Marketing is part commerce and part art. The creative side of our profession can make a huge difference in the results we get. I am inspired by a poem that was written in the second half of the 19th century. It’s a poem about poetry but I think it offers all of us a unique challenge in our lives and in our careers. What will we as marketing professionals bring to the coming new age? I hope this poem inspires you as it has me. Be a leader. Do great work. Why? Here's a good answer in a timeless poem:
ODE
BY ARTHUR O’SHAUGHNESSY
WE ARE THE MUSIC MAKERS,
AND WE ARE THE DREAMERS OF DREAMS,
WANDERING BY LONE SEA-BREAKERS,
AND SITTING BY DESOLATE STREAMS;
WORLD LOSERS AND WORLD FORSAKERS,
ON WHOM THE PALE MOON GLEAMS:
YET WE ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS
OF THE WORLD FOREVER. IT SEEMS.
WITH WONDERFUL DEATHLESS DITTIES
WE BUILD UP THE WORLD’S GREAT CITIES,
AND OUT OF A FABULOUS STORY
WE FASHION AN EMPIRE’S GLORY:
ONE MAN WITH A DREAM, AT PLEASURE,
SHALL GO FORTH AND CONQUER A CROWN;
AND THREE WITH A NEW SONG’S MEASURE
CAN TRAMPLE AN EMPIRE DOWN.
WE IN THE AGES LYING
IN THE BURIED PAST OF THE EARTH,
BUILT NINEVEH WITH OUR SIGHING;
AND BABEL ITSELF WITH OUR MIRTH;
AND O’ERTHREW THEM WITH PROPHESYING
TO THE OLD OF THE NEW WORLD’S WORTH;
FOR EACH AGE IS A DREAM THAT IS DYING,
OR ONE THAT IS COMING TO BIRTH.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Enhance value and dramatically improve company performance.
No doubt the current business and economic environment have had an impact our on your plans and goals as an organization. Challenging times require extra care in managing your business. As you evaluate alternatives, marketing and communications will play an important role in shaping the future. A few unsolicited thoughts on things to consider:
Building a plan and using that plan as a benchmark - You have a mission and a number of exceptional programs and initiatives. The annual meeting/conference, ongoing efforts to guide regional sales, thought leadership/position papers and publications – to name just a few. Resources are always limited, but your chances of making progress on an annual basis are more likely to be achieved if they are part of a dynamic planning process that organizes and prioritizes activity. Done well, a dynamic plan becomes a documentation of success as well as o commitment to focus on best practices.
Budgeting for success - The plan document is important and should have broad readership. The budget, on the other hand, is best managed with a smaller circulation. Budgets for marketing and communications activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many companies simply do the best they can with a ballpark that has been established within in the past two-three years. Consumer products marketers often battle for “share of voice” and budget based on best estimates of competitive spending. New products often try to obtain rating points against the target prospect. When all is said and done, the budget should be a companion document to the marketing and communications plan. It should be realistic and fair. The budget also needs to be evaluated at least quarterly as they year unfolds. My experience has been within a relevant range of a wide variety of budget scenarios.
Engaging customers - You must attract new prospects and keep repeat customers each year. To accomplish this you must understand what products and services add value. If your value proposition falls short or it not fully understood, you will experience attrition and lose business.
Managing the brand - Your company is a brand. Like all brands, it is a reflection of a positioning in the minds of your stakeholders and customers. The brand comes with a promise. The promise must be reliable and true. Otherwise the brand loses equity and can be tarnished. Marketing and communications programs designed to reinforce the brand are a critical pieces to the puzzle. If you visit a Starbuck’s Coffee Shop, anywhere in the world, you see a dramatic illustration of a company effectively managing a brand.
Innovation and thinking outside the box - The brand platform enables you to apply brand building strategies that will result in meaningful success that added value to the company overall. The discipline and processes for uncovering this equity and leveraging it is very real and palpable.
Social media and thought leadership - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and a host of other digital media options are generating opportunities for exponential exposure (and at a modest cost). It begins with understanding the attitude of key stakeholders. But the only way to earn exposure is to go viral with news that is relevant, compelling and timely. In short, it starts with CONTENT. Like all media, the interactive media presents opportunities to be an important part of a bigger picture. The whole has an opportunity to be far more significant that the sum of its parts!
Targeting market segments - Your brand has market segments that merit effort and attention. Underdeveloped segments may require some investment, mature segments may require some fresh thinking and new products might require exploration.
Reputation Management - Be mindful of reputation. Be prepared with crisis communication and smart about how you present yourself to your customers and prospects. Reinforce the brand with an ongoing program of public relations activity. Have a process by which the successful measurement can guide ongoing programs designed to add credibility and showcase expertise. Use innovation and creative thinking. Everyone wants to be a part of an organization that is viewed in a positive light.
Managing the team - Marketing and communications are often undervalued. The activity can boost sales, enhance value and dramatically improve an organization’s performance. Yet, so often, much activity falls on a small cadre of soldiers motivated more by the art than the commerce of their daily tasks. This is as it should be. Let’s face it; movies would be boring if actors and directors thought of nothing else but box-office draw. Instead, you need actors and directors who are passionate about telling a story and telling it well. Managing such a team, takes finesse. It also requires discipline and guidance to contain and focus energy on priorities. At the start of each day there needs to be a sense of purpose. At the end of each day a feeling of accomplishment (and being a part of a larger mission). The internal team needs to be strong and cohesive. Where appropriate, outsourcing may be necessary. The best teams function as a unit with a common purpose.
Building a plan and using that plan as a benchmark - You have a mission and a number of exceptional programs and initiatives. The annual meeting/conference, ongoing efforts to guide regional sales, thought leadership/position papers and publications – to name just a few. Resources are always limited, but your chances of making progress on an annual basis are more likely to be achieved if they are part of a dynamic planning process that organizes and prioritizes activity. Done well, a dynamic plan becomes a documentation of success as well as o commitment to focus on best practices.
Budgeting for success - The plan document is important and should have broad readership. The budget, on the other hand, is best managed with a smaller circulation. Budgets for marketing and communications activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many companies simply do the best they can with a ballpark that has been established within in the past two-three years. Consumer products marketers often battle for “share of voice” and budget based on best estimates of competitive spending. New products often try to obtain rating points against the target prospect. When all is said and done, the budget should be a companion document to the marketing and communications plan. It should be realistic and fair. The budget also needs to be evaluated at least quarterly as they year unfolds. My experience has been within a relevant range of a wide variety of budget scenarios.
Engaging customers - You must attract new prospects and keep repeat customers each year. To accomplish this you must understand what products and services add value. If your value proposition falls short or it not fully understood, you will experience attrition and lose business.
Managing the brand - Your company is a brand. Like all brands, it is a reflection of a positioning in the minds of your stakeholders and customers. The brand comes with a promise. The promise must be reliable and true. Otherwise the brand loses equity and can be tarnished. Marketing and communications programs designed to reinforce the brand are a critical pieces to the puzzle. If you visit a Starbuck’s Coffee Shop, anywhere in the world, you see a dramatic illustration of a company effectively managing a brand.
Innovation and thinking outside the box - The brand platform enables you to apply brand building strategies that will result in meaningful success that added value to the company overall. The discipline and processes for uncovering this equity and leveraging it is very real and palpable.
Social media and thought leadership - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and a host of other digital media options are generating opportunities for exponential exposure (and at a modest cost). It begins with understanding the attitude of key stakeholders. But the only way to earn exposure is to go viral with news that is relevant, compelling and timely. In short, it starts with CONTENT. Like all media, the interactive media presents opportunities to be an important part of a bigger picture. The whole has an opportunity to be far more significant that the sum of its parts!
Targeting market segments - Your brand has market segments that merit effort and attention. Underdeveloped segments may require some investment, mature segments may require some fresh thinking and new products might require exploration.
Reputation Management - Be mindful of reputation. Be prepared with crisis communication and smart about how you present yourself to your customers and prospects. Reinforce the brand with an ongoing program of public relations activity. Have a process by which the successful measurement can guide ongoing programs designed to add credibility and showcase expertise. Use innovation and creative thinking. Everyone wants to be a part of an organization that is viewed in a positive light.
Managing the team - Marketing and communications are often undervalued. The activity can boost sales, enhance value and dramatically improve an organization’s performance. Yet, so often, much activity falls on a small cadre of soldiers motivated more by the art than the commerce of their daily tasks. This is as it should be. Let’s face it; movies would be boring if actors and directors thought of nothing else but box-office draw. Instead, you need actors and directors who are passionate about telling a story and telling it well. Managing such a team, takes finesse. It also requires discipline and guidance to contain and focus energy on priorities. At the start of each day there needs to be a sense of purpose. At the end of each day a feeling of accomplishment (and being a part of a larger mission). The internal team needs to be strong and cohesive. Where appropriate, outsourcing may be necessary. The best teams function as a unit with a common purpose.
Friday, August 5, 2011
YOU ARE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN
Charlie Brown is a lovable loser. He can’t win at baseball or fly a kite without facing disappointment and ultimate failure. He has insecurities and is often taken advantage of by his peers. Lucy holds a football for Charlie Brown to kick, but pulls it away before he kicks it, causing Charlie Brown to fly into the air and fall on his back.
Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown, is the most widely syndicated cartoonist in history, with work appearing in over 2,300 newspapers. He published more than 1,400 books, won Peabody and Emmy awards for animated specials. You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown is the one of the most-produced musicals in the American theater. All this diversity and recognition and continuous success began when the United Feature Syndicate ran the first installment of the comic strip Peanuts in 1950. The strip deals in psychology, social commentary and often bitter humor yet all these issues are experienced, evaluated, and ultimately decided upon by a group of kids."There is a market for innocence" Schulz once said “I don't think I'm a true artist. I would love to be Andrew Wyeth or Picasso...But I can draw pretty well and I can write pretty well, and I think I'm doing the best with whatever abilities I have been given. And what more can one ask?"
What makes Charlie Brown so lovable is that he possesses endless determination and hope. What makes Charles Schulz so remarkable is that he nurtured Charlie Brown and the Peanuts franchise for more than five decades and remained humble and hard at work his whole life. .
You're a good man, Charlie Brown
You're the kind of reminder we need
You have humility, nobility and a sense of honor
that is very rare indeed.
Good Grief. What could be more inspiring that the determination and perseverance of good ole Charlie Brown and his creator Charles M. Schulz? Both characters remind us never to give up and to the best we can with the abilities we have.
Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown, is the most widely syndicated cartoonist in history, with work appearing in over 2,300 newspapers. He published more than 1,400 books, won Peabody and Emmy awards for animated specials. You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown is the one of the most-produced musicals in the American theater. All this diversity and recognition and continuous success began when the United Feature Syndicate ran the first installment of the comic strip Peanuts in 1950. The strip deals in psychology, social commentary and often bitter humor yet all these issues are experienced, evaluated, and ultimately decided upon by a group of kids."There is a market for innocence" Schulz once said “I don't think I'm a true artist. I would love to be Andrew Wyeth or Picasso...But I can draw pretty well and I can write pretty well, and I think I'm doing the best with whatever abilities I have been given. And what more can one ask?"
What makes Charlie Brown so lovable is that he possesses endless determination and hope. What makes Charles Schulz so remarkable is that he nurtured Charlie Brown and the Peanuts franchise for more than five decades and remained humble and hard at work his whole life. .
You're a good man, Charlie Brown
You're the kind of reminder we need
You have humility, nobility and a sense of honor
that is very rare indeed.
Good Grief. What could be more inspiring that the determination and perseverance of good ole Charlie Brown and his creator Charles M. Schulz? Both characters remind us never to give up and to the best we can with the abilities we have.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Life is a Journey
Ralph Waldo Emerson became one of America's best known and best loved 19th century figures. He left his original profession as a Unitarian minister to pursue a career in writing and public speaking. "Life is a journey, not a destination," he once said. I have said this to my kids, hundreds of times as they grew up. I believe it more and more myself.
The Chinese proverb “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step,” suggests that our life’s journey starts with taking those steps required to get closer to those ultimate achievements we hope can obtain. Effort, determination and perseverance will get you where you want to go. However, as we get older, we realize upon reflection that the greatest happiness is not about achieving those goals at all. It’s more about the joy we encounter along the way. Only later in life do you start to realize and appreciate it. We are so impatient when we are young and ambitious.
Robert M. Pirsig wrote in his acclaimed 1974 novel, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - “You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you've been a pattern seems to emerge.”
The annual Thanksgiving Day Parade is something I look forward to each year. I have been fortunate enough to be among the crowd several times when I lived and worked in NYC metropolitan area. I am now living in the Midwest but this year I hope to see it up close and live once again. It makes me smile. I know it’s just a parade but it is so full of celebration and optimism. There just is nothing like being there.
I know, as I watch the Balloon handlers, bands and characters passing by I’ll be reminded of the sensational feeling so many things that have happened over the course of my lifetime. If you’ve seen the parade, you know what I mean. It’s a spectacle and a thrill to behold.
Live life to the fullest and enjoy the parade as it passes. Time marches on.
The Chinese proverb “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step,” suggests that our life’s journey starts with taking those steps required to get closer to those ultimate achievements we hope can obtain. Effort, determination and perseverance will get you where you want to go. However, as we get older, we realize upon reflection that the greatest happiness is not about achieving those goals at all. It’s more about the joy we encounter along the way. Only later in life do you start to realize and appreciate it. We are so impatient when we are young and ambitious.
Robert M. Pirsig wrote in his acclaimed 1974 novel, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - “You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you've been a pattern seems to emerge.”
The annual Thanksgiving Day Parade is something I look forward to each year. I have been fortunate enough to be among the crowd several times when I lived and worked in NYC metropolitan area. I am now living in the Midwest but this year I hope to see it up close and live once again. It makes me smile. I know it’s just a parade but it is so full of celebration and optimism. There just is nothing like being there.
I know, as I watch the Balloon handlers, bands and characters passing by I’ll be reminded of the sensational feeling so many things that have happened over the course of my lifetime. If you’ve seen the parade, you know what I mean. It’s a spectacle and a thrill to behold.
Live life to the fullest and enjoy the parade as it passes. Time marches on.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Winning is Super but…
The 2011 Super Bowl held on Sunday, February 6th at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas was played in front of a capacity of over 100,000 people - the largest attendance in Super Bowl history. The Super Bowl broadcast was viewed by more than 100 Million people. The winner of the game takes home the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The trophy is named for a great coach and a great man. Vince Lombardi was born on June 11, 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. He was head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers (1959–67). He imposed a strenuous regimen and led his team to five NFL championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967). He won first two Super Bowls (1967, 1968). His success made him a symbol of single-minded determination to win.
The odds of winning a championship in any professional sport are always long. Maybe that is why we care so much about what makes a winning team. To be sure, we can learn a great deal about character, hard work, grit and determination from the individuals who win championships. But maybe there is even more inspiration inherent in the heroic efforts made in spite of falling short. Consider those individuals who find the courage to continue in a losing effort who bravely battle but ultimately do not win. They are unsung heroes and in many ways can be even more noble.
Vince Lombardi died of Cancer in September 1970. Surely he would be astounded at how big the game has become and would be most honored that the trophy is a constant reminder of what it takes to win. Yet, the trophy that bears his name might also be appropriately be awarded for battling against impossible odds. Lombardi deserves the fame he earned for winning but perhaps it is more notable that he is a role model for those driven to succeed – doing what it takes to win, in spite of never knowing for certain of the outcome.
Lombardi's success is legendary, and he is often associated with the maxim, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." He did not coin that phrase. It is uncertain if he actually ever even said it. However, he did say something that might be more important: "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is."
I wish there was a trophy for all those people who do what it takes to win but bravely accept the result of the outcome in spite of their best efforts to prevail. You are winners too!
The trophy is named for a great coach and a great man. Vince Lombardi was born on June 11, 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. He was head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers (1959–67). He imposed a strenuous regimen and led his team to five NFL championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967). He won first two Super Bowls (1967, 1968). His success made him a symbol of single-minded determination to win.
The odds of winning a championship in any professional sport are always long. Maybe that is why we care so much about what makes a winning team. To be sure, we can learn a great deal about character, hard work, grit and determination from the individuals who win championships. But maybe there is even more inspiration inherent in the heroic efforts made in spite of falling short. Consider those individuals who find the courage to continue in a losing effort who bravely battle but ultimately do not win. They are unsung heroes and in many ways can be even more noble.
Vince Lombardi died of Cancer in September 1970. Surely he would be astounded at how big the game has become and would be most honored that the trophy is a constant reminder of what it takes to win. Yet, the trophy that bears his name might also be appropriately be awarded for battling against impossible odds. Lombardi deserves the fame he earned for winning but perhaps it is more notable that he is a role model for those driven to succeed – doing what it takes to win, in spite of never knowing for certain of the outcome.
Lombardi's success is legendary, and he is often associated with the maxim, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." He did not coin that phrase. It is uncertain if he actually ever even said it. However, he did say something that might be more important: "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is."
I wish there was a trophy for all those people who do what it takes to win but bravely accept the result of the outcome in spite of their best efforts to prevail. You are winners too!
Celebrate Everything
Learn from experiences. Life, after all, is a journey. Things don’t happen in a vacuum. Everything that happens; happens for a reason. Everything that happens is relevant. There will be peaks and valleys in your life. My uncle David (my father’s brother) is fond of saying “Don’t forget to smell the flowers.” He’s right.
I am blessed. There is so much for which I am thankful. I could write an entire book about my wife Lynn, who has been CEO of our household for nearly 30 years. I could go on for hundreds of pages about our daughter Lindsey, my first born. I have said often, and I mean it: “The world is a better place with her in it.” (Lindsey has been a youth group advisor since she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2004. She has already made a difference in hundreds of lives since then.) And our son Ben is just entering the world of business as a financial analyst in NYC. A long time ago a camp counselor described Ben as a “silent leader.” I’ve never forgotten that because it is so true about him. He quietly excels in everything he sets out to do. He is a young man but already he is a role model.
Bear in mind that you simply cannot separate your business life and your personal life, really. You may feel the urge to compartmentalize things. And sometimes that is appropriate. But don’t forget to appreciate everything and everyone. Life is short. You will be tested. I will resist the temptation to get all spiritual and philosophical here but the message is a simple one. Celebrate everything. There are lots of smart people who have more ability than I do and can better articulate the meaning of existence. All I am saying is to recognize the little blessings while you accept challenges in your life. Find joy in bright stars, stunning sunsets and random acts of kindness. Laugh when you can and cry when you need too. Share with friends and family. Celebrate successes and learn from defeats and you will find greater fulfillment in your life. (That includes your career and work life too.)
I am blessed. There is so much for which I am thankful. I could write an entire book about my wife Lynn, who has been CEO of our household for nearly 30 years. I could go on for hundreds of pages about our daughter Lindsey, my first born. I have said often, and I mean it: “The world is a better place with her in it.” (Lindsey has been a youth group advisor since she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2004. She has already made a difference in hundreds of lives since then.) And our son Ben is just entering the world of business as a financial analyst in NYC. A long time ago a camp counselor described Ben as a “silent leader.” I’ve never forgotten that because it is so true about him. He quietly excels in everything he sets out to do. He is a young man but already he is a role model.
Bear in mind that you simply cannot separate your business life and your personal life, really. You may feel the urge to compartmentalize things. And sometimes that is appropriate. But don’t forget to appreciate everything and everyone. Life is short. You will be tested. I will resist the temptation to get all spiritual and philosophical here but the message is a simple one. Celebrate everything. There are lots of smart people who have more ability than I do and can better articulate the meaning of existence. All I am saying is to recognize the little blessings while you accept challenges in your life. Find joy in bright stars, stunning sunsets and random acts of kindness. Laugh when you can and cry when you need too. Share with friends and family. Celebrate successes and learn from defeats and you will find greater fulfillment in your life. (That includes your career and work life too.)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Resolution for a new age
Each year millions of people make resolutions as the new year begins. Many of us fail to live up to even the best intended vows to be healthier, exercise more and improve ourselves. Still the notion should not be abandoned. We are human, sure, but we are can be part of something much more – a rebirth and a new generation of hope and promise.
Consider the Renaissance. It was a rebirth during a cultural movement that started in Italy in the fourteenth century. It encompassed a resurgence of learning and widespread educational reform. It is perhaps best known for its artistic developments of the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term Renaissance man.
Arthur O’Shaughnessy wrote a poem simply titled ODE in the second half of the 19th century that concludes with an observation that is also a challenge:
“ EACH AGE IS A DREAM THAT IS DYING,
OR ONE THAT IS COMING TO BIRTH.”
O’Shaughnessy’s poem makes us think about what we as individuals and as a generation might bring to the coming new age and what kind of influence we might all be on the next generation. We look at the enormous challenges the world faces and at times feel discouraged. But remember, the future depends on all of us. Together we can instigate a rebirth with some simple resolutions that can truly change the world and its prospects for the future.
Maybe if we all think a little differently. Consider being more like the Renaissance man. Approach each new day with a positive outlook and thereby influence greatness in others. Don’t forget, in spite of all the troubles in the world, we have unprecedented communication tools and fantastic research and development moving forward at a remarkable pace.
We are not all great artists and thinkers but we can all consider the hopes and dreams of future generations and apply that simple vision to become part of a better world. Hope and vision can inspire greatness. Be a patron. Encourage others. Be a mentor. Help a child learn something new. Look at how much influence you can have in a single day. The rebirth has to start somewhere and that start could very well be you.
Consider the Renaissance. It was a rebirth during a cultural movement that started in Italy in the fourteenth century. It encompassed a resurgence of learning and widespread educational reform. It is perhaps best known for its artistic developments of the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term Renaissance man.
Arthur O’Shaughnessy wrote a poem simply titled ODE in the second half of the 19th century that concludes with an observation that is also a challenge:
“ EACH AGE IS A DREAM THAT IS DYING,
OR ONE THAT IS COMING TO BIRTH.”
O’Shaughnessy’s poem makes us think about what we as individuals and as a generation might bring to the coming new age and what kind of influence we might all be on the next generation. We look at the enormous challenges the world faces and at times feel discouraged. But remember, the future depends on all of us. Together we can instigate a rebirth with some simple resolutions that can truly change the world and its prospects for the future.
Maybe if we all think a little differently. Consider being more like the Renaissance man. Approach each new day with a positive outlook and thereby influence greatness in others. Don’t forget, in spite of all the troubles in the world, we have unprecedented communication tools and fantastic research and development moving forward at a remarkable pace.
We are not all great artists and thinkers but we can all consider the hopes and dreams of future generations and apply that simple vision to become part of a better world. Hope and vision can inspire greatness. Be a patron. Encourage others. Be a mentor. Help a child learn something new. Look at how much influence you can have in a single day. The rebirth has to start somewhere and that start could very well be you.
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