emerging businesses. He focused primarily on image and how business people and businesses present and conduct themselves, actively and passively, throughout each and every day.
Examples:
- Swept floors and clean restrooms
- Well manicured lawns
- Company vehicles neatly aligned in the parking lot
- Precisely organized product displays
- Crisp professional company uniforms
- Courteous and attentive receptionists
- Visible and sincere participation in civic events
He categorized all of these as free marketing activities.
The presenter was really talking about image, perception and brand management. Marketing is much broader and comprised of many complex disciplines. Company culture, public perception and brand are aspects of marketing, and quite important ones at that, but few if any businesses of any size and maturity can succeed or survive by putting most of their energy into these “marketing without dollars” activities.
It’s wise to pay attention to them, though.
But are any of them really free? I say no. Do you agree?
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
You can handle the truth
Do you believe everything you read? Do you trust statistics? Do you casually accept the interpretation of surveys and those that report them as unbiased?
Me either.
Why is that? Could it be because we’ve been mislead too often; burned too many times?
I suspect so. We’ve all come to understand that individuals and groups with a particular agenda choose to dissect data or select certain portions of a study that supports their philosophy and present that information as the complete picture. Generally, what they fail to convey is the numbers are only a slice of the pie. They’ve skewed the truth in their favor.
It’s disingenuous and it fosters mistrust.
Consider the damage it does to your company and your brand when you ask a copywriter to make an unsubstantiated claim to close a gap or secure a competitive advantage. The truth will eventually emerge, and your reputation will be smeared. Customers may walk. Partners too.
So why risk your reputation? Take the high road. Win because your product or service is superior and your customer service puts your competitors to shame. You’ll protect your honor and the dignity of all, including copywriters, who are working vigorously to ensure your product and company succeeds.
Disclosure: this post was originally published on 10/20/2011
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The long and winding road to overnight success
Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Success.
Success who?
Overnight success…you started your new venture yesterday, so here I am.
No one is an overnight success.
Businesses are not an overnight success.
Success is preceded by immeasurable blood, 
Steve Martin said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
It’s sage advice for businesses as well as individuals. A relentless pursuit of excellence will get you noticed. Your verve, passion and commitment will reap rewards. Success will find you.
Just don’t expect success to find you overnight.
Monday, May 14, 2012
I will not be ignored!
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
̶ Steve Martin
This quote is making the rounds on Pinterest and blogs lately. It is attributed to the incomparable Mr. Steve Martin, actor, musician and comedian. Mr. Martin spoke these words during an interview he gave to Charlie Rose. It aired nearly four and a half years ago on December 12, 2007.
Talk about sticky, this message definitely has staying power. Perhaps Mr. Martin should have been an ad executive, or a brand manager. I have no doubt he would have been stellar in either capacity.
Mr. Martin didn’t remake himself. He made a conscious career and life decision to not be a one trick pony. So he committed himself to the things he loved, worked very hard and honed his skills. Mr. Martin’s work ethic paved the path to his success.
He became so good as a comic, actor and musician, that they simply couldn’t ignore him.
We all should be able to do the same with at least one professional pursuit. Agreed?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Scoreboard!...no wait…word!…wait…forget it
I’ve never been hip to slang, street language, urban speak or other forms of non-standard language. Words from those worlds that were mainstreamed eluded me.
Example: for the longest time, I didn’t fully grasp the meaning of scoreboard! Friends used it in a vain attempt to end an argument.
“Scoreboard!” one would shout.
“Huh? What does a scoreboard have to do with a disagreement over who is the greatest rock-n-roll guitarist,” I thought to myself.
The verbal sparring continued, so my question was never answered for me.
I sort of figured it out in recent years on the softball field when opponents full of attitude would be chirping at us about their superiority while we piled on the runs. My guys didn’t jaw with them, but in the dugout I’d hear scoreboard spoken softly amongst the team.
We had substantially more runs. The team that scores the most runs wins. That’s a fact. Numbers on the scoreboard are cold hard facts. They represent the truth.
Word!
I speak the truth.
From Urban Dictionary:
"Word" is the shortened form of the phrase: "my word is my bond" which was originated by inmates in U.S. prisons. The longer phrase was shortened to "word is bond" before becoming "word," which is most commonly used. It basically means "truth." Or "to speak the truth."
And no, I didn’t understand what the heck people meant when the exclaimed “Word!”
It will be a sign of the apocalypse when I see “Scoreboard!” or “Word!” in business communications.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
My word, who needs the aggravation
A favorite online reference of mine is dictionary.com. I use it frequently for this blog and when I come across unfamiliar words during my online reading.
Hey, it happens.
A feature on the site is Word of the Day. For the most part, I’ve ignored it. Why? So many of the words are quite obscure, which means I’ll rarely have occasion to use them. That’s aggravating, and I don’t need more aggravation in my life.
I felt out of character today, so I glanced at the Word of the Day – obtest – and was immediately stumped. I’ve never seen the word in textbooks, articles, editorials, periodicals, novels and others reading materials, nor have I heard it uttered in any context.
Have you?
The definition
obtest \ ob-TEST \ , verb;
- To supplicate earnestly; beseech.
- To invoke as witness.
- To protest.
- To make supplication; beseech.
Quite frankly, the first definition confuses me. Supplicate means to humbly entreat, petition or request; beseech conveys a sense of urgency. I think the tone of voice when one supplicates would be much more demure and deferential than when one urgently beseeches, which hints at subtle manipulation to bend another’s will in one’s favor.
Today I learned a word that confuses me. A word that confuses me is unusable. So much for avoiding more aggravation in my life.
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