Winning Lottery Slightly Better Than Breaking Neck

A few weeks ago NPR’s Talk of the Nation ran a show highlighting that those who survive rounds of layoffs at companies suffer more long-term anxiety and depression and fare worse from a career advancement perspective if finally laid-off late in the game. Really? Going to work every day, collecting a pay check and keeping the creditors at bay is WORSE than unemployment? 

The theory has merit.  

I poked around a little and discovered back in March, Time ran an article espousing the same theory – that staying in an environment of uncertainty for long periods of time is what really causes us to downward spiral. 

Of course, not all of us. 

Somehow entrepreneurs (whack-jobs) and women (be careful) tend to fare better.  Each somehow handles the additional levels of uncertainty in a more graceful manner.  Apparently, women are just grateful to be employed – secure or not.  Sad statement, isn’t it?

So, whether you are one of the currently un- or under-employed or waiting around nervously wondering if ‘You’re Next,’ there is another theory that aligns with one of my life mantras: “It’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do about what happens to you that matters.” 

Jonathan Haidt, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, discusses the opposing case studies of winning the lottery and becoming paralyzed.  “It’s better to win the lottery than to break your neck, but not by as much as you’d think” he states in his book The Happiness Hypothesis.  Turns out long-term both sets of people show that whether or not they were millionaires or paraplegics they eventually regressed to their baseline of happiness – once the period of change has ended.

What in the world could I be talking about? 

In the midst of all of this economic turmoil – what is it that we need to glean and be ok with? If you’re one of the luck/unlucky – you pick – to be still employed; relax, be grateful, stop with the guilt and keep it up.  If you’re the other kind……well, the advice isn’t any different, is it?

I am still hoping to cope with the tumultuous crazy changes that come with lottery winning versus the other not-so-pleasant option; but I get that at the end of it all lies - choice. 

Choose some MarketingSmack.  It can be found at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

NOTE ABOUT NPR STORY: I wanted to link to this story for my readers, but for the life of me can’t find it.  Maybe I imagined the story….but I’m using it anyway.

A Friend of Mine……

I, along with 1199 others, attended Internet Summit 09 in Raleigh two weeks ago.  I spent an entire day roaming dimly-lit, cold rooms filled with information-hungry (and for some of us just plain hungry) audience members listening to panel after panel discussion on relevant, hip, state-of-the-moment current events.  

I have been writing MarketingSmack now for almost a year and can count on a couple hundred reads each time around.  Secretly, and I guess now not so secretly, I have been wondering how to reach a larger audience.  Towards the end of a session on blogging, I raised the question.  Why not?  Here was a sofa full of the likes of Andy Beal and Rick Klau. 

“If someone had a blog and wanted to generate a larger readership, what would you recommend?” I asked from the front table.  Immediately someone retorted “Who is this blogger—you?”  “Ahhh, a friend” was my not-so-quick-witted reply.  Well, they were very generous to my ‘friend’ with advice –

1. blog MUCH more frequently

2. the audience might just be the right size

3. become more involved and participatory in fellow blogger’s worlds.

So, here it is a couple of weeks later and I can’t seem to muster the nerve to bombard my audience with more than a weekly blog.  I know I’m witty and clever but geez what could I possibly have to impart that requires blogging MULTIPLE times – dare I say someone suggested 10 to 20 times per week?  Is it a black and white situation?  If you don’t blog that prolifically you won’t gain a significant audience? 

Then there’s the idea that my audience size is Goldilocks ‘just right’.  Again, I am confused.  Don’t I want my brand in front of as many as possible?  Yes, I do understand that it needs to be the right people but there is something to be said about critical mass and finding atypical, out of the ordinary applications for your product or services.

And, finally the concept of gaining exposure by participating in the world of other’s online adventure.  In a short five minutes I became a believer of this one.  Reading Marketing Pilgrim, I stumbled upon an excerpt of an interesting paper on “US Interactive Marketing Forecast by Industry, 2009-2014″ by Forrester and retweeted it – within five minutes (and I am not exaggerating) I received an email from Forrester letting me know they were ‘Following Me’. 

Thanks Guys.

So, here I sit mulling over the numerous strands of advice and wonder what has legs – what is relevant beyond the pushing of Smack?  Out of the three, I think genuine interest in what other’s are espousing and lending a hand in spreading their message resonates – in a ‘pay it forward’ type way.

While it never hurts to have expert advice, what really matters is what you all think.  Let me have it – never too late.  MarketingSmack can be found at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Loin Cloth Found Inside a Bun

The day after my ‘The Emperor’s Naked’ blog I was having breakfast with Paul Domanico from Innovalyst and his first words to me were:  “Blues may come and go – it’s what you’re going to do about it – that’s what I want to know.”  So, I’ve thought about that – I also found myself Googling those words and combinations of those words to see what song he ‘borrowed’ that from. The closest I got was Gregg Allman’s ‘Come and Go Blues’.  Apparently, it’s an original.

Paul wasn’t the only chimer-in-er.  Several people sent back emails or made comments on my post.  From what I can tell, and mind you I am not vouching for its statistical significance, there are many out there who are shivering from exposure.

So, to answer Paul’s question, “What are you going to do about it?”  If we all agree there is a problem and that the current state of affairs is not working – then how do we do it differently?  There’s the personal aspect of the equation – figuring out what we can live without and doing so.  While that may impact the ‘demand’ part, I doubt enough changes can be made to balance the equation.  That ‘supply’ side still needs attention. 

Maybe it’s time to address strategy.  Is your focus too wide or too narrow?  Is there an audience or use for your product or service that you haven’t explored?  Do you need to change your tactics in the short-term? 

I just read a Business Week article ‘The Accidental Hero’ about an obscure Miami Subway franchisee that in response to scarily decreased weekend traffic came up with a $5 Footlong offer.  Stuart Frankel relentlessly pushed his idea to Subway’s corporate leadership, finally got approval, and well, the fact that it became a nationwide, profitable campaign says it all.  It’s not rocket science but the somewhat obvious “more-product-less-price” concept had generated $3.8 billion by the end of August 2009.  You can get crazy and make some fancy pants and shirt to go with your loin cloth for that kinda money.

I would love to hear from you.  Have you been brainstorming your version of the $5 Footlong?  Let me know – but beware it may end up in some MarketingSmack.

Still a little chilly from the nakedness?  Well at least you can fill your tummy with an inexpensive healthy sandwich while you consume MarketingSmack.  Get it at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

The Emperor is Naked

So, my son is at the age now where the barrage of more difficult, nuance-filled, questions is popping up.  Curiosity of the subtle is beginning to tax my creative capacity to deliver explanations.  It’s innocent enough, a fairy tale – one of Andersen’s most popular about an emperor who unwittingly hires two swindlers to create a new suit of clothes for him.  And, while my son is still too young to truly ‘get’ the full power of the metaphor, he is starting to question and wonder why no one was brave enough to save the duped, exposed emperor.

The recession is over, according to the experts – (i.e. economists).  In a recent Newsweek article, the New York University economist Nouriel Roubini predicts the recovery will feel like a recession at about 1 percent growth over the next few years.  The real sting – where most of us our ‘taking it’ – the unemployment rate, now at 9.8%, continues to rise.  The supposed stimulus period has had little effect on actual job creation and I think that the grand ‘good-news-only’ marketing claims of over one million jobs created or saved are actually going to tick people off.  While clearly high on the Disruptive Conversation^TM scale of impact not quite meeting the evidence-based marketing criteria, if you ask me. 

As the Market Builder for Summit, I spend a great deal of time networking and making connections.  I am not exaggerating when I say that a –what I deem to be significant percentage of my network – has at some point in time in the last year to year and a half sent me an email requesting my assistance in their new job search.  Sad to report I have had a couple of those people send out more than one of those types of emails over the course of that same time period. 

Are we, as a collective unconscious, allowing the emperor to run around indecently?  I have orchestrated several networking lunches.  These fabulous opportunities to sit across the table from five other professionals over lunch and in an informal, more intimate setting, get to know one another.  Everyone is looking for the same thing—the addition of a client, a new job, a contracting opportunity—but at the same time smiling optimistically and not acknowledging the cold breeze that pierces through the magical threadless suit.

What are your thoughts? What are you looking for?

Don’t ignore the big elephant in the room pushing that MarketingSmack at you.  Get it at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at  www.summitstrategypartners.com.

By Hook or by Crook

It’s down to the wire.  After six months of university-reminiscent reading requirements and paper composition, miles of uphill running, thousands of kicks and punches and the memorization of dozens of impractical Korean terms like ‘Deung joo-muhk ahp Chee-gee’, my black belt testing date looms on the horizon. 

And, what does my seven-year-old do? – Starts a three-day fever with a wet cough.

What does mama do?  I begin a borderline compulsive disorder armed with Lysol can, antibacterial sprays, soap, Emergen-C, zinc tablets and the refusal of motherly affection.  I spent three days turning my head, washing my hands, spraying the computer, the phone, the bed pillows, pretty much anything that wouldn’t need medical attention from the ingestion of Lysol.

How many events in life are so unique, such rare opportunities that the mere thought of missing it brings one to the brink of dismal grief?

Births (the baby is coming whether or not you’re ready), RFP deadlines for multiple-zeros-budget government gigs, weddings (although many of us get second and sometimes third opportunities for those), the Boston Marathon and the Kona Ironman are a handful that I can think of off the top of my head.

There are times in life when re-scheduling is not an option.  Where the curtain will rise and whether or not you are there or feel prepared is irrelevant.  Such events provide a very fine and clear filter on our prioritization – even if it is just for the moment.  When else would it be alright for a mother to withhold hugs and kisses from a sick little boy? 

I skirted that bug and still have three more days until ‘showtime’.  I find myself avoiding human contact, keeping an unusual level of vitamin C coursing through my body and exercising mind-control to keep myself from training.  With this increased rest-induced angst, I find myself wondering further what other success or failures in life are event-specific driven?  

The curtain rises this Sunday on my black belt test but you all can get your latest MarketingSmack right now – and, it’s in English to boot at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at  www.summitstrategypartners.com.

(By the way, for those of you who care, the afore-mentioned Korean term means ‘back fist’.)

Motherhood Low #233: “Lego Falls into Toilet”

A couple of nights ago as I was busy deciphering the relevance and importance of the materials in my son’s school backpack, his panic-stricken voice pierced through the house: “Mama, I dropped my Lego in the toilet!”

 The physiological response that followed that statement was palpable.  I immediately went into negotiation mode: “We have thousands of Lego pieces – just how important can THIS ONE be?”  “It’s a WHEEL,” he countered. 

 Well, you can all guess what Motherhood Low #234 is.

 As I fished that “special” critical plastic Lego wheel from the bowl I thought to myself, “Is there no limit to what I will do for this person?”

 Today’s business climate is murky.  Everyone is trying to do more with less and in so doing, those who are actually sticking around to do the ‘more’ are being heavily burdened.  Where is that line where it is no longer OK? 

 In our ecosystem, we have contacts and clients who no longer have the healthy budgets we grew to enjoy, but somehow the decrease in budget has had no impact on their need for services.  We struggle with balancing ‘doing right’ by our clients with ‘doing right’ by our P&L. Services, unlike physical goods, are sometimes hard to clearly define.  You may feel it’s OK to ask your tax person a clarifying question without compensation. But you wouldn’t ask him to file a Schedule C. Like CPAs and lawyers, Marketers run into those five minute calls with questions such as: ‘What do you think of this tagline?’

I know that in our particular case, we want to build and maintain lifetime relationships with our clients. To that purpose, we don’t worry too much about the adhoc ‘free’ advice.  We believe it all comes back to us at some point. That being said, it’s important to know how to recognize when and how you’ll react to your customer’s Lego falling in an unspeakable place. 

Have a plan in place. Know how many hours or pearls of wisdom you are comfortable giving away in the interest of building good will. Know when to draw a line, and with integrity, insist that compensation, even if it’s deferred, be agreed to.

You’re in a relationship with your customers, so it’s important that they understand when they pull or push too hard. If you want to be valued, value yourself and value your work.  Find your limits and make them known. Or be satisfied with fishing treasures out of toilets.

Down in the dumps? Circling the bowl? Don’t let your wheels come off. Have a hit of MarketingSmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Secret Ingredient

For those of you who are expecting my normal, analogy-driven, story-format blog; my apologies.  This week I feel it imperative to do some promoting:  Actual PR for an individual and organization that, in my humble opinion, is doing it right and poised to skyrocket.

I have been telling people for years that I am unfit to work for Corporate America. That no one would have me. The hierarchal, management-by-consensus-nothing-ever-gets-done, spend-too-much-time-in-meetings malaise is unbearable. 

It is that primary reason that 11 years ago, I started a boutique, nimble, FLAT, best-in-breed organization that is all about the WORK.  The model, back 11 years ago, was somewhat original—establish relationships with experts in each key area of marketing and PR and assemble a just-in-time “A-Team” for your client as needed.  However, the tipping point eluded me.

Enter Paul Domanico.

Paul is ex-GSK.  I say that as if he is ex-Mafia, or ex-CIA (is there a difference?).  Corporate America did not blunt Paul or his partners at Innovalyst. Today, their genius is available on the open market.

Paul is a managing partner of Innovalyst.  He and four other life science super stars have started an organization that, akin to Summit Strategy Partners, utilizes the principle of the just-in-time “A-Team”.  Last week at the Innovalyst Forum (if you work in life science, you must attend), the brilliance of all of this became very apparent. 

The Innovalyst team has identified that secret ingredient—a way to create a post-modern/virtual business that is ALL about the WORK and SCALABLE.  With the help of some kicking infrastructure provided by InfoStrength, Paul and his team have created a set of tools by which to identify, maintain and promote this wealth of talent they have cleverly named ICAN (Intellectual Capital Advisory Network). 

Innovalyst is a perfect match for Summit.  Yes, they are a client, but more importantly, a partner. A perfect synergistic vehicle by which to augment the ICAN with stellar marketing and PR talent. 

The market is ready now – and more than that, it demands it.  And, while there is still some great talent churning away in management, from my viewpoint the rock stars are making it happen in a new way.

Rock star material?  Interested in joining the band?  Drop me a line.  In the meantime, you can rock out with some MarketingSmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Virgin Experience

This past weekend a very persuasive friend of mine convinced me to participate in my FIRST triathlon- the ‘Goofus Triathlon Challenge’.

A swim across a pond with a creatively named floatie – which I named Virgin Experience; a three mile trail run; an eight mile bike ride which includes a mandatory stop at a local ice cream institution where you must eat a full-cream ice cream cone while rocking in a chair on their porch; the ride back; and another one mile run which culminates in a jump into the pond.

Sounds easy enough.

Up until the morning of the ‘race’ I had not been on a bike in 16 years, since I rode my bicycle Dagny to work at HP in Roseville, CA.  I know, I know the old adage – and thank goodness it is true.  But, times have changed in bike-land.  As I stood on my friend’s cul-de-sac getting the 30 second gear lesson, all I could hear were the voices in my own anxiety-ridden head.  How was I going to get on and off the bike?  How was I going to NOT get hit by a car?  How was I going to NOT get lost?

I completed it, despite the many, ride-on-the-brakes-I’m-going-too-fast-and-going-to-die moments.  Not to mention the times where the gears would shift willy-nilly and my feet would fly off the pedals. The universe’s comic relief. Needless to say I was last.  But, I completed it.

Isn’t that the point sometimes?

How many times have we been in a situation where we’re uncertain?  Where we have to ‘perform’ but are unsure of how it will all come together?  Sure, we can beta test, perform clinical trials, train and rehearse. But undoubtedly there comes a moment when an opportunity presents itself and we don’t have time for preparation and a ‘go/no-go’ decision has to be made.  Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor—not in play, not in work.

How do you make your decision to pull the trigger?  How do you weigh the risks and rewards?  I would love to hear your stories, and if it is OK, share them with others. Think of it as an opportunity.

Receiving MarketingSmack is no virgin experience, but who knows? Maybe reading it will encourage you to take one on, like the ‘Goofus Triathlon.’ 

You can find MarketingSmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

How to Prepare for the Lottery

A week before the school year started, I answered my phone to an unrecognized number only to experience something akin to (and here is where I date myself) a Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstake winner moment – sans Ed McMahon. 

My son’s elementary school started a dual-Spanish/English language program last year and I had ‘entered him to win’.  Alas, to no avail.  Kindergarten came and went and there was no knock at my door.  Best I got was ‘runner up’. 

Fast-forward a year and he’s IN. 

Just like that, we went from raising a child in one language to two. I am first-generation born American. Raised in a Spanish-speaking household, I am fortunate enough to be fluent, without much effort. I made a promise to my Dad that I would do the same.  I tried, really I did, and for the first almost-four years my son spoke Spanish as well as he did English.  Then came the day he bluntly told me he would speak Spanish ‘no more.’  I wish I could lay all the blame on him, but in reality it was no easy feat on my end.  As he aged, so did the complexity of our conversations. It became apparent to me that by insisting that we only speak Spanish, I was building a barrier between us. 

Clearly, healthy communication is difficult enough on its own – no need to complicate it further.

This experience helped me realize that no matter how hard I try to prepare and control the environment around me, there is always an element of the “lottery” lurking. 

“It’s smarter to be lucky than it’s lucky to be smart.”

That lottery element seems pervasive – I had a fantastic networking meeting this week that under ordinary circumstances would have exceeded my expectations. Instead it left me disappointed because of this one line:  “I wish we would have met two months ago, my firm just hired blah, blah, blah….”  Honestly, the rest of that sentence was a blur.

How do we avoid heading down the existentialist rathole?  Prepping for meetings and following through in light of the idea that somehow ‘luck’ comes into play can be very frustrating.  That being said, doing the homework – in the case of my son’s education, applying for the program, is essential to the possibility of having your lottery number called out. You’ve got to have a ticket in order to win.

By the way, I do know Ed McMahon never actually worked for PCH but I do find it fascinating that I believed he did until I ‘Googled’ it.  Apparently I am in good company.  Theres’s no big prize to register for but maybe my MarketingSmack will resonate and encourage you to stay the course.  You can find my MarketingSmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Health Care Policy, The Truth in Bullet Point Format

This is not about health care, really. It’s about truth. It’s about messages, and what we want and need in our communication.

At the risk of disclosing my ignorance—or worst yet—my indifference to the world of politics, the debate over our nation’s health care whirls around me as I silently sit on the sidelines, not participating.  

My primary source of information, or dis-information, depending on your view point, is my FaceBook friends. I live in a very liberal town, so most of the individuals in my life are clear Obama supporters and thus support his national health policy.  My FaceBook town is not as homogeneous, housing a spectrum of individuals.  There I learned that the 47 million un-insured are that way because somehow they want to be.  And that we pay 50% more than the next highest spending country per capita with the worst outcome. 

I am amazed at both the dichotomy of the messages – and how deeply each side believes to have THE TRUTH. 

The sad truth for me is that I can’t be bothered with sorting out all the clutter. I can barely keep up with running my life – you know, making lunch for my son; feeding the cats; networking; running Summit Strategy Partners.  I want someone to gather and analyze the data then present a succinct PowerPoint presentation with insights: those areas where both sides are in sync (in my opinion this is most likely where the truth is hiding) and the chasms.  A handful of verbatims would be nice.

My guess is that there are a great many of us who walk around with this as a secret wish—that a succinct case be laid out in front of us. A nice package that sells the truth and supports it with evidence.

Perhaps you’re wondering how best to serve your customers or what new target market to approach and how? 

The latest MarketingSmack doesn’t clear up the murkiness our politicians create. My not-so-altruistic interest is to remind you that marketing strategy insights are just a phone call away.  www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Dead Market? Market like you’re not dead.

Mark Twain is noted for having penned “The report of my death has been greatly exaggerated.” There’s a lesson in here for nervous marketers. If you’re not out there, you can be mistaken for dead.

I heard recently that the economy is cratering.

Yes, we’re in a bad environment. Uncertain times indeed. It’s called Recession Marketing. What a great opportunity.

You see, belt-tightening—that cycle we’ve been in since 2001—can only go so far. In an uncertain environment, smart marketers can accomplish more by keeping their message out there. Some companies will pull back, so there’s even more opportunity to further distinguish yourself.

The incredible disappearing company.

Your customers want to be lead. They want to see your leadership, direction and creativity. In the void that companies leave behind when they pull back, customers will question where the hell those companies are. The questioning turns to fear, the customer wonders what’s up, and before the company knows it, the customer jumps to a more confident vendor.

“Fortune favors the audacious.”

-Desiderius Erasmus

These are tough times. But you still have to market. So what do you do?

• Assure your customers. Lead them with your strengths. Invite them to be marketing partners with you through promotions or by participating in your marketing outreaches. Serena Software and agile development partner Valtech ran a booth at Agile 2008 and collected video testimonials for a website storycorps minisite.

• Get to know customers more deeply. Take time to survey, to learn what they want and how they want it.

• Benchmark your competitors–hard. Learn what they think their strengths are. Talk to their customers.

And hold the budgets. Hell, increase them. What you’re doing is buying low. You’re either getting discounted pricing because there is more capacity or inventory, or your getting a better chance to be above the noise because there is simply less of it.

Penn State published a paper a few years back titled ”Turning adversity into advantage: Does proactive marketing during a recession pay off?”

I’ve linked to a BNET blog that goes beyond the study. The blog author asked one of the study authors about their analysis. While most of the 154 marketers surveyed said their company cut the marketing budget in a recession, disciplined companies found opportunities to further their leads over competitors. Those firms had the following characteristics:

· They already value marketing.

· They have a culture that’s nervy enough to increase marketing.

· You have the cash to do it.

So do you measure up? Do you have coins and the cajones? Let me know. Or say hi to Mark Twain for me.

Yes, Jobs and Opportunities

So, while I am not the one who typically writes these blogs – my partner, Tom is, I decided today to step out on the wild side. This current business environment has been non-stop—or so it feels like it to me— gloom and doom. According to a recent Forbes article, 108,123 individuals were laid-off in December of ’08 in companies ranging from the obvious Merrill Lynchs of the world to the Targets and everything in between. That’s one month. Merry Christmas.

However, here on the front-lines of everyday getting by, we’re seeing plenty of companies in search of very specific, special talent. The Raleigh-based imarketingmix site lists a variety of (and yes I am partial to noticing ‘marketing-type’ jobs—imagine that) positions available.

With so much TALENT out there right now, I wonder how any of these slots stay open for more than minutes at a time? And, I fear the requirements for such positions. I can just hear it now: “Well, Mr. Jones, you’d like this product manager position, would you? How many lives have you saved in the last six months, huh?”

One of our clients, InCentric, is in need of technical sales people. Why isn’t there a line busting down their door? Or, maybe now there will be? StrikeIron is seeking a CRM partner marketing manager.

What does it all mean? In this time of great uncertainty the fact still remains that businesses that ‘get it’ will seize the opportunity—whether it’s a direct hire that fits the bill, or a fast-moving partner that gets them where they need to be—quickly. And, what better time than now than to get a miracle-worker, life-saver as the newest team member? Share your thoughts with me. Got a job to publicize? How about a need to fill? Maybe you’re out paving your own way now. Tell us what your doing and how you’re doing it.

Jack

A shot in the arm…or, this week, the thigh

For the last nine months I’ve had in my possession an epi-pen – a just-in-case precaution for a phantom allergy that attacks without warning. I’ve often wondered if I’d have the nerve to actually jam that needle into the side of my thigh. Do I have what it takes?

Turns out, I do. I’m better now. And wiser for the experience.

What in the world does this personal story have to do with a business blog? I found myself, maybe due to the sleep and food deprivation, drawing an analogy. I wondered: “Who is going to make it to the other side of this economic down-turn? Who has the nerve to do what it takes to survive – to jam that needle and plunge.”

The companies and individuals that refuse to run scared are going to survive. More than survive – they’ll flourish.

I recently read an article in Money magazine that imparted this lesson, among other important ones: “If your competitors are in retreat, you can build your market presence.” Summit is grateful to have some pretty smart clients – clients that view this time as opportunistic and have continued to spend wisely to remain in front of their constituents. This is not to say that they haven’t changed the mix— they have, as have a lot of companies, according to a recent Duke Fuqua School of Business study showing marketing growth this year despite the economy.

In some ways, looking like you’re doing well is half the battle. People feel reassured that ‘you’re in it for the long haul’ if they see you as healthy and pursuing business with vigor.

But if you can’t change with the times, if you can’t ride the waves of technology and customer expectations, then no amount of posturing will help and you may well be the next RBW implosion. For RBW, clients reigned in their ad budgets, media outlets insisted on being paid directly, and suddenly, a great agency went “Poof!” owing more than it was worth.

Could RBW have adapted to encompass new areas to spend client money outside traditional advertising? Maybe. We don’t know all of the reasons they failed. But they did. And I can’t help but think it’s because they couldn’t take the shot.

Painful, maybe – but when death is the alternative – jamming seems like an easy choice.

I’d love to hear your stories of bravery. What, if you can share without giving away top secrets, are you doing to stay in the game? Tell us here.

The tail that wagged the market share…

Last week one of my clients, upon reading my blog, suggested that maybe I should go ahead and unveil one or two of those ‘smart’ clients to which I alluded.  Disclose what opportunities are being seized.

A quick glimpse into the online rental industry—as of January, the top 49 online rental sites show a “long tail,”— demonstrating the idea that “in a market with high freedom of choice, (i.e. music online), the blockbusters (i.e. Brittany Spears) can be outsold by the many smaller niche products.”  Personally, I imagine Brittany more as a ballbuster, than a blockbuster, but I digress.

The online rental data reveals that 21% of the market share is held by the top site, and that the top three rental sites collectively hold about 48% market share. As the proliferation of smaller sites increases, market share will be whittled away from the leaders.

Enter Hometownrent.com.

Hometownrent.com is an early-stage online listing service for property managers and owners.  Each geography has its own locally-identified url—chapelhillrent.com; burlingtonrent.com; blahblahrent.com; —you get the picture. The company competes with well-established, national players.

Hometownrent.com builds interest in its locations by attracting listings. In many of its markets they own the top search engine rankings, and that boosts the rental search traffic.

Some would say this is a mature market and that it’s useless to compete against behemoths that can outspend them. But Hometownrent.com understands that the present environment favors rental markets and that they are actually competing in a democratic open field that is favorable to stealing market share.

With that in mind, the company has begun a number of well-integrated, cost-effective campaigns to attract property owners and managers with multiple listings. The message is clear and the audience well understood – both key factors for success. It will be fun to watch as Hometownrent.com adds to the long tail of niche market share stealers.

Meanwhile, how are YOU doing—and what are you doing? Give us a MarketingSmack and tell us here – in other words, give us something else to write about.

–Jack

The Gecko Must Die

Which came first, the Caveman or the Gecko?

I used to actually like some of the Geico advertising. I thought it was clever. But now I’m annoyed.

For months, when the first few Caveman ads came out, I would blurt out: “I’ll have the roasht duck with the…mango shalsha” as if I too had Neanderthal jaws.

Yes, I know. I’m linking to Geico and giving them play even as I rant.

The thing is, too much of a good thing truly is bad. Especially with their lizard, Geico is all over the radio, TV, and next to my news articles on the Web.

And now, they torture us with “Somebody’s Watching Me,” that lame 80s song from (who remembers) Rockwell. No. I won’t link to this.

It’s overexposure. It’s untargeted, and it’s annoying.

As you know, Summit does strategic marketing. It’s in our best interest to encourage companies to market. But smartly. Doing the equivalent of hosing consumers down isn’t smart. I say it again. It’s annoying.

So I’d like to propose two ideas: 1) The Gecko must die. And, 2) Companies should target their audiences with one-to-one marketing and reach out to them personally.  Amazon, with its personalization engine, gets this. It recommends to you what it projects you personally would like. Smart.

One-to-one marketing is not just a name on a mailing label or email address. We’re talking about a postcard and/or email message that seems to know you, know your area, and demonstrates this in the copy. Then, it directs you to a Personal URL with your name in it. All wrapped up with a reason to respond.

We’re doing this now with a partner. We’re seeing the response rate jump. And we know who is responding and when. This is smart marketing. Not zipcode blasting.

Why not give it a Marketingsmack! and see if you can hit a home run over the fence? Ask Jack about it.

As for Geico, they should try HULU on the web, where consumers can select the ad, the length and the placement. It’s better than video spamming us with cavemen, lizards, and 80s washout musicians.

(P.S. It’s NCAA Hoops Finals time. Take a break, view the funniest SMACK you’ll see in the tournament, and send this blog to friend.)

A Different Sort of Naked Lunch

I just had one of those mistaken-identity moments that really hit home the importance of expectations.  I had a lunch appointment with the CEO of a local company.  I had met Greg only once before, about a year ago and remembered him to be a tall, lanky, red-haired man.

As I drove up to the restaurant, I immediately saw who I thought to be Greg standing outside the door.  He caught my gaze and nodded in approval as if to say ‘hey, it’s me’.  As I approached, I stuck out my hand and said his name.  He said ‘yes’ and then proceeded to lean over and kiss me on the cheek while attempting to hug me.

I rarely find myself at a loss for what to do, but this behavior really threw me.

I fumbled, awkwardly patted him on the back and made some ridiculous comment like: “Well, I guess we’ve been working together long enough to warrant a hug and kiss.”

It gets better.

We walked in chatting, and as the hostess seated us, he informed me that he was very excited about our lunch.  I was a bit surprised by his exuberance, but told him how pleased I was that he was open to meeting and sharing networking contacts.  At this point, ‘Greg’ stepped back, thoroughly perplexed, and asked “Do you know who I am?” I assuredly retorted, “Yes, Greg”.

He said “Kevin”.

It’s at this exact moment when I realized that Kevin was waiting for a date and I was not that person.  The rest was a mix of apologies; embarrassment and a long spotlighted walk past the hostess station—where the real Greg shook my hand in a firm, business-like manner.  This simple act, in sync with my initial expectations and within the framework by which most business relationships behave, immediately put me at ease, ready to move forward with the lunch appointment. As we walked by Kevin and his date, I thought to myself ‘I wonder how Kevin’s expectations are faring?’

The point of it all?

This wasn’t just a case of mistaken identity. It was about perceptions and expectations. As providers of goods and services, Summit projects a framework, very diligently, of what to expect. You do too. This increases the likelihood of our clients’ being in the mood to accept. It’s part of each of our brand’s experience.

We enter with a perception. We believe it and demand it.  So when the experience does not align with your expectations, however that truth plays out for you, the impact is brutal, a bit like meeting your financial analyst and discovering his office is in the back of a carwash. You’d pull back from the handshake or the hug and go looking elsewhere.

So it’s worth examining what you are projecting and how you carry it off. We don’t often consider that our brand experience includes how we meet at lunch—but it absolutely does. If your employees aren’t carrying off your company’s values in their dress and conduct, then don’t bother having them carry the business card.

Now, who wants to buy me lunch next week?

Paris Calling…

A few months back, Paris Delane, a musician who had been part of one of my favorite bands, Sonia Dada, found me on FaceBook and requested to ‘friend me’. I accepted. Shortly after that he became a FAN of my company page Summit Strategy Partners on FaceBook and started reading my blogs.

 I thought that was neat.

 Last Sunday evening while I was enjoying some ‘me’ time complete with sashimi, sauvignon blanc and an episode of Buffy, he called. I was surprised, to say the least. Paris shared with me his gratitude for his success and his desire to give back and help others reach theirs. Towards the end of our 20 minute call he requested that I send him an email describing my company, its services and showcasing Summit’s Disruptive Conversation^TM

 Paris offered to help promote Summit Strategy Partners to many of the influential people he has been fortunate enough to meet and befriend over the course of his long career. I thanked him, got off the phone and ran to the refrigerator to check how much of that sauvignon was STILL in the bottle. The next day I wrote that email, first thing, and sent it to Paris with a ‘thanks’.

 Many people tell me I am a consummate networker – a maven and a connector.

 My perspective is that you should approach networking with the mindset to help the person you’re networking with. Give, rather than take.

 One of my biggest thrills is to introduce people who then go on to make great things happen for one another. Networking depends upon having a general plan for meeting the type of individual you can help and who can help you. But be open for the Paris’s of the universe.

 Since that Sunday call, Summit Strategy Partners’ FAN page has grown by 20 percent. And, I have a feeling it’s just beginning – hopefully, a blog or two from now I will be espousing the wonders of viral. Until then, I’ll just make sure the sauvignon doesn’t run out.

  

Illegal Breast Stroke

I am having a dickens of a time keeping my personal life out of the Summit blogs. I guess, at the end of the day, I have one life. That being said……

Last week I had my first official ‘adult swim lesson’. I decided I needed to add something else to my already-lengthy list of exercise routines. I made a barter arrangement with a very successful triathlete and training coach, Stacey Richardson. (See how cleverly I am holding up my end of the barter agreement by promoting her services in this blog?)

It took me about 10 minutes, and unfortunately I am NOT exaggerating, to figure out how to put on the one-piece Speedo. Then, there was the ‘how do these flippin’ goggles go on my head’ struggle? Needless to say I screamed ROOKIE to all those calm, capped graceful swimmers. And when Stacey said “Show me your breast stroke” I felt my heart race and muscles tense. I was in foreign waters—literally. I knew it and my performance reflected my uncertainty.

Ready for the great leap to the world of business?

I have this conversation with almost everyone I meet. “There’s no point in jumping in to the deep end if you don’t prepare yourself, at least to the best of your ability, for success.”

The other side of that coin is that even when you have prepared — you’re wearing the right suit and goggles (or you have spent time with your customers and ‘wish list’ customers to understand what they want and what speaks to them) — there is still a level of uncertainty and risk when the ‘show me your stuff’ moment hits.

While occasionally you may be called out on your ‘illegal breast stroke kick’, the fundamental ingredients: understand your target, speak your Disruptive Conversation^TM, know who else is talking to your audience and what is being said, rely on the conduits your target trusts for information and deliver that information the way they want it–will give you a competitive advantage over most of the others in your pool.

This type of preparation is essential. And when it comes time to show-off that breast stroke, you won’t come up gasping for air.

(P.S. Anticipating all those wise-guy remarks: I know, I know, we put on our bathing suits one leg at a time.)

The Fickle Customer

The Fickle Customer

I have always viewed my son as my customer and sometimes, employee. I manage his growth, meet his demands, ensure the ROI of his young life (he’ll be responsible for it later).

Last week, on a school night that ended late, he requested, pleaded—implored that we have spaghetti and meatballs. Mind you, this request is truly three standard deviations from the usual dinner suspects. I tried the local pizza take-out route with no luck, so I was left winging it.

Let me just say, I had NEVER made meatballs before.

It’s 6:30 and I found myself buying ground meat. I think we all get the picture. There is still the ‘get the kid ready for bed’ process that needs to be carefully timed against that looming 8 p.m. bedtime deadline.

About an hour later, he’s showered, in pjs and meatballs are on the plate – complete with red sauce and a pile of spaghetti. Phew – I’ve met expectations, delivered on time and on budget. My client will be so pleased.

One look, one small bite and this tiny tyrant of a customer informs me that he FORGOT—he doesn’t really LIKE meatballs. Fickle.

* * * * *

We’ve all had them – customers that make us jump through hoops of fire while juggling sharp blades only to inform us that ‘eh, that’s not what I was looking for’. Or, worse yet, they keep changing their minds….pushing further and further, frustrating us while scope-creeping us into “Would you like fries with that?” wages.

We call this business you don’t want. And while we still end up with business we don’t want, we’ve gotten better at avoiding or ameliorating it.

Here are some tips to running your client relationships the way you both will feel satisfied and successful:

• Set, document and agree to clear objectives.

• Develop and agree to metrics.

• Get signoffs at milestones.

• Communicate status, progress, and potential issues in a timely manner.

• Have the post-mortem check-up – find out want went well and what needs improvement.

And lastly, remember that your relationship is win/win.

As a customer-driven organization, Summit strives for 100% referenceable customers. But while we do what it takes to get it done for our customers, they have to measure up too.

Good marketing isn’t a commodity. Our customer referenceability metric assumes our customer will want to continue to work with us—that good work should perpetuate our relationship.

As for my meatball son, he has a captive vendor in me. I have a different set of tips for dealing with him.

Get yourself a little MarketingSMACK! at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com

Jack

Know Your Limits

This past week I read one of 13 of my required books for my upcoming TaeKwonDo black belt test. I purposefully chose the shortest one with the biggest type to give myself a quick, albeit false sense, of accomplishment.

Zen in the Martial Arts. I know, it may sound boring to most of you, but this innocuous little book is chock-full of pearls of wisdom. Wisdom applied to how one should be on ‘the mat’, as we martial artists like to say…but, also, and more importantly, how to be on the mat of business and life.

While several of these Zen principles hit home to me personally, in my training as well as my role as a mother and yes, as a professional, the one that seems almost counterintuitive, Know Your Limits, struck me.

The premise is that in order to learn and grow, as a person or as an organization, you must be ready to accept your limitations. “You must accept the fact that you are capable in some directions and limited in others, and you must develop your capabilities.” We all call this ‘playing to your strengths’.

But how do you do this? How do you figure out the best way to communicate and market your company to your constituents?

Here are Summit Strategy Partners’ top five tips to begin this quest. It is not all-inclusive and you if want a more detailed, tailored answer we’re happy to help (the shameless plug part).

1. Who are you? If you haven’t visited your positioning and messaging in over a year, do so now.
2. Trust an outside expert to guide you through the process. This leaves you to do what you do best—run your business—and it keeps emotion out of it.
3. Get your executive team to rally behind the effort. If they don’t appreciate and champion the project, it is doomed to fail.
4. Study your competition. Knowing their limits and how they are positioned will help you in developing your Disruptive Conversation^TM.
5. Ask your customers and partners tough questions. Find out what it is you’re not doing well. This is the key to getting better. (But engage an outside expert to ask those questions. Your customers and partners will find it hard to tell you directly.)

Tell us how it works out for you. Add to our list. Tell us your yen for zen. And, of course, have a heapin’ helpin’ of Marketingsmack! at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com. Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com

Jack

Dating vs. Networking – turns out they’re more alike than not.

How do you get noticed?  How do you get mindshare?  And most importantly how do you get chosen?

I’m an avid networker.  I try to spend time with at least eight new people a month AND re-connect with five.  It’s something I enjoy – and let’s face it – it helps keep Summit on people’s minds.

Individual one-on-ones take time, energy and effort to maintain.  It’s not unlike dating. (Of course, not everyone agrees.) There are other strategies that would allow me to get my message out to many at once (and clearly I employ some of those as well – like this blog and Summit’s FaceBook Page).  But in my experience the individual relationships I foster and maintain are what keeps my company’s pipeline full.

Here are my very strict rules of engagement:

1. Always find a way to be introduced by someone they know
2. Always ask personal and professional questions (the personal information helps me ‘remember’ people better)
3. Always ask what you can do for them (and follow-through)
4. NEVER sell your services

Let me re-state that – I NEVER sell my services at one of these meetings.

Last summer, three-quarters of the way through a ‘get to know you’ meeting, my colleague began asking specific questions about how Summit might be able to help his company.  What specific services might I recommend and why?  I very politely refused to engage in the conversation.  I told him that I wasn’t there to sell him services. “But what if I want to talk about your services?” was his response.  I told him I’d be happy to set-up a subsequent meeting to have that discussion.

At 9 a.m. the next morning an email came over with the subject line – “Now, can we talk about your services?”  He’s been a client ever since.

Of course, not every meeting turns out like that, but enough ‘first dates’ turn into relationships to keep Summit humming along.

Let us know about your relationship with work. Tell us how you get picked up. And leave the one stand talk out of it!

Wake up in morning with a little MarketingSMACK at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com, or visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Jack

Breadth vs Depth – A Vote for Smarts and Chemistry.

I’ve thought about this question a great deal, mostly from the perspective of Summit’s positioning.  Finally, I threw the question out to my LinkedIn network – a savvy group of people – and just as I expected, I received a flurry of answers touting the benefits of one over the other or going for the Holy Grail, as defined by McKinsey’s Concept of T, and demanding both.

It seems that I am not the only one struggling with this question.

Recently we have been in talks with a bio-tech firm about helping them penetrate a new market.  Their legitimate concern is how they will trust that we can guide them if we aren’t deep experts in their vertical.

Now mind you, this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered this hesitation.  It’s tricky to address your prospects’ concerns about your level of expertise in their industry. 

Clearly, if you view Summit’s client list, you’ll see breadth. But we also have very deep marketing and PR knowledge.  And more importantly, I believe smarts and chemistry are far more critical success factors than either breadth or depth.  It’s hard to accomplish great things with someone who doesn’t inspire you.

So ask if your marketing partner is smart enough and experienced enough to access the minds of the experts in the targeted industry.  And, is the chemistry between you one that breeds success?

You, as the company, know your industry better than anyone else, save analysts. If you hire someone with deep industry knowledge, you get that same knowledge, but may run the risk of getting a bit of “group think”.  If you have someone smart who can ask the tough questions, you may discover what you don’t know or find that ‘testing’ your resolve is an additional benefit – right along with that really effective lead generation campaign you requested.

My network generously pointed out that arguments can be made for either and/or both. But no matter what you believe, never settle for anything less than smarts and great chemistry.

Have a little Marketingsmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

 Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com

Preventing the Costly Divorce.

Companies that don’t make an effort to keep us faithful – to keep us from straying – have a hard time keeping customers.  And, at the risk of saying something so simple that it sounds insulting, it is far more economical to keep a customer than to get a new one.  Of course, there are some companies that either have a distinct niche product or big heavy switching costs (akin to those of a divorce) that keep the timid or risk averse staying put. 

Maybe not fulfilled—but staying put.

I have coveted an iPhone now for months.  I have watched people I know gracefully touch the screen to bring up photos, enlarge emails so that even my mother could read them—a friend even went as far as to have her iPhone listen to a snippet of a song none of us could identify on someone else’s voicemail and come back with the name and artist.  Impressive.  But, alas, I remain faithful to Verizon sans iPhone.

Why do I reward Verizon by remaining a loyal customer? 

Because, in my opinion, they are doing it right.  Time and time again, among the myriad customer touch points, my experience has been consistently fabulous. They are the company that called me, unsolicited, to inform me that my texting habits were starting to get to the junkie-level and that they could ‘help me out’ with their $5/month all-the-texts-you-can-handle-plan.  And, then to really make me swoon, they retro-actively reimbursed my substance abuse.

The point of all this? 

It’s back to my soap box on the importance of a branding strategy that is unified and consistent.  When we lead a company through our Branding Strategy Springboard^TM, a critical component of the outcome is a unified position and understanding that the customer’s experience must be managed from the first receptionist greeting to the after-sale pillow talk.

It’s not rocket science, but it takes acknowledging the importance of customer service and committing the organization to consistently perform in a particular way. The costs of a misstep could be that one customer – and the chances of a reconciliation….well, you do the math.  

Have a little Marketingsmack at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com

Blinded by the Light

This past weekend I spent three and a half days on Sunset Beach with 27 other martial artists training eight hours a day.  It’s an annual grueling occurrence for my martial arts group, and for those mothers out there, it is somewhat akin to childbearing – in the midst of all the pain, you swear you’ll never do it again, only to find yourself back there a year later.

I had an epiphany during our last sparring workout.  It was early morning, the sun was low in the sky, and I somehow managed to keep each of my opponents facing the sun.  Something clicked, and after almost four years of no-strategy, haphazard, throw-a-kick-out-there-see-if-it-lands sparring I was actually employing a STRATEGY.   

How often do we follow the bright shiny object, or react when we should be planning? 

I know Summit’s been guilty of it every now and again – a potential piece of business presents itself that isn’t in our sweet spot, but we pursue it anyway. The result is never our best work, and it sometimes exacts a great cost.  When you have limited resources—and who doesn’t these days—it’s critical to stay the course. 

Don’t have a course?  Here’s how to get one.

1. Create a situation analysis, self-evaluation and competitor analysis: both internal and external; both micro-environmental and macro-environmental.
2. Set objectives. Put them against a timeline; short-term and long-term.
3. Craft a vision statement, a mission statement, overall corporate, and, if needed, strategic business unit objectives (both financial and strategic), and last but not least tactical objectives.

When you are done you’ll have a clear picture of where you stand today, where you’d like to be in the future and how you plan to get there.  Be at peace with the fact that you cannot and should not be the right choice for everyone.  Focus on those who need and are receptive to your product/service and your approach to doing business.  Your laser sharp business strategy and Disruptive Conversation^TM will surely blind your competition.

Or, you can stare a little into the sun and take one right on the chin.

Wanna get smacked? Try some Marketingsmack today at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com.

The Valuable Loud Clank of Failure

Earlier this week in class, my TKD master placed two folding chairs on the training mat.  He told us to make two lines behind them.  We replied ‘yes, sir’ and proceeded to, albeit somewhat reluctantly.  None of us had ever had this experience and there was an air of uncertainty and apprehension.

He then told us to stand directly behind the chair and kick above it with a back kick.  Easy enough, right? 

What followed was a series of hesitant, wobbly, ungainly kicks—some making it over the chair—some making a loud CLANKING sound as the chair was smacked or kicked over.  The sound was a not-to-be-ignored message that our technique was wrong.

Accountability. Metrics. 

Ah, metrics. The bane of the marketer. Or not. The problem with metrics is that you can’t hide from being accountable.  Every time that chair clanked, the individual standing there was faced with a challenge – “Who do I blame?  Do I make excuses?”  I went immediately to – “Hey, I’m only 5’2 -that chair is really tall for me!”  I heard another one of my much taller training partners complain that his feet were too big.  It’s our nature to find a reason why the obvious failure does not belong to us.

In business, metrics evaluate what’s working and what is not.  In some cases metrics are obvious—a lead generation campaign or a trade show.  Not a tough ROI to calculate.  For other programs, a bit of creativity needs to be employed.  For example, when Summit leads clients through a Summit Strategy Springboard, we pre-set the parameters of success. We determine the height of that chair. 

One measure of success is to have all the key executives describing the company for whom they work in the same language.  Trust me when I say that clearing the chair with a back-kick is child’s play by comparison. 

Without metrics one can kick about haphazardly. But the cacophony of our failures is what rings in our head to help us get it right.  While we won’t execute perfectly every time, having the ability to know when we do sure sounds sweet. So set your height and give it kick. Close your eyes and listen for the result, regardless of the sound or success or failure. Measure it—it’s not going to be ignored

The journey or a thousand kicks starts with one SMACK! Try some Marketingsmack today at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Karma–Paying it Forward

Maybe it’s because I am trying to have a beach vacation at the same time as I try to work, but this week’s blog feels more like a Jimmy Buffet song than a business advice.

About six to eight months ago I got a call from a longtime client turned colleague-friend who had left her VP of Marketing job in corporate America and was pursuing a consulting opportunity.  She requested our proprietary positioning process – the Summit Strategy Springboard ^TM.  While we’re pretty protective of our processes, I emailed her a sample immediately – no questions asked.

Fast forward.

A month ago I began conversations with a company in the Library IS world called Serials Solutions.  As the relationship unfolded it quickly became apparent who I was courting—the same company my friend Marianne was consulting with. I called Marianne and asked if I would be stepping on her toes. She assured me that our offerings were synergistic.  It didn’t stop there.  She then proceeded to be an advocate for Summit and instrumental in winning the business.  The best part?  We get to work with someone whom we respect and enjoy.

I am always amazed at the synchronicity in life.  I knew when she requested my help that it meant that she was pursuing an opportunity that Summit is exceptionally qualified to perform.  It didn’t matter.

Paying it forward is not a short-term strategy, and if you looked at the link in this sentence, not just a quaint concept.  Consistently thinking of helping others first without an ‘angle’ really does pay off.  The thing is – and it’s a little paradoxical – you really need to buy into the concept that you don’t expect anything in return.  Believing deep in your gut that giving the help is what’s important is what yields the reward.  The new client on the roster? That’s the cherry on top. And with Serials Solutions, it gets even cooler. Our strategy there is to help academic libraries make their collections—and their facilities—more relevant to the patron base. That’s a long way of saying we get to help more dedicated helpers of people help even more people. Knowledge is power…

Know anyone who needs encouragement?  Pay it forward by reminding them that some good deeds are rewarded – just when you least expect it.

Get your karma SMACK! Try some Marketingsmack today at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Getting Religion

A couple of weeks ago, Brian Gracely, a member of my network, suggested I blog my thoughts on how Summit has helped companies that have great technology, but a hardcore engineering (non-marketing) culture, adopt a strong marketing strategy and become more successful in the market. He was curious how we sell the change.  How do we get the culture to adopt it?  How does it get measured?

I immediately loved the topic, but alas my now entrenched style of ‘begin with a life experience and turn it into a business lesson’ kept me from employing it—until now.

This past weekend my NBC (No Book Club) spent a long weekend at Wrightsville Beach.  Nine women – mothers, non-mothers, scientists, therapists, school teachers, doctors, business owners, married, divorced, single, healthy, sick, 25-45 years old—all with one common thread; a mutual respect, admiration and non-judgmental flair for having fun.

One morning over coffee, one in the group decided to lead a prayer/bible study session.  I know, I know – a taboo topic.  She did her thing while others in the group listened—or didn’t as the case turned out to be.  She was preaching to the non-choir and try as she did (which was gentle) she could not get any converts. 

I had an epiphany:  I have been in my friend’s shoes many a time in conference rooms full of technologists, engineers and scientists.  No matter how I frame it or which words I choose, it sounds like I’m speaking in tongues to the non-believers.  Fortunately for me, what I am requesting my customers buy into doesn’t determine their after-life residence. 

Do you want to shake the non-believer?  Convert the skeptic?  Start small.

• Define a project. Use their language, if possible.
• Share the risk, if you can. 
• Outline the metrics upfront and make sure each one of the members agrees to the definition of success. 
• Report your findings and outcomes.  
• Post-mortem the lessons learned to continue to grow your marketing flock.
• Success is a wonderful converter, so merchandise your wins back to the customer.

Don’t be the lone voice in the wilderness – invite your faithful to have a little MarketingSmack! Get yours today at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com.

Or, visit us at: www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Deus ex Machina – Leave it in the Land of Fiction

One afternoon during my vacation I managed to grab a nap.  I woke up a couple of hours later. In the background I could faintly hear Nelly Furtado’s ‘Maneater’.  I lay there listening to the song, acknowledging in my own head that I liked it.  It ended 4.18 minutes later, paused, and then began again. And again. And again. 32 times to be exact. 

Why did I allow that to happen?  Why did I lay there laden with nap-lethargy helpless?  I begged the universe to intervene, as each and every time the song seemed to play louder. Give me a little deus ex machina – battery dying; thief stealing the iPhone, whatever to make it stop. 

I see this all the time in business.  Companies come to Summit because whatever they’re doing isn’t working — at all, anymore, not as expected…..you fill in the blank.  Yet, in some ways they are praying for divine intervention as well. 

They know the real problem is that the messaging is off – but somehow they feel helpless to make a change. Starting the process seems overwhelming, so they keep sending the old stuff out over the airwaves time and time again…..getting the same results.

All I needed to do was get out of bed, walk down the hallway and find the ‘off’ button.  While honing messaging and positioning is not as simple as that, allowing discordant messages to broadcast over and over again has much deeper ramifications.

And it gets worse. Businesses need to advertise and realize that their message is different or inconsistent. Oh! What if it actually attracts people to the website and there they see the dissonance – where your website persona is not in harmony with the ad copy or press releases or the lead generation chorus?

At the risk of being too self-serving, get up and get help.  It’s near impossible to find the time to hone your message yourself. Having a conductor lead you through the process will help keep the emotions of your star performers in check. 

Let your voice be heard. Get MarketingSmacked at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Two Ears, One Mouse

There’s an expression that we were given two ears and one mouth because listening is twice as hard as talking.

My son’s mouse—and I use this determination of ownership loosely—was cast in a movie recently.  We were to be out of town during the filming and the director/producer agreed to take possession of the rodent star ahead of time.  I was thrilled to find someone to take over the duties associated with the mouse while we would be gone.

Two days into the trip I got the ill-fated phone call that Gus had met with an untimely demise at the jaws of a large dog. The dog was only partially responsible. The reality is that Gus was a victim of poor listening.

My son had shown concern about leaving the mouse in the first place.  “He’ll be scared.  They don’t know how to take care of him.  I don’t want Gus to be in the movie.”  I ignored all of his pleadings in order to push my own agenda, which was having someone take care of the mouse.

At drop-off, I questioned the wisdom of leaving the mouse cage on the floor of an office that is oft-times visited by a number of dogs.  My question was equally dismissed. 

See it coming?

How often do we ignore, gloss-over or run roughshod over questions or concerns raised around us?  It is hard for us—when we’ve made up our minds—to truly hear differing opinions.  Or not even differing, simply opinions that make our brilliant ideas not so stellar. 

I am a big believer in the Pareto Principle when it comes to pulling the trigger on business decisions.  And, one could argue that this mousicide falls into the realm of an acceptable level of risk-taking.  But, it is a good reminder that sometimes pearls of wisdom don’t always emanate from the loudest, most powerful or most driven member of an organization.  Listening is a crucial component of success.

According to Brian Wilson, the editor of businessListening.com, the top two strategies for business listeners are as follows:

1. Know your goals for the conversation.
   • Exchange information.
   • Build a relationship.
   • Feel good.
   • Make someone else feel good.
2. Be aware of your choices.
   • Talk or listen.
   • Focus or clarify.
   • Listen attentively or not.

It’s always helpful to recognize that our actions and inactions are really choices with consequences. Maybe if I had been a bit more attentive to my son’s concerns, or I had expressed more clearly my hesitance to leave Gus snout high, I wouldn’t be struggling with the obituary.

 (P.S. The witness to Gus’ demise said it was over very quickly. No one had informed the dog owner that the office was temporarily off-limits.)

Forrest from the Trees

A friend took me sailing, if you can call it that when both the mast and boom are naked, a week or so ago. (I cheated on these terms and looked them up.)  A beautiful, sunny, breezy day. A perfect backdrop to hang-out, swim, eat, drink and listen to music. 

A half-bottle of chardonnay later, I lay down on the bow—I know, I know…some of you might not think I work—what jumped out at me was a thick, even, tree-line juxtaposed against the bright blue sky. 

This long line of trees all seemed about the same size.  In the world of Adapt or Die, it struck me that on the surface it appeared as if these trees were all in agreement to grow and flourish collectively—a wall of uniformity. 

It reminded me of Big Brands. HP, IBM, Dell.  Eli Lilly, GSK, Pfizer.  Coke, Pepsi.  – You get the picture.

We know that between these players the only agreement is the constant pursuit of ‘lunch eating’.  They have to appear to play nice, partner, co-opitate. (Except Coke and Pepsi—no cooperation there.) But underneath the veneer, you know they struggle. They’re tripping over each other to separate from the pack, gain an advantage and then somehow keep it. Look at Coke Zero. It’s even fighting against its mothership, Coke. 

Market share, revenue, shareholder wealth—or in the case of my chardonnay-induced analogy, sunlight, water, air and nutrients.

I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but once again the notion of having a Disruptive Conversation^TM blows its way in.  Of course to have the Disruptive Conversation you have to be disruptive.  Be a tree that thrives in shade, have seeds that are light enough that wind can carry them to places where there are fewer trees competing for resources.  Live with less water.

Find and embrace your differentiation. Be disruptive. If roots can break rocks, what can you do?

Can’t see the forest through the trees? How ‘bout a smack of clarity. MarketingSmack. Get Smacked at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

Cheeky Little Ankle Biters

Well, let me just start by saying that anyone who takes themselves too seriously AND happens to be in sales may want to hop over this week’s blog.

A few weeks back, my almost seven year old got in this “I need a bunny” kick.  It was life or death and for days he relentlessly, without the aid of collateral and a website, expounded on the virtues of this purchase.  I was ‘featured’ and ‘benefited’ to death. 

Feature: “It can use the same litter box as the cats.”

Benefit: “No additional work for you, Mama.”

It was also round the clock – let’s ‘make-a-deal’ time.  Classic over-promise/under deliver, sell your soul to the devil type behavior.  “If I get a bunny I’ll be good for the rest of the summer.”  When that wasn’t accepted, he upped the ante.  In true hard-wired salesperson style, he had no problems changing the terms of the contract.  “OK, I’ll be good for the REST of my LIFE.”

Now we’re talking.  Tempting to say the least.

I am the biz dev person for my company.  Bluntly put, I am in sales.  It says so, right on my card – Market Builder (fancy, innocuous term for ‘I want to sell you our services’.)  It occurs to me that I am not that dissimilar in my approach.  Ok, ok, I try not to make ‘life-time’ promises to clients but there is something to be said about not giving up. 

Once you are clear on your service/product offering and have identified those in your market who would best be served by them, then a little tenacity and creativity can make all the difference.  That being said, figuring out when to ‘take NO for an answer’ is valuable as well.

Luckily for me my son’s loyalty to a particular product is whimsical at best.  He’s hopped on over to negotiating life-time behavioral changes for Super Mario Figures. Kid’s got a future – if his employer can just keep him focused.

Nibble on the latest MarketingSmack. MarketingSmack. Get Smacked at www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.

S&M or Rescue the Princess? – How to tell the difference.

A few nights ago my neighbor and her daughter were at my place.  Aimee and I were sharing a glass of wine and catching up while our kids played just outside the front door.  They quickly burst in – her daughter’s hands clasped together, wrists wrapped in rope.

Without missing a beat—and utilizing the exact same language and tone— Aimee and I immediately hit them with a barrage of questions.

“Why are your hands tied-up?”  “What are you doing?”  “Whose idea was this?”

It was clear that we were unusually curious to understand the specifics of this particular game.  In return, without missing a beat, the kids looked at us as if we’d just stepped off Planet Crazy and responded:

“I’m a princess.”  …..   “And I’m rescuing her.”

My friend and I locked eyes, acknowledged the breakdown in processing the visual cues and had some funny verbal exchange about the Marquis de Sade.

It hit me—so to speak—that the four of us encapsulated in that moment the reason that market segmentation is a critical success factor. We’re talking about verbal and visual cues. This is why humor works when presenting a situation out of the normal context.

Whether it is business-to-business or business-to-consumer communication, creating and using customer profiles enhances your chances to provide the ‘right’ verbal and visual cues to illicit the desired response.

There can be dozens of factors to consider when segmenting your market – ranging from social esteem, to language, to specific needs such as a reduction in expense.  It can be mind-numbing and paralyzing.  And, depending on the size of your market, overkill.  That said, at minimum the following should be addressed:

• Demographics (age, family size, life cycle, occupation)
• Geography (states, regions, countries)
• Behaviors (product knowledge, usage, attitudes, responses)
• Psychographics (lifestyle, values, personality)

No need to beat a dead horse, but take the time to analyze the needs and wants of different market segments before creating messaging and marketing tools. By doing so you will make marketing easier, discover niche markets, and become more efficient with your marketing resources.

How to market to Aimee and me?  Well, isn’t that obvious?

Tie yourself up for a few minutes with the latest MarketingSmack—We’ll show you the ropes. www.marketingsmack.wordpress.com or visit us at www.summitstrategypartners.com.