I fly the Stars and Stripes for you.
And I thank you.
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Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Monday, May 28, 2012
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, April 27, 2012
Give your personal brand a purpose
Whether or not you believe in the concept of personal branding, the value of the discussion it has garnered is indisputable. Much of the advice of late is on the importance of finding a meaningful way to distinguish yourself by bringing your talents and passions to a cause that aligns with your values.
In a Forbes article this week, Dorie Clark, CEO of Clark Strategic Communications and the author of the forthcoming book Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future, stated that
“..the true secret of leveraging your personal brand is to ensure it’s not just about you and your ambitions, but the value you can bring to the world.”
We want our corporate and product brands to contribute to the quality of life and help make the world a better place. Should we expect anything less of ourselves?
Find your purpose and make your personal brand stand for something more than professional status.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Build personal brand cache through actions, not words
Let your actions speak for your personal brand.
Actions like:
- performing pro bono work for your favorite charity
- serving on a committee at your local school
- writing a professional paper
- mentoring a new employee
- leading a green initiative at work
- rescuing cats or dogs
- foster parenting
- opening your home to disaster victims
- organizing a blood drive and donating blood
- visiting the senior citizen center
- working at the polls
all speak volumes about your character, your passion and your heart. Not only will any of these types of actions enhance people’s respect and admiration for you; they will set a powerful example for your children and their generation of up-and-coming citizens of the world.
Make your personal brand stand for something more than professional status.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Hear ye! Hear ye! Come one, come all
What is the most important skill for a copywriter to possess? Sweet writing skills are obvious, and they are certainly near the top of the list. A strong command of the language is paramount. A broad vocabulary is advantageous. Yet all of these fall behind the skill nestled in the number one spot.
The best copywriters are superb listeners.
What say you?
In order to craft the brand narrative, it is imperative that the writer hears how the stewards of the brand express their passions for the company or product. As I wrote in yesterday’s post, the copywriter must probe for insight into the character of the company, it values, and how employees express their views and passions. Within their answers will be the key messages and differentiators that help you craft the brand message.
To elicit the insights a copywriter seeks, she or he needs to be a smart interviewer and ask open-ended questions:
- Why are they believers in the brand?
- How did they make believers out of their first customers?
- What were their early challenges?
- How did they slog it out with their competitors?
- Why did (and do) they win?
- Why are they excited to come to work every day?
- What are their aspirations for the brand and their association with the brand?
What was heard
A careful listener will recognize common themes in the answers given by employees and executives. The adroit copywriter will transform these gems into the brand messages that attract customers and strengthen bonds.
Listen. Learn. Cogitate. Create.
And from there the story will unfold. It will inspire. It will motivate. It will set the brand apart.
del.icio.us Tags: brand,brand values,value proposition,unique selling proposition,positioning statement,key messages,slogan,content,content marketing,company story,small business,entrepreneurs,differentiate,focus,strategy,conventional wisdom,word choice,written word,brand communication,blogs,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogger
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
There’s a story in there somewhere
Every small business has a story to tell.
Somewhere within the inspiration that lead to creating a business is the message that embodies the company’s value proposition and differentiation. It is incumbent upon the marketing copywriter to extract that information to serve as the basis for a communications strategy.
Keep asking questions. Dig for details. Draw out the tales from the early days as the company was formed. Within these narratives are nuggets of gold. The savvy copywriter will recognize a unique selling proposition, a positioning statement, key messages and possibly even a slogan.
Listen. Learn. Cogitate. Create.
The content the copywriter crafts will be original, genuine and a mirror characterization of the small business owner’s vision and values when she or he opened the doors and served the first customer.
And from there the story will unfold. It will inspire. It will motivate. It will set the company apart.
del.icio.us Tags: company vision,mission statement,company values,value proposition,unique selling proposition,positioning statement,key messages,slogan,content,content marketing,company story,small business,entrepreneurs,differentiate,focus,strategy,conventional wisdom,word choice,written word,brand communication,blogs,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogger
Monday, April 16, 2012
Have it your way Burger King
Something is fundamentally wrong at Burger King. For nearly as long as I can remember, they have failed to figure out what makes them special. They started out strong with their charbroiled, never fried and have it your way differentiation and messaging, but they eventually lost their way.
McDonald’s cast a long shadow and Burger King remains hidden in the dim. They’re so hopelessly lost that it seems they’re doomed to follow the path of the chain with the big red shoes.
This “Me too” approach continues to fail as a marketing strategy for Burger King.
Follow the leader
In their latest incarnation, the fast food chain has expanded their menu adding salads, chicken snack wraps, smoothies and frappes to their offerings.
Gee, doesn’t this seem familiar? Oh yea, McDonald’s has salads (2003), snack wraps (2006) and smoothies (2010) on their menu.
How impassioned.
How pathetic. Burger King lacks vision and a culture of innovation. Seemingly, everything they do mimics their arch-rival and trails them by many months or years.
The consequences? Consumers flock to the original and other options and Burger King continues its slow slide into oblivion. The chain is now #3 in the United States behind McDonald’s and Wendy’s.
Be a leader
There’s a lesson here for entrepreneurs and small business owners. You must establish your own identity and be able to clearly differentiate from your rivals. Consumers prefer leaders. If you aren’t the market leader, then you need to focus on a segment and position yourself in some way that gives you an advantage.
For example, if you are in the hyper-crowded automotive parts supply business, you can define a strategy of specialization in a segment that is underserved. Let’s assume it’s European models or you can go even narrower and offer parts for German cars only. You can then hone your positioning and messaging as the
- only
- leading
- largest
- most knowledgeable
- genuine OEM
European or German auto parts supplier in the area. And your marketing, messaging and personality can boast your unique leadership position.
Protect your lead
But you can never rest on your laurels. You must continue to advance your knowledge, enhance your experience, add more European or German products and services and keep reminding the market you’re the best in your segment.
Create. Differentiate. Elevate.
Or follow Burger King’s example and slide into oblivion. It’s your choice. Have it your way.
~~~~~
SIDEBAR 1: Al Ries does a thorough job breaking down the many failures of Burger King’s current direction in his column in today’s online edition of Ad Age.
SIDEBAR 2: The fast food restaurant chain’s new slogan is "Exciting things are happening at Burger King."
Wow, I’m inspired.
del.icio.us Tags: Burger King,new slogan,new menu,category leader,market leader,small business,entrepreneurs,differentiate,focus,strategy,conventional wisdom,word choice,written word,brand communication,blogs,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogger
Thursday, March 29, 2012
I’ll lend you my ear synonym girl
Words escape me.
It happens to us all from time-to-time. Some people can quickly think their way to the right phrase or word choice, adeptly filling the void with a quip or reference that keeps the listeners engaged.
I’m not one of them – yet.
Say what I mean
Grasping for words is more likely to occur for me when conversing. I suspect it is caused by flawed pacing and a bit of anxiety. Slowing down and being more deliberate in my oral delivery is a technique I am implementing to moderate success.
It’s definitely a growth area for me.
Write what I mean
As a writer, when I am searching for the perfect word to accentuate a concept or drive a point home, I comb all corners of my brain. On occasion I do come up empty or unsatisfied. It is at these times that I turn to my synonym girl.
She is the word queen and she never fails me. She is always waiting in the wings, prepared to aid me. She speaks to me in terms I understand, imparting words I can use.
My synonym girl and me, our relationship goes way back. Earlier this year I gave her props in a post. It was small gesture. But words alone don’t do her justice, although my synonym girl seems satisfied with words alone.
Ironic, isn’t it?
Know what I mean
If only a device for the ear canal could be developed that digitally stored all of the 
wise words of my synonym girl. She’d listen to me speak and when I was in need of a particular word, she’d whisper the top two or three options to me.
This device would give a whole new meaning to a voice in my ear. Words might never escape me again.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Word games people play
Authentic.
It’s another term bandied about in business and marketing so much that it is now diluted and has lost much of its impact. That’s sad because it’s a cool word. I like saying it and I like what it means and the values it represents.
The first syllable hints at how others view someone who is authentic: with awe.
Yet today, the more I hear brand stewards talk about authentic engagement with the products and services, the more my gag reflex kicks in.
Sick from overuse
If authentic has not found its way to a Buzzword Bingo card near yet, it’s only a matter of time.
The nominations for placement on the 2013 “List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness” are probably pouring in in greater numbers with each passing week.
au·then·tic [aw-then-tik] adjective
- not false or copied; genuine; real: an authentic antique.
- having the origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated; verified: an authentic document of the Middle Ages; an authentic work of the old master.
- entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience; reliable; trustworthy
Authenticity personified
To be authentic is to be true and honest; to be yourself. It’s pretty straightforward. When I interact with an individual, I want the genuine Jane or Joe. The same is true with companies and brands. Much like we felt about our peers back in high school, there’s nothing I dislike more than someone who is two-faced.
Don’t tell me you’re authentic. I’ll figure that out rapidly through observation and interaction. Actions do speak much louder than words. My advice:
Be true. Be you.™
Friday, March 23, 2012
Give me a break…
What an exhilarating and exhausting Friday.
This morning, I had a meeting that challenged me intellectually.
This evening, I watched my Ohio Bobcats lose a thriller to the #1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels in overtime.
I don’t know which one frayed my nerves more.
Thank goodness for the weekend.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Not all brands belong in the Super Bowl
It’s like the crescendo that didn’t happen. You’re watching the Super Bowl and a commercial break begins. An inspiring and audacious 60-second car commercial is followed by an instant classic 30-second beer commercial that’s followed by something that can only be described as a 30-second dud. No one knows the advertiser and no one remembers the advertiser. The commercial just sucked the air out of the room.
It’s a head scratcher
Year after year, you can count on at least one Super Bowl commercial that’s anything but super. A company decides to raid the party and try to make a name for themselves. Unfortunately, those who recall their name the morning after, wish they didn’t.
Some brands are ill-suited for the big stage.
It’s not their time. It’s not their audience. Their product or service is too niche, too specialized and not appropriate for the Super Bowl.
It’s an ego trip
Advertising during the Super Bowl should be part of a vision and clear-cut strategy. Newcomers to the Super Bowl stage need to check their ego at the door and make certain they are paying to promote their brand on one of professional sport’s biggest platforms because it is without question the next logical step for the business. The rationale must be bullet proof and the ROI significant.
It’s a blockbuster
If a company does buy into the Super Bowl extravaganza, they must do so in a big way. The advertisement, while staying true to the brand personality, value proposition and key messages, has to make a bold statement. That doesn’t mean it needs to be a multi-million dollar production. The commercial must possess a uniqueness, a brilliance, a clarity of message and a beauty that sears it into the viewer’s brain.
If the advertisement doesn’t motivate the masses to instantly light up Twitter with gushing comments; if it isn’t getting rave reviews around the water cooler at the office the next day; if ad critics aren’t writing accolades about it in blogs and Super Bowl commercial rollups, then it most likely failed.
Chrysler delivered a blockbuster in 2011. The company showed everyone that a commercial with a vision and a powerful message can inspire not only customers, but employees, dealers, suppliers, an entire city and even a nation.
Now that’s a crescendo.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Aspire to inspire
All of us recognize incompetent leadership. Many of us have worked for an imbecile at some point in our career. Some survived the ordeal, some chose to extricate themselves from the insanity and moved on to other companies, and some were unceremoniously tossed to the curb like yesterday’s trash.
In today’s economy, if you find yourself suffering some fool with a title and authority, you may have few options. So how do you overcome? Better yet, how do you maintain your self respect, continue to perform at a high level, keep your stress level low and maintain a positive attitude?
Never doubt yourself. Show up for work every day, give your all and beat your deadlines. Always be prepared for staff meetings and one-on-one meetings. Do everything you can to minimize the opportunities to be called out for criticism.
Exceed expectations and champion your department. True, the light may shine on your manager, and that might turn your stomach, but some will shine on your colleagues, too, and they will appreciate the recognition the team receives.
Set an example for your peers through your actions and your attitude. Do all you can to maintain unity on the team. Keep everyone focused on the work. Pay compliments with sincerity for accomplishments big and small. If you have the courage, in a staff meeting, give a shout out to a team member. Show them you have their back.
In other words, act like a leader yourself.
Aspire to inspire. And take solace in the knowledge that poor leaders are eventually found out and either neutralized, encouraged to move on or dismissed without remorse.
SIDEBAR:
Have you ever worked for a manager who truly knew how to lead? Are you working for one now? Celebrate and thank her or him today, tomorrow, and the next day. Do so by giving your all every shift with exuberance and pride.
Are you a leader who inspires? Thank you! You are appreciated.
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